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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

Introduction

The Knowledge Spiral Model was proposed by Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi in 1995. It specifically analyzes how tacit and explicit knowledge interact through four conversion processes: socialization (tacit to tacit), externalization (tacit to explicit), combination (explicit to explicit), and internalization (explicit to tacit).

Nonaka’s model argues that all knowledge is transferrable under the right conditions. The model is called the Knowledge Spiral because Nonaka viewed the transfer of knowledge as a continuous learning process. In this process, the learner comes to deeper and deeper levels of understanding on a particular topic as they move around the cycle.

Case Study

Let’s use an example to illustrate the transfer of tacit and explicit knowledge within the context of the Knowledge Spiral Model.

You are a new employee at your organization and a friendly colleague becomes your mentor. You are learning information from this person through observation and interaction. Through a process of socialization, they are transferring their experience (tacit knowledge) to you, which results in you acquiring new skills.

You have a question about why your mentor does something in a particular way. They try to pass this knowledge onto you through a conversation, which means they are transferring knowledge to you through a process of externalization. They are making tacit knowledge explicit by telling you stories of their experiences, using metaphor or analogies to explain concepts, and through dialog.

You still have questions about how to enter data into your computer and your mentor is out for the day. They ask you to e-mail the questions and they send you back step-by-step answers for data entry. Now you are transferring knowledge through the combination process. Your mentor has given you relevant knowledge, edited it, and processed it to make is usable.

You have been at the job for a year and notice how much your productivity has increased. You now know the processes and have found ways to improve how you do things. You have internalized knowledge; in other words, you have transformed explicit knowledge into tacit knowledge.

Summary of the Models Presented

The knowledge management models presented provide theory to inform your practice. While these models have similar elements, they also differ from each other. This is an accurate reflection of knowledge management: there are basic pillars that comprise the concept (like the involvement of people, technology, and processes), but there can also be variation within the development and execution of the idea.

This variation mimics the development of knowledge management within your organization. You will need to have a solid foundation based on the principles of knowledge management, but you will also need to tailor your program to suit the needs of your organization.

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