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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

Background

Miriam works at Acme Inc., a global company that specializes in the production, distribution, and sales of forestry products. Miriam is a senior manager in the training and development division of the company, with 20 years of experience. Miriam has identified ways in which the company can improve its operations and profitability on a global scale. The challenges Miriam feels needs to be addressed have to do with the sharing of knowledge. From the research she has completed, she feels that a knowledge management program would alleviate many of the challenges in her organization. Miriam has mentioned her ideas to her superiors and they want her to present a business case outlining her strategy. Miriam’s business case is presented below.

Introduction to the Proposed Change

Acme Inc. has been a leader in the forestry industry for years. However, as our business began to expand globally, we focused more on sales than internal development. This has brought in money and increased our market share. However, the time has come for our internal customers (employees) to have a system put in place to maximize their organizational contributions. We have made great use of our tangible assets; it is now time to fully utilize the stores of knowledge our employees have to bring our business to the next level.

Appropriate Background Information

Over the past year, I have been doing research with other companies within the forestry industry that have a solid knowledge management program in place. My research has indicated that these programs have created a culture of learning in these organizations. This has resulted in higher employee satisfaction, increased productivity, increased sales, increased efficiency, and reduced overall costs. It is my belief that a properly introduced custom knowledge management system will have the same results within our organization.

Benefits Accrued from the Change

The benefits accrued from the implementation of a knowledge management program would include:

  • Increased innovation with the sharing of ideas
  • Drawing on internal expertise from all branches of our organization
  • Improved communication and relationships
  • Reduction in repeated mistakes
  • Higher company morale by recognizing what our employees bring to the table
  • Processes and procedures put in place to facilitate knowledge sharing
  • Decreased sales cycle as employees would know where to locate the information needed to facilitate a sale
  • Increased customer satisfaction due to a higher level of competency

Conclusions from Research

The conclusions from my research have shown that companies with a knowledge management program have flourished in a competitive global market. The collateral effect of properly sharing, creating, storing, retrieving, maintaining, and updating knowledge has benefitted these organizations and resulted in increased profitability.

Why We Should Consider the Idea

Here are some examples of increased profitability percentiles from other forestry-related companies.

  • Brick Forestry increased sales by 2.5% in six months since the implementation of their knowledge management program.
  • Dinette Inc. has decreased overall costs by 0.8% in three months with their knowledge management program.
  • Onward Forestry has entered a new market as a result of their knowledge management program. Their knowledge sharing has led to the creation of new products and improvements to existing products and given them the opportunity to expand.
  • FYI Industries recovered from the brink of bankruptcy by implementing a knowledge management program.

We at Acme Inc. know these organizations well. We realize these businesses are similar to ours. It would be a logical conclusion that if a knowledge management program helped bring these businesses prosperity, it would do the same for our business if properly implemented.

Principles to Guide the Development

The principles we will use to guide the development of our knowledge management program are:

  • We are a learning organization dedicated to improving our company through thoughts and innovation.
  • We believe that our employees possess a vast amount of untapped knowledge resources.
  • We believe that accessing our collective company knowledge and utilizing this knowledge in an appropriate manner will impact our profitability.
  • We believe that the knowledge of the company should be accessible to everyone within the organization.
  • We believe that people want to share their knowledge. We need to provide the appropriate infrastructures for them to make this happen.
  • We encourage cooperation and collaborative innovation in the attempt to help our organization become the world leader in forestry technology.

Recommended Scope of Change

If we consider employing a knowledge management program, it is recommended that we start with a pilot project. Keeping our implementation small will allow us to measure the results and fine-tune the accompanying processes and procedures. This will also enable us to learn from our mistakes and successes before taking it company-wide. Starting small will also give us a better indication of the scope and cost of this undertaking.

Once we are satisfied with the pilot project and have feedback, we will take this initiative company-wide.

Projected Cost-Benefit Analysis

Currently our company has sales in excess of $400 million annually. Based on research, we project that a solid knowledge management system will bolster our sales by 2% and decrease costs by 3%. This would increase our profits by an estimated $8 million within the first year and decrease our costs by an estimated $12 million. This would create profits of approximately $20 million for the first fiscal year of implementation.

Aside from monetary impact, our knowledge management system’s greatest value will be in its ability to connect our people. This will preserve and enhance our greatest asset: the collective knowledge of our organization.

Cost of Recommended Program or Change

The following is a list of costs associated with implementing a company-wide knowledge management program.

  • Cost of IT solutions needed: $1,000,000
  • Cost of Chief Knowledge Officer Position: $150,000 (salary for first year) plus $15,000 (recruitment)
  • Cost of training and development: $500,000
  • Miscellaneous or unexpected costs: $200,000
  • Total: $1,865,000

The following is a list of costs associated with implementing a pilot knowledge management program.

  • Cost of IT solutions needed: $100,000
  • Cost of Chief Knowledge Officer position: $150,000 (salary for first year) plus $15,000 (recruitment)
  • Cost of training and development: $20,000
  • Miscellaneous or unexpected costs: $10,000
  • Total: $295,000

These costs have been researched, but situations can arise that no amount of research can guard against. The budget may need to be adjusted to account for these unexpected circumstances. Management, accounting, the CEO, and CFO will be advised of any changes. Budgetary changes will be made at their discretion. The CEO and CFO will need to discuss any necessary changes with the Board of Directors.

Measurement, Outcomes, and Evaluation

We will measure the effectiveness of the knowledge management program through employee feedback. We will also measure its effectiveness by examining the program’s influence on productivity, efficiency, and costs. To measure the effects on the previous three criteria, we will establish a goal as a means to benchmark any change. The desired outcome of this program is that implementation will bring about profitable change in the execution of our business practices. The evaluation of this program will be ongoing and span across all sectors of our organization. It will endeavor to show causality; for example, that an event like reduction in costs is directly attributable to our new knowledge management program.

Anticipated Overall Results

We anticipate increased profitability, knowledge sharing, innovation, and sales. We expect decreased costs and frustrations, and better problem solving, on the part of our organization.

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