Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 10
A Conceptual Model of a
Knowledge Warehouse
Meira Levy
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
AbstrAct
A firm's capability to transfer its existing knowledge to various stakeholders and translate knowledge
into action determines its success in today's volatile global business environment. However, while many
firms systematically manage data and information, managing knowledge remains a controversial issue.
One of the reasons for this is inconclusiveness about what knowledge is and whether it can be managed.
In order to more precisely define knowledge and its management, a knowledge warehouse conceptual
model (KW-CM) is proposed for practically and systematically assimilating of knowledge within orga-
nizational business processes. This conceptual model integrates aspects of knowledge that encompass
business processes, stakeholders and other organizational information systems within the existing data
warehouse (DW) conceptual model. In addition, the paper presents a formal architecture, definitions
and guidelines that describe the KW components and processes for leveraging data and information into
knowledge. The proposed KW-CM is demonstrated with an example of a DW which handles information
regarding customer product usage.
introduction
information (Rizzi, 2007) while KM efforts are
directed toward solutions that support decision-
making processes. In addition, KM can provide
organizational resources (Holsapple, 2001) to
enhance decision-making processes and facilitate
decision-sharing of decentralized strategic deci-
sions taken by autonomous managers. These steps
allow the organization to be more responsive to
a volatile environment (Nicolas, 2004). In this
Both data warehouse (DW) and knowledge
management (KM) facilitate decision-making
processes. The DW makes it possible to carry out
complex analyses of organizational transactions
in order to provide decision makers with analyzed
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