11 fundamental errors of knowledge management

11 fundamental errors of knowledge management

1. create a working definition of knowledge

   • separate knowledge from data/information
   • lack in education what knowledge is
   • all other errors build up on this error
   • anti-knowledge society in most organizations

2. knowledge stock vs. flow

   • knowledge stock
     • object
     • can exist on its own
     • can be captured and stored
     • found in most organizations
     • found in educational system
   • knowledge flow
     • in constant flux and change
     • created by individuals
     • self-generated
   • knowledge is seen as something separate from processes

3. knowledge outside the individual’s head

   • knowledge is in everybody’s head
   • can be stored in processes
   • stored knowledge is never complete without the individuals
   • over-managing of knowledge in databases

4. creating shared knowledge

   • understanding the different worlds of organizations
   • gap between knowledge and decision making
   • lack of experience, reflection and dialog
   • shared knowledge is dynamic

5. importance of tacit management

   • ignoring explicit knowledge management
   • managers don’t understand tacit management
   • disbelief in new findings against long-held knowledge

6. detach knowledge from its uses

   • value of data is often not obvious
   • relevance for decisions and actions gets lost in organisational structures
   • false approach of knowledge management

7. thinking and reasoninng

   • paid little attention
   • managers don’t see the connection between their actions

8. focussing on the present/past

   • knowledge should be used for future decision making
   • most of the time used for past decision making
   • we don't won't to know the future
   • projections of the future help the present

9. importance of experimentation

   • failure to recognise experimentation value
   • experimentation creates new knowledge
   • organisations are afraid of experimenting
   • focus in only on current knowledge routines

10. developing measures of knowledge

    • most organisations don’t measure the outcome
    • knowlledge outcome: new products, process inovation, patents
    • too little attention on flow measurement
    • flow is difficult to measure

11. lack of human interaction

    • IT limits knowledge management
    • face-to-face communication gets neglected
    • human intervention creates knowldge