Current Issues in Knowledge Management

Citation

Anh Tran, L. (2008), "Current Issues in Knowledge Management", Online Information Review, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 536-537. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520810897412

In this work, knowledge management (KM) is defined as the application of selective knowledge based on previous experiences and present and future processes in making decisions in order to improve an organisation's effectiveness. More generally, KM has been defined slightly differently, to cover such areas as knowledge creation, knowledge and information dissemination, knowledge publications, knowledge economy, and so on.

This volume includes a collection of 21 research papers on issues related to the impact of culture and context on knowledge. There are five sections. Section 1 starts with discussion of KM foundations (Chapters 1‐4). This section reveals that organisations have implemented KM systems for a variety of reasons: obsolescence/innovation, work process evolution, and persistence of knowledge. In addition the implementation of KM in global and multicultural organisations has showed the impact of culture and context on KM itself. Thus, considering and exploring culture and context issues of KM are essential to organisations in order for them to develop an effective KM implementation strategy for transferring knowledge in multicultural environments. Knowledge transfer in such contexts is defined as the exchange of tacit and explicit knowledge among people/members of the same and/or different organisations. Furthermore, cultural diversity and infrastructural gap issues are also associated with KM. Therefore, a guiding framework, methods, and models of KM success would be useful for such organisations.

Section 2 (Chapters 5‐9) moves to the investigation of knowledge transfer, sharing and flow. It reports that the accumulated social capital embedded in organisations has affected the successful transfer of knowledge, yet knowledge sharing remains a critical and essential factor in organisational success. Therefore, managers and researchers are challenged in finding new methods in sharing dispersed knowledge in modern business environments, particularly in relations to cultural and political aspects of knowledge sharing. Ultimately this section presents a conceptual model of knowledge sharing as dependent on cultural factors.

Closely related to the previous section, Section 3 (Chapters 10‐14) investigates various frameworks of KM in organisations. At a programme management level, the practical framework describes the way that knowledge is created, transferred, captured and re‐used within project and programme management. As a result, it can improve project maturity. At a KM strategy level with an emphasis on a Community of Practice (CoP), a conceptual framework describes the conventions in KM strategy. Such conventions are related to CoP identification, group boundaries, communication, knowledge work and resources. Additionally, the core competencies for alignment with strategy and a case‐classification‐conclusion (3Cs) can improve KM significantly.

Next, Section 4 (Chapters 15‐17) discusses KM development methodologies. In terms of modelling language, United Modelling Language has been selected as a method in knowledge modelling. In terms of business processes, the Knowledge Modelling and Description Language (KMDL^®) can be used for analysing knowledge‐intensive business processes. In terms of communication practice, the theory of social networking analysis is discussed as a diagnostic tool for promoting knowledge sharing within organisations.

In the conclusion, Section 5 (Chapters 18‐21) discusses specific issues related to KM applications, including the collection, distillation and dissemination of knowledge; characteristics, acquisition strategy, and results of knowledge; the design and implementation of information systems using wiki technology; and the use of KM during the Hurricane Katrina response.

The general editor has done an excellent job in discussing cutting‐edge research in key issues related to the creation, capture, transfer and use of knowledge in today's oranisations. Students, researchers scholars and practitioners in the field of KM are offered valuable information on such significant topics as organisational memory, KM in enterprises, enablers and inhibitors of knowledge sharing and transfer, and emerging technologies of KM.