My issues with Mark McElroy are small -- even smaller since his latest
note, which is right-on.
The "context" I referred to is mainly the marketing context in which we
work: the fact that "knowledge" is now a more popular label with the
clients (for now) than "learning". That's a small matter -- so long as we
are clear what we really have to offer. Mark's latest statement about
"knowledge PROCESS mngmt." is nicely clear. If I were sure that all of us
had that firm a hold on the process aspects of "K work" I'd be more happy.
(I don't really have nightmares about this stuff. Forgive the hyperpole.)
One other point (not a small one): do we define "K" as ideas (residing
either in people's heads, books, or DBs) OR as the capacity/capability for
taking effective action? In other words, is it the sheet music, the CD, or
the concert? If we decide that K is not the ability to deliver an
effective performance but K for us is the equivalent of the music, the
script, blueprint, or the notes, how important is it for the client to
understand this distinction? Are we in the library/ DB business or the
performance improvement business? (I see a heavy library/ DB tradition in
a lot of KM work. Is that just my OL prejudice?)
Given where many clients are on these matters, I think it is hard to do
the kind of work most of us believe in. (I hope I'm wrong about this.)That
was the point of my remark in my last posting (It seems hard to make an
"honest living" in this field) . No insinuations about anyone's honesty.
>As I read through your post, I kept waiting for the "clarification and
>context." It never arrived. Beyond the inference that my views might be
>influenced by what I do for a living (whose aren't? and so what?) what,
>specifically, do you question about the points I made on the difference
>between KM and OL? Seriously, I'd like us all to get this important issue
>resolved so we can move on.
BARRY SUGARMAN, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
Lesley College
Research Member, SoL
office phone: 617 332 0642
E-mail: sugarman@mail.lesley.edu
http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/sugarman/index.htm
mail: 77 Oakdale Road, Newton MA 02459
--BARRY SUGARMAN <sugarman@mail.lesley.edu>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>