Chapter 2

An Introduction to
Strategic Knowledge
Management

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 Introduction

• Organizations need to understand how

knowledge operates, and who possesses
strategic knowledge
• Organizational knowledge needs to be
identified and carefully managed to ensure
its contribution is maximized
• Knowledge work is an increasing component
of workplaces

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 Knowledge Workers

• Apply their personal knowledge to work

problems or situations
• Regularly build on existing knowledge
• Use their heads, more than their hands
• Valued for their intellectual contributions

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 Organizational Knowledge

• Know what – what is useful

• Know who – who has the knowledge
• Know how – how to use the knowledge
• Know why – why is this knowledge chosen
• Know where – where can this knowledge be found
• Know when – when is the best time to use this
knowledge
• Know if – in what occasion can this knowledge be
used

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Phases of Knowledge Development
(2/2)
 Knowledge Management
Infrastructure

– Managerial
– Technical
– Social

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 Managerial Infrastructure (1/2)

• Managerial support for knowledge workers

• Formal management processes which are
applied
• Impact strongly on the resourcing, decision-
making and innovative practices which are
allocated to knowledge management
• Management can facilitate or hinder
knowledge management

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 Managerial Infrastructure (2/2)

Human resource management (HRM)

• The processes which facilitate effective
recruitment, retention, development and
nurturing of staff
• Align individual staff member’s efforts with the
organizational priorities through appropriate
practices and strategies
• HRM operates at all levels within
organizations
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 Technological Infrastructure

• Technical and information management

systems
• Help the recording, transmitting and sharing
of information and knowledge
• Includes library and information services and
records management strategies

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 Social Infrastructure

• Enabling social and professional interchange

between organizational members and other
stakeholders
• Strongly influenced by the values which are
emphasized within the organization
• Knowledge management can help to
develop social capital across the
organization

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 Harnessing Organizational
Knowledge (1/3)

• The knowledge core is the accumulated

mass of knowledge which is identified,
publicly valued, captured and disseminated
by the organization
• Ensures staff members focus on the
generation and preservation of critical
knowledge

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 Harnessing Organizational
Knowledge (2/3)

Enabling knowledge transfer

• Critical knowledge needs to be regularly and
effectively disseminated to all who require it
• Increasing value of knowledge has changed
the way in which communication and strategic
interactions occur in organizations
• Three knowledge transfer models
demonstrate the evolving nature of
organizational communication:
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 Harnessing Organizational
Knowledge (3/3)

Knowledge objects
• Intellectual property
• Standardization
• Customization

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 Communities of Practice (CoP)

• Groups of people with common interests

who share their insights and knowledge
• Collectivist mentality
• Self-managed groups who continue through
the personal commitment of members

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The Five Ps of Strategic Knowledge
Management
 Building Knowledge Management
into the Strategic Framework

• Organizations need to emphasize capacity

building to anticipate future needs
• Knowledge sharing is an important core
competency
• The development of a strategic knowledge
community requires active support
• Knowledge management should add value

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 Concluding Points

• Knowledge management is a complex

systemic process
• Organizational knowledge needs to be
identified, developed and shared to ensure it
is optimally used
• Organizational infrastructure plays a major
part in encouraging effective knowledge
management

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 Today’s focus questions:

• What types of work do knowledge workers

undertake?
• How does knowledge develop?
• How can knowledge be optimized in
organizations?

– Lecture Reference: Debowski, Chapter 2

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