Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
development and control of nuclear facilities. 13 According to Yuri Sokolov, IAEA deputy
director general and head of the Department of Nuclear Energy, “All applications of nuclear
technology are based on nuclear knowledge, so managing, preserving, and building on the
knowledge we have accumulated is both wise [in the] near term and an important intergen-
erational responsibility.”
Obtaining, Storing, Sharing, and Using Knowledge
Obtaining, storing, sharing, and using knowledge is the key to any KMS. 14 MWH Global,
located in Colorado, uses a KMS to create, disseminate, and use knowledge specializing in
environmental engineering, construction, and management activities worldwide. 15 The com-
pany has about 7,000 employees and 170 offices around the world. A KMS can help an
organization increase profits or achieve its goals, but obtaining, storing, sharing, and using
knowledge can be difficult. 16 In one survey, almost 60 percent of the respondents indicated
that they couldn't find the information and knowledge that they need to do their jobs every
day. Using a KMS often leads to additional knowledge creation, storage, sharing, and usage.
According to Richard Cantor, knowledge management team manager for Chubb Commer-
cial Insurance, “At Chubb, we're focusing on using our intranet as the vehicle that delivers
shared knowledge. Many of our knowledge management efforts are packaged within that
veil.” 17 Business professors often conduct research in marketing strategies, management
practices, corporate and individual investments and finance, effective accounting and audit-
ing practices, and much more. Drug companies and medical researchers invest billions of
dollars in creating knowledge on cures for diseases. Although knowledge workers can act
alone, they often work in teams to create or obtain knowledge. See Figure 11.3.
Figure 11.3
Knowledge
creation
Knowledge
storage
Knowledge
sharing
Knowledge
usage
Knowledge Management
System
Obtaining, storing, sharing, and
using knowledge is the key to any
KMS.
After knowledge is created, it is often stored in a knowledge repository that includes doc-
uments, reports, files, and databases. The knowledge repository can be located both inside
the organization and outside. Some types of software can store and share knowledge contained
in documents and reports. Adobe Acrobat PDF files, for example, allow you to store corporate
reports, tax returns, and other documents and send them to others over the Internet. This
publisher and the authors of this topic used PDF files to store, share, and collaborate on each
chapter. Traditional databases, data warehouses, and data marts, discussed in Chapter 5,
often store the organization's knowledge. Specialized knowledge bases in expert systems,
discussed later in this chapter, can also be used.
Because knowledge workers often work in groups or teams, they can use collaborative
work software and group support systems (discussed in Chapter 10) to share knowledge, such
as groupware, meeting software, and collaboration tools. 18 Intranets and password-protected
Internet sites also provide ways to share knowledge. The social services department of the
Surrey County Council in the United Kingdom, for example, used an intranet to help it
create and manipulate knowledge. Because knowledge can be critical in maintaining a com-
petitive advantage, businesses should be careful in how they share knowledge. Although they
want important decision makers inside and outside the organization to have complete and
easy access to knowledge, they also need to protect knowledge from competitors, hackers,
and others who shouldn't obtain the organization's knowledge. As a result, many businesses
use patents, copyrights, trade secrets, Internet firewalls, and other measures to keep prying
eyes from seeing important knowledge that is often expensive and hard to create.
In addition to using information systems and collaborative software tools to share knowl-
edge, some organizations use nontechnical approaches. These include corporate retreats and
gatherings, sporting events, informal knowledge worker lounges or meeting places, kitchen
facilities, daycare centers, and comfortable workout centers.
 
 
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