Rizal Technological University

Mandaluyong, City

Written Report: Knowledge Management

Submitted by: Raymond A. Ramirez
Topic: Knowledge Management Foundations: Infrastructure, Mechanisms, and Technologies

Initial Definition of Knowledge Management

 Knowledge management (KM) may simply be defined as doing what is needed to get the most
out of knowledge resources
 Performing the activities involved in discovering, capturing, sharing, and applying knowledge so
as to enhance in a cost-effective fashion, the impact of knowledge on the unit’s goal
achievement

Business Inteligence

 Sometimes used interchangeably with KM. Although KM and BI are somewhat interrelated, they
are quite distinct.
 Focuses on providing decision makers with valuable information and knowledge by utilizing a
variety of sources of data and structured and unstructured information (Sabherwal 2007, 2008),
via the discovery of the relationships that may exist between these sources of data and
information

**Unlike KM, which starts with information and knowledge as inputs, BI begins
with data and information as inputs**

Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence Comparison

Knowledge Management Business Management

Intellectual Components Primary: Knowledge (Explicit Primary: Data
and Tacit) Secondary: Information, Explicit
Secondary: Information, Data Knowledge
Process Knowledge Capture, Sharing, Data Access, Analysis and
Application and Discovery Presentation
Key Components Social Mechanisms and Mainly Information
Information Technology Technologies

Knowledge Management and Business Management in Common

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS

Knowledge management depends on two broad aspects: KM solutions, which are

specific in nature; and KM foundations, which are broader and more long-term.

KM solutions refer to the ways in which specific aspects of KM (discovery, capture, sharing,
and application of knowledge) can be accomplished.

KM solutions include KM processes and KM systems.

KM foundations are the broad organizational aspects that support KM in the short- and long-term. They
include KM infrastructure, KM mechanisms, and KM technologies. Thus, KM solutions depend on KM
foundations, as shown in Figure 3.1. Next, we briefly explain the three components of KM foundations
and the two components of KM solutions.

COMPONENTS OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS

 KM Infrastructure
 KM Mechanisms
 KM Technologies
 KM Processes
 KM Systems

Knowledge Management Infrastructure

Reflects the long-term foundation for knowledge management.

Knowledge Management Mechanics

These are organizational or structural means used to promote knowledge management. They may (or
may not) involve the use of information technology, but they do involve some kind of organizational
arrangement or social or structural means of facilitating KM.

Knowledge Management Technologies

These are information technologies that can be used to facilitate knowledge management.

Thus, KM technologies are intrinsically no different from information technologies, but they focus on
knowledge management rather than information processing

KM technologies also support KM systems and benefit from

the KM infrastructure, especially the information technology infrastructure.

Knowledge Management Processes

These are the broad processes that help in discovering, capturing, sharing, and applying knowledge.
Knowledge Management Systems

These are the integration of technologies and mechanisms that are developed to support the above four
KM processes.

illustrates the use of one of these processes— knowledge sharing—at a health-care company. These
four KM processes are supported by KM systems and seven important types of KM subprocesses (e.g.,
exchange).

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE

KM mechanisms and technologies rely on the KM infrastructure, which reflects the long-term
foundation for knowledge management. In an organizational context, KM infrastructure includes five
major components: organization culture, organization structure, information technology infrastructure,
common knowledge, and physical environment.

5 Components of Knowledge Management Infrastructure

 Organization Culture
 Organization Structure
 Information Technology Infrastructure
 Common Knowledge
 Physical Environment

ORGANIZATION CULTURE

Organization culture reflects the norms and beliefs that guide the behavior of the organization’s
members. It is an important enabler of knowledge management in organizations

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

Knowledge management also depends to a considerable extent on the organization structure.

 Hierarchical structure of the organization
 Facilitating KM through communities of practice
 Facilitate KM through specialized structures and roles that specifically support KM
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE

Knowledge management is facilitated by the organization’s IT infrastructure

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE 4 IMPORTANT CAPABILITIES

Reach: Reach pertains to access and connection and the efficiency of such access

Depth: focuses on the detail and amount of information that can be effectively communicated over a
medium

Richness the ability to: provide multiple cues (e.g., body language, facial expression, tone of voice)
simultaneously provide quick feedback personalize messages use natural language to convey subtleties

Aggregation: the ability to store and quickly process information enables the aggregation of large
volumes of information drawn from multiple sources

COMMON KNOWLEDGE

It is an organization’s cumulative experiences in comprehending a category of knowledge and activities

and the organizing principles that support communication and coordination

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The physical environment within the organization is often taken for granted, but it is another important
foundation upon which knowledge management rests.

Key aspects of the physical environment include the design of buildings and the separation
between them; the location, size, and type of offices; the type, number, and
nature of meeting rooms; and so on

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS

Learning by doing
On-the-job training
Learning by Observation
Face to face meetings

More Long Term KM Mechanisms

Hiring of a CKO
Cooperative Projects across departments
Traditional Hierarchical Relationships
Organizational policies
Standards
Initiation Process for new employees
Employee Rotation
Knowledge Management Technologies

Artificial Intelligence are used for knowledge acquisition and case-based reasoning systems, electronic
discussion groups, computer-based simulations,
databases, decision support systems, ERP systems, expert systems, MIS expertise locator systems,
Videoconferencing

Information Repositories
• best practices databases
• lessons learned systems
• Web 2.0 technologies
• wikis and blogs