There have been concerns expressed lately on the LO network about
knowledge management (KM), the impact of high-tech KM software, and
possible imposition on the learning and performance of individuals and
work groups.
In light of these concerns, the following news item (from "ITT
CONNECTION," posted with permission) may re-assure those who are feeling
imposed on by KM.
For my part: knowledge workers are unlikely to take time and effort to
place their learning into any company-controlled repository of information
or knowledge (with or without sophisticated software to make the job
easier) unless and until they feel that they will benefit from so-doing:
e.g. peer approval, easier / faster problem solving when working on future
projects, other recognition and rewards.
In these circumstances I can't get very excited about "imposition of
technology" on the learning and knowledge-sharing behavior of people who
are smart enough to make a contribution that benefits other members of
their companies, and committed enough to use others' knowledge
contributions as a resource for their own work.
What do you think? What's your viewpoint on the concerns expressed
recently about the KM - LO linkages? Perhaps Ed Swanstrom <km@km.org>,
Chairperson of the KM Consortium, would care to comment. (Ref. LO19372:
28 Sep 1998, Call for Participation to Knowledge Management Consortium
Meeting in Chicago, 15 Oct 1998)
Dick Webster
Richard S. Webster, Ph.D. - President
Personal Resources Management Institute
709 Wesley Court - Worthington OH 43085-3558
e-mail <webster.1@osu.edu>, fax 614-433-71-88, tel 614-433-7144
***
The Institute's R&D projects address the paradigm shift from "training,
instruction and teaching" to "learning" -- a key change for continual
improvement of the enterprise (company or other organization), including a
higher-performance culture; "better" leadership, systems and processes,
ideas and quality; more effective use of information and knowledge; higher
involvement, improved performance and productivity of company members and
their teams; with increased profits and other desired results. PRMI is a
501(c)3 non-profit research, development and consulting company founded in
1978.
***
Thought: "Things are getting better and better and worse and worse faster
and faster" says Tom Atlee. Challenge: Finding and building the "betters,"
in time. Idea: Try learning -- each person's responsibility and
opportunity.
- - -
Date: Thu Feb 4 12:04:40 EST 1999
From: ITT Connection <ittconnection@ittrain.com>
> ** ITT CONNECTION ** Vol. 1, Issue 4 ** Thursday, February 4, 1999 **
>-snip-
> THIS ISSUE:
> 1. How Much Multimedia is Enough?
> 2. The MIND Lab
> 3. The Gender Gap in Computing
> 4. "Search For Excellence" Announced
> 5. Knowledge Management: Birth of a Science?
> 6. The URL Grab Bag
>-snip-
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 5. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: BIRTH OF A SCIENCE?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Knowledge management (KM), according to Ed Swanstrom (writing on
> behalf of the Knowledge Management Consortium), is as old as
> humanity. What is new, he says, "is the recent focus on KM as a
> profession that concentrates on methods for managing and improving
> knowledge processes within a commercial enterprise to help it adapt
> and prosper."
> The Knowledge Management Consortium is a nonprofit organization
> founded in 1997 to provide a practical, measurable application of KM
> to businesses and other organizations. It has 20 chapters and more
> than 50 members. As we write this, its ANSI/ISO Standards Committee
> is meeting in Washington, DC. In March, KMC is holding a workshop on
> knowledge management (which it is promoting as KM 101, but which it
> describes on its Web site as the first certification course on
> knowledge management).
> In January, the Knowledge Management Consortium announced the
> formation of the International Knowledge Management Science Society
> (IKMSS), a nonprofit scientific society created to promote scientific
> interchange among researchers in artificial intelligence,
> anthropology, linguistics, psychology, philosophy, sociology,
> economics, and education. Although research in knowledge management
> dates back to the early 1800s, and people have been discussing the
> philosophy of knowledge management since days of ancient Greece, the
> field hasn't yet become a scientific discipline. IKMSS hopes to
> change that. It takes more than the formation of a scientific society
> to give birth to a science, but the Knowledge Management Consortium
> is probably a good place to hang out if you want to witness one:
> http://www.km.org/. The announcement on IKMSS is at
> http://www.km.org/kmss.htm.
(The above item posted to the LO network with permission from ITT
CONNECTION, on the condition that the following subscripton information be
included:)
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> ******** copyright (c) 1999 Ziff-Davis, Inc. ********
> all rights reserved
--"Richard S. Webster" <webster.1@osu.edu>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>