Knowledge Management Toolkit: A Resource for Creating Policy and Strategy, with Practical Guidance for Managing Knowledge at All Levels within the Organization

Citation

Cronau, D.A. (2001), "Knowledge Management Toolkit: A Resource for Creating Policy and Strategy, with Practical Guidance for Managing Knowledge at All Levels within the Organization", Online Information Review, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 214-222. https://doi.org/10.1108/oir.2001.25.3.214.4

This excellent resource was created around the philosophy that “knowledge developed by employees is an asset, just like products and services, and therefore should be corporately managed in a similar way. An organisation can improve the effectiveness of its workforce by actively managing the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge.” From this realisation has developed a most useful tool, and one that can be confidently recommended.

The Knowledge Management Toolkit is what it claims to be – a toolkit. It contains practical resource pages that can be photocopied on a wide range of topics highly relevant to all organisations considering the implementation of a strategic knowledge management process. Additionally, it offers an impressive compendium of facts, figures, techniques, checklists and management tools to help you:

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  communicate the ideas behind knowledge management;

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  conduct a feasibility study within an organization;

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  prepare a plan for implementing knowledge management;

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  engage and involve everyone in the process;

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  start work on changes to processes, infrastructure and procedures.

The resource is divided into three parts:

Part 1 provides outstanding background information relating to the “what, where, how and why” of knowledge management. Part 2 discusses the organisational and cultural issues that need to be explored prior to the development of a knowledge management project plan. This is essential because building a successful knowledge management process involves changing organisational cultures and systems as well as human behaviour. Part 2 also includes support for writing a business case and presents the different methods for auditing and locating knowledge within the organisation. Part 3 contains the real hands‐on component checklists, activities and sessions which cover key issues including knowledge audits, project planning, communication – and training.

The Knowledge Management Toolkit promotes itself as offering support for the process of developing a knowledge management strategy but stresses that it does not offer shortcuts – but, with the advice and clarity present here, it is a big step‐up along the way. This really is a beautifully set‐out resource, and the eight figures are appropriate, well spaced and of generous size. Pages designed to be photocopied as overhead transparencies are clearly labelled as such and are in an appropriately large and bold typeface.

This book will appeal to a broad audience; while particularly relevant and useful to management and IT educators and motivators, it is also highly valuable as a library resource for students because of its clarity, precise directions and lack of verbosity.