Knowledge Management

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What Is Knowledge?

Data
A Record of a
Change of
State
Information
Data
organized with
a purpose. A
message
Knowledge
Literally
what people
know

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Data
Data are raw facts and
figures that on their own
have no meaning

These can be any
alphanumeric characters
i.e. text, numbers,
symbols
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Data Examples
Yes, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes
42, 63, 96, 74, 56, 86
111192, 111234

None of the above data sets have any meaning
until they are given a CONTEXT and
PROCESSED into a useable form

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Data Into Information
To achieve its aims the organisation will
need to process data into information.

Data needs to be turned into meaningful
information and presented in its most
useful format.

Data must be processed in a context in
order to give it meaning.
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Information
Data that has been processed within a
context to give it meaning

OR

Data that has been processed into a form
that gives it meaning
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Examples
In the next 3 examples
explain how the data
could be processed to
give it meaning

What information can
then be derived from the
data?



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Example 1
Yes, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No,
Yes, No, Yes, Yes
Raw Data
Context
Responses to the market
research question
Would you buy brand x at
price y?
Information
???
Processing
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Example 2
Raw Data
Context
Information

42, 63, 96, 74, 56, 86
Ravis scores in the six
papers
???
Processing
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Example 3
Raw Data
Context
Information
111192, 111234
The previous and
current readings of a
customers KSEB meter
???
Processing
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Knowledge
Knowledge is the understanding of rules
needed to interpret information

the capability of understanding the
relationship between pieces of
information and what to actually do
with the information
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Knowledge Examples
Using the 3 previous examples:
A Marketing Manager could use this information to
decide whether or not to raise or lower price y.

Ravis teacher could analyse the results to determine
whether it would be worth her re-sitting a paper.

Looking at the pattern of the customers previous
KSEB bills may identify that the figure is abnormally
low and they are fiddling the KSEB meter!!!


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Knowledge Workers
Knowledge workers have specialist
knowledge that makes them experts
Based on formal and informal rules they have
learned through training and experience

Examples include doctors, managers,
librarians, scientists
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Expert Systems
Because many rules are based
on probabilities computers can
be programmed with subject
knowledge to mimic the role of
experts

One of the most common uses
of expert systems is in medicine
The ONCOLOG system shown
here analyses patient data to
provide a reference for doctors,
and help for the choice,
prescription and follow-up of
chemotherapy
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Summary
Information Data Context Meaning
= + +
Processing
Data raw facts and figures
Information data that has been processed (in a context) to give
it meaning
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Types of Knowledge
Explicit knowledge










Tacit knowledge










Formal knowledge
(Visible)

Available in the form of
books, reports, audio
tapes, video tapes etc.

Can be articulated











Informal knowledge
(Highly Invisible)

Confined in the mind of a
person

Difficult to articulate



















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Knowledge Management
Knowledge Driven Organization
Fully leverage the "collective knowledge" in an organization
Creation and sharing of knowledge
KM processes provide a framework for connecting people to people
and people to information
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KM helps the Organization to:
Improve
organizational
effectiveness and
Returns
Build
competitive
advantage
Create
greater
value
See the
opportunities
and exploit
them
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The Essence of Knowledge
Management

The central theme of Knowledge
Management is to leverage and reuse
knowledge resources that already exist in the
organization so that people will seek out best
practices rather than reinvent the wheel.
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Why Knowledge Management?
Marketplaces are increasingly
competitive and the rate of
innovation is rising

Reductions in staffing create a
need to replace informal
knowledge with formal methods

The amount of time available to
experience and acquire
knowledge has diminished

Early retirements and increasing
mobility of the work force lead
to loss of knowledge
Knowledge
management
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Knowledge Management Process
Create stage
Customer Acceptance
Apply stage
Share stage
Store stage
Select stage
Collect stage
Identify stage
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Benefits of Knowledge to Enterprise
Unleash new Ideas and Creativity.

Improve and accelerate Learning.

Enhance Team Collaboration & Coordination.

Improve the Flow of knowledge.

Attract, and retain motivated, loyal, and committed talent.

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