NICOLAS GUARINI — nicolasguarini.it — [email protected]
Table of contents
| Concept | Details | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| DIKW Hierarchy | The DIKW hierarchy (Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom) is a widely recognized model used to describe how data evolves into wisdom. | 163-165 |
| Ackoff’s Hierarchy | Ackoff’s version of the hierarchy introduces the transformation from data to wisdom through understanding and intelligence. | 166 |
| Data Definition | Data are defined as raw facts without context or interpretation, and lack meaning on their own. | 169-170 |
| Information Definition | Information is processed data, organized to be meaningful and useful, often for decision-making purposes. | 171-172 |
| Knowledge Definition | Knowledge is actionable information, which includes understanding and experience that informs decisions and actions. | 172-174 |
| Wisdom Definition | Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge ethically and effectively, often involving judgement, foresight, and societal values. | 174 |
| Challenges in Defining Wisdom | The concept of wisdom is underexplored in both knowledge management and information systems literature, with limited consensus on its definition. | 176 |
| Transformation Processes | The processes that transform data into information, and information into knowledge, are often unclear or overlapping in the literature. | 174-175 |
| Concept | Details | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Defining Knowledge Management | “… it's about keeping track of those who know the recipe, and nurturing the culture and the technology that will get them talking.’ | 16 |
| Continuum of Knowledge (Capture to Connectivity) | KM involves a continuum that ranges from capturing knowledge to ensuring connectivity between knowledge holders, emphasizing the flow of knowledge across the organization. | 17 |
| Tacit vs Explicit Knowledge | Differentiates between tacit knowledge (personal, experience-based, hard to formalize) and explicit knowledge (documented, easily shared). | 18 |
| Activities of Managing Knowledge | Create, discover, caputre. Adapt, adopt, transfer, apply. Distil, validate, share. | 21-22 |
| Know-how | The processes, procedures, techniques and tools you use to get something | |
| done. | 23 | |
| Know-why | Strategic insight - understanding the context of your role, and the value of your actions. | 23 |
| Know-what | Facts required to complete a task | 23 |
| Know-who | Knowledge about relationships, contacts, networks, who to call on for help | 23 |
| Know-where | The ability to locate or access the necessary knowledge or information, essential in large organizations with dispersed knowledge bases. | 23 |
| Know-when | Refers to the timing aspect of knowledge, knowing the right time to apply certain knowledge or take action, critical for decision-making. | 24 |
| Creating the Environment | KM emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture and environment where knowledge sharing is encouraged and supported, requiring leadership and trust. (right conditions, right means, right actions, right leadership) | 24-25 |
| KM as an Unconscious Competence | KM becomes most effective when it is embedded into the daily practices of individuals and organizations, operating seamlessly without conscious effort. | |
| Steps: Unconscious incompetence → Conscious incompetence → Conscious competence → Unconscious competence | 25-29 |
| Concept | Details |
|---|---|
| Knowledge-Creating Company | A company that continuously creates new knowledge, disseminates it widely, and quickly applies it to new products and technologies. |
| Tacit vs. Explicit Knowledge | Tacit knowledge is personal, context-specific, and hard to formalize, while explicit knowledge is codified and easy to communicate. |
| SECI Model | The process of knowledge creation involves a dynamic interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge, through Socialization, Externalization, Combination, and Internalization. |
| Knowledge Spiral | Knowledge creation is a continuous and cumulative process, starting from individual knowledge and expanding throughout the organization. |
| Role of Metaphors and Analogies | Metaphors and analogies are key tools used by Japanese companies to transform tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. |
| Redundancy in Organizations | Overlapping information and responsibilities in organizations promote dialogue and knowledge sharing, enhancing the knowledge creation process. |
| Senior Management’s Role | Senior managers provide a conceptual framework that orients knowledge creation by articulating a company’s vision and goals. |
| Middle Managers as Knowledge Engineers | Middle managers synthesize tacit knowledge from both employees and senior management, translating it into explicit knowledge and innovations. |
| Concept | Details | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Organizational Memory | Refers to how organizations store, retain, and retrieve knowledge from past experiences to inform current decisions and actions | 85 |
| Sources of Productivity Gains | Productivity increases through experience-driven improvements in task performance, routines, and technology use. | 85-86 |
| Increased Individual Proficiency | As individuals perform tasks repeatedly, their proficiency increases, contributing to overall organizational learning. | 86-87 |
| Modifications in Technology | Technological tools evolve based on organizational learning, embedding knowledge and improving process efficiency. | 87-88 |
| Elaborations in Structure and Routines | Organizational routines and structures are adjusted and refined as experience accumulates, embedding knowledge in the process. | 88-89 |
| Repositories of Organizational Knowledge | Knowledge can reside in individuals, tools, routines, structures, and networks within an organization. | 89-91 |
| Knowledge Embedded in Individual Members | Individual members retain personal experience and expertise, contributing to organizational memory when they remain with the organization. | 91-96 |
| Knowledge Embedded in Organizations | Knowledge resides in formal structures, processes, and established routines within an organization, providing stability over time. | 96-97 |
| Knowledge Embedded in the Task-Task Network | Tasks are linked through routines, and knowledge is passed between them, enabling efficient task execution and adaptation. | 98 |
| Knowledge Embedded in the Member-Member Network | Members know who holds specific knowledge within the organization, facilitating collaboration and efficient knowledge sharing. | 99 |
| Knowledge Embedded in the Member-Task, Member-Tool, and Task-Tool Networks | These networks define how members interact with tasks and tools, ensuring effective use of knowledge across different entities. | 99-102 |
| Consequences of Where Knowledge Is Embedded | The location of knowledge (individuals, routines, networks) affects how easily it can be transferred, retained, and applied. | 102-103 |
| Knowledge Embedded in Tools and the Tool-Tool Network | Tools store explicit knowledge and facilitate the transfer and application of this knowledge across the organization. | 105-106 |
| Knowledge Embedded in the Task-Task Network | Tasks are interconnected, and their dependencies create a network where knowledge about task execution is shared and refined. | 106-107 |
| Knowledge Embedded in the Member-Task Network | This network describes how members apply knowledge to tasks, ensuring efficient task completion and knowledge transfer. | 107-108 |
| Concept | Details | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge as a Resource | Knowledge is considered a significant organizational resource that can provide long-term competitive advantage. | 107-108 |
| Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) | KMS are designed to support the creation, transfer, and application of knowledge within organizations. | 108-109 |
| Data, Information, Knowledge Hierarchy | A common view is that data is raw facts, information is processed data, and knowledge is personalized information. | 109-110 |
| Tacit and Explicit Knowledge | Knowledge is categorized into tacit (rooted in experience, difficult to formalize) and explicit (articulated, codified) knowledge. | 110-111 |
| Knowledge Management Processes | Key KM processes include knowledge creation, storage/retrieval, transfer, and application. | 113-114 |
| Concept | Details |
|---|---|
| Best-Practice Replication | Replicating a successful process from one part of an organization to another is challenging and often fails due to overconfidence and lack of discipline. |
| Overconfidence in Knowledge | Managers tend to overestimate their understanding of best practices, leading to premature modifications and errors in replication. |
| Copy Exactly | The best approach to replication is to copy the successful process as closely as possible, ensuring minimal deviation from the original. |
| Living Template | A working example, or living template, is essential for guiding successful replication, as it provides a reference point for diagnosing issues. |
| Barriers to Replication | Key barriers include resistance from employees who implemented the original process, internal competition, and excessive focus on innovation over replication. |
| Adaptation After Success | Modifications to the replicated process should only be made after the original template has been successfully implemented and proven effective. |