Fred observes:
> Steve observes that knowledge management (KM) appears to
> have disappeared into the gaping maw of information technology (IT). He
> cites
> a web site ostensibly devoted to KM but seems to be little more than a
> technology watch.
>
> Frankly, it looks that way to me, too.
KM is a technology, a management/learning/teaching technology which may or
may not use other technologies to enhance its presence in an
organizational setting. It is also a deliverable, like ISO9000, QS9000,
or reengineering. Before the theory can be developed and interesting and
useful applications tested, a market develops today. It is usually
created by the world of consultancy, always eager for a new 'tool' to
sell, a new 'technology' to pitch.
Snip here...
> The underlying problem as I see it is the rapid commercialization of
> innovation. As fast as a good idea (e.g., reengineering or knowledge
> management) comes along, there are droves of folks who
> immediately attempt to convert what is still an art form into standard
> practice.
The same happened, Fred, with LO and Deming's Theory of Profound
Knowledge. There are a lot of salesmen in the ranks of the consulting
world who will sell anything. The Orson Welles "we will sell no wine
before it's time" brand of advertising doesn't seem to apply to the world
of intellectual supply/demand. Think about all of the flavors of TQM or
TOC or the early implementations of Artificial Intelligence. Although we
all here seem to believe in developing skills through understanding
theory, the same does not apply to the marketeers. (Think Viagra,
Thalidomide, the Pinto)
> More disconcerting than either of those two factors is this
> one: I've met two CEOs who firmly believed that one day they would be
> able
> to run their businesses by sitting in a room at a computer console.
Tom Peters has been doing this for years. The computer console is a
communications device as well as a tool for developing creative ways to
say the same thing in a bigger, more marketable book.
> If they're correct, then I'm a Luddite. If I'm correct,
> their thinking is definitely out of kilter. What's so scary about that
> isn't the
> particulars of the issue but that such flawed thinking winds
> up running the show.
Other flawed thoughts are the putting of stockholders' interests OVER
worker interests, refusing to invest in technology unless it removes
humans, etc. Or regarding knowledge as something you can manage, or
reengineering as something other than a special case of the general theory
of systems thinking.
John Zavacki
jzavacki@greenapple.com
--"John Zavacki" <jzavacki@greenapple.co>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>