1. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
WELCOME!
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION TO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

2. KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
Driven by knowledge intangibles rather than natural resources, capital or low skilled labour
Economic performance based on knowledge, technology and learning
Mobilising knowledge to add value to goods and services

3. KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY (CONTINUED)
Knowledge added to products and services in West and built in low wage economies
India & China developing highly educated labour force
Recent survey showed 80% of new corporate R&D sites and personnel of top firms are in India and China

4. WHAT’S ALL THE KM FUSS? KM started around the mid-1990s
Knowledge seen as the most important source of competitive advantage
Came from consultant beginnings
Some strongly into IT, some strongly into HR and some into strategy
Academic roots in organisational learning, information systems, strategy and finance

5. TREE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Figure 1.2 Tree of knowledge management – disciplines, content and activity

6. BUZZ GROUP Which aspect of knowledge management are you good at?
How would you go about managing knowledge in an organisation given your own bias or leaning?

7. DEFINITIONS OF KM
Table 1.1 Representative sample of knowledge management definitions

8. DIMENSIONS OF KM
Figure 1.3 Dimensions of knowledge management

9. DATA, INFORMATION & KNOWLEDGE
Figure 1.4 Data, information, knowledge and purposeful action

10. ANCIENT TIMES: KNOWLEDGE & ORAL TRADITIONS
Utilises natural human memory
Requires prolonged contact between two or more individuals
Lengthy process spent memorizing information leaving little room for critical evaluation
Recited traditional rituals, myths, legends, music and epic poems

11. WRITING DEVELOPMENT
Different technology used to make knowledge more transportable than clay or stone tablets
Wood, bamboo, bark, palm leaf, bone, ivory, leather, metal, cloth, silk, Papyrus (Egyptian) and Chinese paper
Thought writing – transmit ideas visually through objects and human representations such as 50,000 Chinese characters and 700 Egyptian hieroglyphs
Sound writing – phonetics can manage with 20–50 signs
More information can be stored in less space

12. BUZZ GROUP
Why was print seen as a threat to knowledge sharing in the 15th century?
What are the limitations of print?

13. PRINTING & KNOWLEDGE SHARING
In 1455 Johann Gutenberg invented printing with movable type and printed 42-line Bible
16th century – new technology of copperplate engraving improved quality
1545 – as books proliferated Conrad Gesner published Bibliotheca Universalis
Literacy rose as a result of printing press with Protestanism emphasis on private reading of Bible
18th century – introduction of newspapers, mechanisation of bookmaking process and cheap wood pulp

14. IT & KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Computers leading to ‘paperless’ society but increased paper to be stored as printout backups
‘Information explosion’ leads libraries to share resources
Print has limitations – learning based on dialogue
Dialogue through , groupware and video conferencing systems
Can store vast amounts of data into data warehouses for store, analysis and retrieval

15. ROOTS OF MODERN DAY KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Organisational learning
Psychology
Information systems
Strategic management
Culture