Knowledge Management

Group Report: Key KM Lessons Learned

Group F: William Ward, Sarah Shesko, Gay Scott, Veronica Taylor, Anthony Steward

Walden University

Knowledge Management and Organizational Change

BUSI 3001

Kelley Lovati

March 30, 2011

Part I

What is Knowledge Management?

Knowledge Management (KM) may best be described as the processes that direct the conception, distribution, and utilization of knowledge. It should be understood in terms of a philosophy rather than a high-tech solution. In the past KM was focused on the idea that knowledge already exists and that knowledge needs to be accumulated, but now the focus has shifted to more of knowledge creation and mobility. As Mark McElroy stated about second-generation KM, “knowledge is something that we produce in human social systems, and that we do so through individual and shared processes that have regularity to them”. (McElroy, 2002, Chapter 1)

Many of us think about technological advancements when it comes to improving knowledge management. The truth is that we should be thinking about the people that have the knowledge and how to better disseminate that information. This could involve the creation of communities and networks, peer interactions, collaboration tools and knowledge directories (Collison & Parcell, 2004, p. 17). It is about creating a culture in which individuals understand the benefits of working together and sharing knowledge.

There is an article by Dr. Yogesh Malhotra in which he states that merely possessing knowledge is not enough; application, he argues, is everything. He also states that “Knowledge is the ultimate competitive advantage only if understood from an action-oriented perspective.” (Malhotra, 2003) Having the most advanced technologies and all the information in the world does not ensure a competitive advantage. It is about interpreting information and translating it into accurately executed value propositions.

The company that I work for, Roche Diagnostics is trying...