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Course Content
Session One: Course Overview
You will spend the first part getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.
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Pre-Assignment
Course Overview
Session Two: Definitions
Then, participants will learn the definition of knowledge, as well as the differences between tacit and explicit knowledge. The meaning and history of knowledge management will also be covered.
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What is Knowledge?
Assignments
What is Knowledge Management?
History of Knowledge Management
Session Three: The Business Case for Knowledge Management
In this session, participants will learn how knowledge management can reduce costs and grow sales. They will also learn how to build a business case for knowledge management. You will also examine the impact that knowledge management can have on business strategy and profit.
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Reducing Costs and Growing Sales with Knowledge Management
Assignments
Business Case Basics
Sample Knowledge Management Business Case
Assignments
Session Four: The Knowledge Management Mix
Next, participants will learn about three components vital to knowledge management: people, technology, and process. In this session, you will examine the relationship between these three essential knowledge management components.
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People
Assignments
Technology
Process
Assignments
Session Five: The Knowledge Management Framework
The knowledge management framework is comprised of four interdependent elements: needs analysis, resource identification, process analysis, and knowledge handling. In this session, participants will learn about the steps to building their knowledge management framework: needs analysis; resource identification; process analysis, identification, and construction; and accumulating, sharing, and storing knowledge. In this session, you will investigate what the four elements of the knowledge management framework are and how they work together.
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Introduction
Needs Analysis
Resource Identification
Process Analysis, Identification, and Construction
Assignments
Accumulating, Sharing, and Storing Knowledge
Session Six: ITandD’s Conundrum
A pre-assignment is designed to get you thinking about the topic, and to give you some indication of what is coming. In this example, the case study and the carefully crafted questions were intended to have you reflect on the vital role of knowledge within an organization. In this session, you will reflect on the answers you provided in the pre-assignment.
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Introduction
Assignments
Session Seven: Knowledge Management Models
Knowing the theory behind the practice can increase your knowledge and inform what you do. Having a foundational awareness helps you to understand the theory’s evolution and history in the business world and better enable you to see how this system will fit into your organization. In this session, you will investigate four different knowledge management models.
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The KM Process Framework (Bukowitz and Williams)
Knowledge Management Matrix (Gamble and Blackwell)
Assignments
Process Model (Botha)
Assignments
Knowledge Spiral Model (Nonaka and Takeuchi)
Session Eight: The Knowledge Management Toolkit
Cross-functional Teams, mentoring, organizational culture, and IT solutions are all techniques that you can use employ when implementing a knowledge management program in your organization. In this session, you will explore each of these techniques in depth. As you review the information, think about ways that you could use each technique in your workplace.
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Cross-Functional Teams
Assignments
Mentoring
Assignments
Organizational Culture
Assignments
IT Solutions
Which Technologies Would Be Best?
Assignments
Session Nine: Implementing Knowledge Management Initiatives
You see an organizational need for knowledge management. You understand what a knowledge management system is. You have the tools and information you need. Now it’s time to take action: it’s time to begin building the program. In this session, you will identify and investigate the necessary components for implementing a knowledge management program.
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Building Knowledge Networks
Creating a Knowledge Management Body of Knowledge (KMBOK)
Assignments
Creating a Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) Position
Advertise for Your CKO
Assignments
Creating a Post-Mortem Plan
Assignments
Creating Measures
Assignments
Start With a Pilot
Assignments
Where Do I Put This?
Assignments
Support Your Organization Through the Change
Post-Course Assessment
Draft Lesson
Recommended Reading List
If you are looking for further information on this topic, we have included a recommended reading list below. Bergeron, Bryan. Essentials of Knowledge Management. John Wiley & Sons, 2003. Dixon, Nancy M. Common Knowledge: How Companies Thrive by Sharing What They Know. Harvard Business School Press, 2000. O'Dell, Carla, and Cindy Huebert. The New Edge in Knowledge: How Knowledge Management Is Changing the Way We Do Business. New John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Pasher, Edna, and Tuvya Ronen. The Complete Guide to Knowledge Management: A Strategic Plan to Leverage Your Company's Intellectual Capital. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Rumizen, Dr. Melissie Clemmons. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knowledge Management. Alpha Books, 2002.
Knowledge Management
About Lesson

Choosing a Location

Since knowledge management spans all facets of your organization, deciding where to place your knowledge management department can be a challenge. Knowledge management can be placed in:

  • Human resources
  • Research and development
  • IT
  • Quality management and control
  • Every department
  • Its own department

When deciding where knowledge management should be placed in your company, you need to consider the nature of your organization and its structure. Let’s look at options for two common types of organizations: centralized and decentralized.

Centralized Organizations

A centralized organization typically has a strong governing core and encourages strong interdependencies among departments. If your organization is centralized, it may make the most sense to place your knowledge management initiative within the head office. Additionally, the head office can help implement your policies and processes.

Decentralized Organizations

A decentralized organization typically has various business units that each have a high degree of independence. The units may allocate resources, have budgetary discretion, develop policies, and determine their business objectives. In this type of organization, there are two possible places to put your knowledge management program. One is to put the program within a single division. However, this does not mean that your knowledge management team will service only that particular unit.

The other option is to create a knowledge management team that exists outside of the business units. This team will operate independently and collaborate with each unit to develop rich knowledge management solutions. (One corporation that has successfully adopted this approach is energy giant Shell.)

You Have A Place – Now What Do You Need?

Once you figure out where to place your knowledge management unit, you need a few key items to function properly and fit the unit into the organization. You will need to be able to:

  • Have a budget and the autonomy to spend this budget on knowledge management initiatives.
  • Have access to and support from senior members of the organization.
  • Make sure your processes and procedures are aligned with the overall strategies of the organization. This will also help you get the support of organizational members.

Figuring out the right place for knowledge management and making sure you have the proper support is key to the program’s success within the organization. You need to think about the established flow of your business and fit this new approach into your structure in the most natural way possible.

 

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