Tutorial 2 - Knowledge Management

TUTORIAL 2

Q1: “Where is the Wisdom we have lost in Knowledge, Where is the Knowledge we have lost in Information…” (T.S. Elliot) Refer to this statement, how you would grade data, information and knowledge based on their characteristics.

According to the above statement, T.S Elliot was trying to describe about the important of how we manage the knowledge and information that we have properly as when we have too many knowledge in hand, we are not able to control and use the knowledge anymore. This is because, sometimes the information may not true and it includes many mistakes and error. We can also being confuse and the decision that we make might be wrong as too much information were not helping you. Besides, too much information will cause redundancy and wasting time in part of documentation.

Data, information, and knowledge are different from each other. We cannot simplify to say that each of them has the similar characteristic because each term is in the different level. Both three terms can be defined according to Gene Bellinger, Durval Castro and Anthony Mills. Firstly ‘data’ can be defined as a raw that is unorganized information, simply exist and has no significant beyond its existent. It can be in numbers, words, measurement, words, measurement, observation or description of things. As overall, data is the basis and it does not involve any process to be transformed into information. That’s why the data cannot be used in term of decision making. Secondly, ‘information’ is about data that has been processed and it is useful. It also can be refers to data that has meaning by way of relational connection. The information can provide the clear direction and understanding to the users. Thirdly, ‘knowledge’ is appropriate collection of information that is useful. It is combination of information and experience which can lead to the wisdom. The knowledge can help users to perform their task and duties effectively and efficiently.

From the definition, we can differentiate the terms into several characteristics:




QUESTION 2: According to Aslib the scope and definitions and activities under the denotation of Information Management is totally encompassed by Knowledge Management, which is the latest context in the Information arena and a nature extension of the ideas of Information Management. Based on this statement, can you capture the dissimilarity between KM and IM?

Information Management (IM) can be defined as the means that organization effectively plans, collect, organizes, uses, controls, disseminates and disposes of its information, and ensures that the value of that information is identified and exploited to the fullest extend. Meanwhile, Knowledge Management (KM) is the ability to create and retain greater value from core business competencies. Basically KM and IM is not only different in its term, but also the scope of both terms.

Firstly, IM working with objects (data or information) and KM working with people. Here we say that IM is the process of getting the right information to the right person in the right format at the right time. Meaning to say anything that is relating to information and data must be managed well by the individual who is responsible for that particular activity. Meanwhile, KM which working with people will enable individuals, teams and entire organizations to collectively and systematically create, share and apply knowledge, to better achieve their objectives.

Secondly IM usually expressed in written form. Meaning to say it is easily can be read by anyone who has access to that information. It is more tangible and explicit representation. Meanwhile, KM is rather more intuitive, hard to communicate, and difficult to express in words and illustration. It is because KM deals with bigger perspective of information and knowledge involving both explicit and tacit knowledge. As we know, tacit knowledge is in the mind of knower. Therefore, it is hard to manage that knowledge because we cannot touch or rather see it and that a good knowledge management can help to deals with this kind of problem.

Thirdly, KM are developed from the experience of the people or employee in organization such experiences which are formed in and shared among collective minds; evolves with experience, successes, failures, and learning over time. For an example, a worker of 20 years in an organization will have more knowledge and expertise of the organization instead of a new staff. For an example, the more experienced staff will know all about the culture and norms of the organization. This knowledge could, however, be passed on to the new member of the organization by the sharing of knowledge. On the other hand, IM evolves from data which are then formalized in databases, books, manuals, and also documents. Such information could be read and learned by just about anybody. This shows that IM are a much easier to be achieved in comparison to KM, provided that the information is well established in the organization and it is also easily accessible and reachable by all.

Another form in which KM is different from IM is that, in KM, communication is one of the most vital tools and instruments as in order to pass knowledge, humans need to communicate with one another. This is very much different from IM in which the employee in the organization need not even need to communicate with one another in order to achieve or obtain any information. This information is usually at the tips of the fingers and that they only need to key in things on the databases instead of just communicating with one another.



QUESTION 3: Consider an area of expertise one has developed within the past 5 years. Using the level of professional knowledge as a guide, describe the development of individual knowledge, what makes him/her reach the highest level?

There are four level of knowledge management which in each level it reflect their level of expertise in an area. These levels are developed based on what they have learned and what they have gained. The four levels are know-what, know- how, know-why and care-why. Most of the knowledge management practitioners believe that, most organization or individual are manage to achieve until the second level which is know-how. It is the level which it represents the ability to translate what they have learned into the current situation. For example, most of the universities fresh graduates have the know-what ability because they have learned it at universities, but when they are working, they have to transfer the know-what ability into know-how, whereby they have to transfer those tacit knowledge into explicit. They have to use the knowledge they have gained in terms of decision making in the organization, help in learning process and so on. Through this level, this will show their ability to solve problem and also reflect that they utilizing the knowledge management in their working environment and at the same time improve the effectiveness of the organization. For an example, the employee should know during inflation, demand will increase, therefore they have to take away purchasing power and organization should increase the price. In order to make this kind of decision, they have to use economic knowledge they have learned in this level.

As been mentioned earlier, most of the organization, they are manage to acquire until the second level of knowledge. Therefore, in order to develop their individual knowledge, they have to achieve the third level of knowledge management that is know-why level. In this level, the individual is facing with lot more complex task that requires him or her to grasp much knowledge and learning activities. This is because at this level, instead of using the knowledge, they need to analyze such information that they get in order to make a good decision. Know-why level is actually represents a system’s understanding as they must be able to compete beyond the rules that might be a common knowledge. Having knowledge about something doesn’t make a person become good at decision making. Decision making is the most crucial part in organization as they have to make sure that the decision they make will beneficial to their organization and also will increase their self actualization. For an example, the consultants, most of agencies and corporate companies rely on consultants as they hire private consultants to help them consulting in many area or in other words help them in decision making. Therefore, as a consultants, people pay them so that they will give a good decision and it is very important to them to gain this level because at this level, it will show the person’s capabilities in handling difficult task. Therefore, other than having the knowledge, they also must able to analyze the impact of taking certain decision. Through this, it will help an individual to achieve the highest level of professional knowledge.

Last level that must be developed by an individual is at the care-why level. In order for someone to be professional KM practitioner, they must acquire this level so that it will reflect their competencies and their standard in knowledge field. At this level, it represent that a person itself is highly motivated and creative. They are no longer relying on knowledge neither technology, because the knowledge becomes part of their life as it becomes their culture. This is the reason why they become highly motivated. They are confident, creative and energetic as if they have master all the skills and knowledge needed as a person. At this level also, they only rely on money and physical resources. This is because they have the knowledge and people will come and pay for their expertise. For example, consultations provide by Earnst & Young, they are as the international consultation company, most of the employees acquire this level and people even the government pay them with high commission just only to assist them in making decision in terms of the infrastructure and so on.

As a conclusion, in order to achieve as a professional knowledge management practitioners, they have to follow these four levels of knowledge management and becoming an expert.