Essential Knowledge Management: Essential Knowledge Management for Those Working With Information

by Burke, John J.

• ISBN13: 9781856046497
• ISBN10: 1856046494
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-04-30
• Publisher: Neal Schuman Pub

Summary

Knowledge management (KM) is now essential to the success of any information-centred organization. It is about sharing: establishing a collaborative environment; getting the right information to the right people at the right time, place and cost; and exploiting intellectual capital to increase revenue and improve efficiency. KM and knowledge sharing must become integral to what organizations do. The processes to enable knowledge capture should be embedded into ways of working. The key focus should be not on technology, but on the facilitation of the appropriate culture and behaviours. Primarily there must be buy-in and sponsorship from the top, inclusion of KM in annual objectives, and proper recognition for those members of an organization who excel in sharing knowledge.This uniquely practical book is designed to help managers and information workers make sense of how we acquire, organize and share knowledge. Cutting through the jargon, it aims to provide a shortcut to the KM issues that are usually made to seem so complex. Real examples, case studies, checklists and exercises, drawn from a range of sectors, are offered to illustrate good knowledge sharing behaviours and practice. Key areas addressed include: accessible knowledge and cultural change; innovation: capturing learning and exploiting knowledge; putting structures and processes in place; relationships with suppliers and customers; a knowledge management strategy and implementation plan; coaching and mentoring to support new skills; and, measurement and evaluation.The KM skills and profiles linked together throughout this book make it essential reading for managers and information workers in a variety of organizations including those in the commercial sector, health, law and education, as well as information professionals in libraries, archives and museums. It will also be of great interest to students researching KM issues.