Knowledge management processes

Knowledge creation
Knowledge creation has been defined as the formation of new ideas through interactions between
explicit and tacit knowledge in individual human minds. As defined by Ikujiro Nonaka, it
consists of socialization (tacit to tacit), externalization (tacit to explicit), combination (explicit to
explicit), and internalization (explicit to tacit).
The Knowledge Creation Process
The first element of knowledge management is knowledge creation and capture. Knowledge is continually being
created in any group, corporation or organization since the very interaction among people generates knowledge. One
of the primary aims of knowledge management is to capture the knowledge that is produced during such
interactions. As a consequence of the highly competitive nature of todays markets, there is increasing need within
corporations and organizations to create new knowledge, generate novel ideas and concepts, and to capture these
knowledge, ideas and concepts.

Knowledge creation determinants

The knowledge vision of a firm is an integral part of the strategic vision of organization, and it is
strongly related to the fundamental question why do we exist? The knowledge vision results
from the strategic management of the firm and it gives a direction to the process of knowledge
creation. If the strategy of a firm can change as the situation evolves, and uncertainty about the
future decreases, the knowledge vision does not change so easily, because of its own nature. The
knowledge vision is extremely important in the knowledge creation process as it inspires the
intellectual passion of the organizations members so that they are encouraged to create
knowledge. It also defines a consistent value system to evaluate and justify the knowledge
created in the organization
Leadership in the knowledge-creating firm is based on the concept of distributed leadership, rather than on
leadership conceived as rigid and fixed control mechanism. Since knowledge is created through dynamic interaction,
leadership in a knowledge-creating firm requires active commitment from all members of the organization, not just a
few elite members
Organization learning has become a necessity for the survival of businesses. A learning culture in organizations is
important as it opens up informal and formal channels to dialectical thinking, debates, and critiques. However, if an
organizational culture does not promote experimental learning, informal peer reviews, and informal guidance, it is
likely to be stuck with the knowledge that it is no longer effective in a fast changing environmental context.
Organizational culture defines how a person is identified within the organization, and how that person conceives its
system of values and how he/she relates it to his/her own system. Culture is important in knowledge creation,
because, a good part of our knowledge has been learned as culture from older generations. Also, tacit knowledge
consists mostly of culture.
Capturing and codifying knowledge

Knowledge codification means converting tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge in a usable

form for the organizational members. Tacit knowledge (e.g., human expertise) is identified and
leveraged through a form that is able to produce highest return for the business.

Knowledge capture is the process by which knowledge is converted from tacit to explicit form
(residing within people, artifacts or organizational entities) and vice versa through the subprocesses of externalization and internalization
During this process, is important to attract both explicit knowledge and the tacit, although it is
more difficult for the second category. Tacit knowledge is found in rumors, legends, stories,
rules, beliefs, while explicit knowledge appearing in books, documents, databases, websites,
email etc. Capturing explicit knowledge involves: attracting, organizing and refining the
information to make them easier to find, while facilitating learning and problem-solving.
Managing tacit knowledge requires capturing the experience and expertise of individuals so that
they are available to all who need them. During the process of creating, capturing and codifying
knowledge, there are various new concepts to be tested and validated to determine their veracity
or value. This means that new concepts must be higher than existing ones.
Knowledge capture systems
Knowledge capture systems support process of eliciting explicit or tacit knowledge from people, artifacts, or
organizational entities. They rely on mechanisms and technologies to support externalization and internalization.
Methods of capturing knowledge
Organizational stories:
a detailed narrative of past management actions, employee interactions, or other intra-or extra-organizational
events that are communicated informally within organizations
Include a plot, major characters, an outcome, and an implied moral. They play a significant role in organizations
characterized by a strong need for collaboration.
It is an effective means of capturing and transferring tacit organizational knowledge. You need to identify people in
the organization willing to share how they learned from others. Encourage the use of metaphors to confront difficult
organizational issues
Storytelling provides a natural methodology for nurturing communities because it:

builds trust
unlocks passion
is non-hierarchical

Where can storytelling be effective?

Bridging the knowing-doing gap

Capturing tacit knowledge
To embody and transfer knowledge
To foster innovation
Enhancing technology
Individual growth
Launching/Nurturing communities of practice

Concept maps

Concept maps, aim to represent knowledge through concepts enclosed in circles or boxes of some types, which are
related via connecting lines or propositions. Concepts are perceived regularities in events or objects that are
designated by a label. In the simplest form, a concept map contains just two concepts connected by a linking word to
form a single proposition, also called a semantic unit or unit of meaning. In a concept map, the vertical axis
expresses a hierarchical framework for organizing the concepts. More general, inclusive concepts are found at the
top of the map with progressively more specific, less inclusive concepts arranged below them. These maps
emphasize the most general concepts by linking them to supporting ideas with propositions. Concept maps represent
meaningful relationships between concepts in the form of propositions. In addition relationships between concepts
(propositions) in different domains of the concept map are defined as cross-links. These cross-links help to visualize
how different knowledge domains are related to each other.
Context-based reasoning
There are two classes of knowledge in organizations
Tactical: tactical knowledge refers to the human ability that enables domain experts to assess the situation at hand
(therefore short-term) among a myriad of inputs, select a plan that best addresses the current situation, and execute
that plan
Strategic: which pertains to the long-term positioning of the organization in terms of its corporate vision and
strategies for achieving that vision
Context-based Reasoning is a human behavior representation paradigm specifically designed to effectively represent
human tactical behavior. Tactical behavior is defined as: the continuous and dynamic process of decision making
by a performing agent (human or otherwise) who interacts with his/its environment while attempting to carry out a
mission in that environment. In this sense tactical knowledge is associated with assessing a current situation,
selecting a plan to address the current situation, and executing that plan.
CxBR is based on the following basic tenets:
1. A tactical situation calls for a set of actions and procedures that properly ad-dress the current situation. In the case
of a driver, for example, these actions could include maintaining the car in its proper lane, stopping at a stop sign,
and not exceeding the speed limit (by much). The set of actions and procedures is described as the context.
2. As the situation evolves, a transition to another context or set of actions and procedures may be required to
address the new situation. For example, when a driver exits an interstate highway onto a city street, a different set of
functions and procedures will be necessary to manage this new situa-tion. In addition, one must be aware of cross
traffic, traffic lights, and so forth that would not have to be considered when driving on an interstate highway.
3. What is likely to happen in a context or current situation is limited by the context itself. Continuing with the same
example, one would not have to worry about operating the cruise control while waiting at a traffic light. However,
that could be a potential action while driving on the interstate.
CxBR encapsulates knowledge about appropriate actions and/or procedures, as well as compatible new situations,
into hierarchically organized contexts. Tactical behavior is action-based at low levels (e.g., keeping the car on the
traffic lane), decision-and-action based at middle levels (stop or go at a traffic light), and decision-based at high
levels (take the freeway or the back roads). In this sense, CxBR is hierarchical and modular. The mission context
defines the scope of the mission, its goals, the plan, and the constraints imposed (time, weather, etc). The main
context contains functions, rules, and a list of compatible subsequent main contexts. Identification of a new situation
can now be simplified because only a limited number of all situations are possible under the currently active context.
Sub-contexts are abstractions of functions per-formed by the main context, which may be too complex for one

function or that may be employed by other main contexts. This encourages re-usability. Sub-contexts are activated
by rules in the active main context. They will deactivate themselves upon completion of their actions

Knowledge sharing
Knowledge sharing is an activity through which knowledge (namely, information, skills, or expertise) is exchanged
among people, friends, families, communities (for example, Wikipedia), or organizations.