Concept Of Knowledge Management

Relationship between Individual and organizational learning

Question:

Discuss about the Knowledge Management and Knowledge Transfer.

Literature review is known to be the third component of a research work as this exposition provides a detailed insight about the researched topic with sheer description in each required section. Here the topic of the research work has been evaluated by the researcher with the help of various journals, articles supporting and advocating to the topic. Thus the study is concentrating on the evaluation of knowledge management in both the organizational and individual field and intends to identify different mode of knowledge transfer and the barriers in this regard (Sasson and Douglas, 2006). Hence the required aspects would be discussed in the succeeding section of the study.

Concept of knowledge management

Both the terms knowledge and management are being considered in a broad sense separately, but when the two are taken together, the term ‘knowledge management’ becomes a heavy word that signifies the act of organize information in order to generate advantage for the sake of an organization (Wilkesmann et al. 2009). In this regard it has been observed that many do not find any advantages in relation to knowledge management rather, find it as a mere wastage of time. But it is evident that like other aspects of management, knowledge management is also a very important part of an organization. Knowledge management can be defined in terms of a programme or a system that is generated in order to acquire, secure and grasp information that is delivered for the benefit of an organization. The knowledge management systems are aided with computer based information system (CIS) that also supports different kinds of KM process. In the organizational structure knowledge management possesses two aspects that are information management and people management. Hence, knowledge management is balanced through information on one side and people on the other (Zhu, 2004).

Relationship between Individual and organizational learning

The relationship between individual and organizational learning has been one of the most debated issues in the industrial culture for a long time. The main purpose of the study is to evaluate the influence of individual learning on the organizational learning. The impacts of individual learning on the organizational learning are obvious and precise as organizations consist of individuals (Ahmadi, 2011). It is obvious because individual learning can deliver profit to the management system of the organization and, precise because it appears to be independent of individual learning but not on the whole. On the other hand the concept of organizational learning is in a way related to the knowledge management as the organizational learning can be considered as the objective of knowledge management in an organization. Therefore, it can be realised that organizational learning is able to enhance the KM processes that deliver the progress which includes innovation, collaboration, collective individual learning and industrial decision making and this improves the entire organizational structure in relation to employee behaviour and relationship (Antonacopoulou, 2006).

Transfer knowledge through ICT system and Social system

The concept of knowledge transfer has become of the most debated topics in the business industry of any region along with literal aspects of knowledge management. The idea of transferring knowledge within firms or between separate organizations has largely been celebrated in recent years as knowledge is considered to be one of the effective tools for obtaining and surviving in the competitive environment (Ajmal and Koskinen, 2008). In order to implement knowledge management within organization, it is essential to ensure the interaction between knowledge transfer and knowledge management. Knowledge transfer can be defined as the process in which the knowledge of one possessor is being transferred to another and in the corporate sense the knowledge acquired by an individual or a group in one organization has been transferred to another organization. The concept of knowledge transfer must include the aspects of what, when and to whom the knowledge must be transferred and the convenient means in this regard is the information and communication technologies (ICT) in which articulated knowledge can easily be transferred in words via this technology (numprasertchai and poovarawan, 2008). The social system in relation to knowledge transfer is also an effective means as through the social networks, organizations and individuals are able to transfer knowledge. The advantage of social system of transferring knowledge is the ability to detect the link between individual learning and a group of individuals like an organization. Therefore, it can be realised that the Knowledge transferring system plays a vital role in acquiring knowledge from various sources in the industrial culture.

Transfer knowledge through ICT system and Social system

Constraints in knowledge transfer

In the context of knowledge transfer, certain barriers have been detected in the organizational scenario. According to many previous researches there are two main constraints in transferring knowledge between individuals or organizations (Sherman and Haas, 2015). The first constraint has been identified as the cultural barrier which suggests that individuals in the organization are unable to share or transfer knowledge due to lack of trust and dependence. On the other hand the second barrier is believed to be the localization in relation to knowledge transfer. It depicts the situation in which employees are not well aware about where to transfer and how to transfer, as they are not well trained to access the information systems of other systems through which the knowledge is being transferred. Therefore, the employees must be provided with training in such areas to overpower the barriers in this regard (KasÌŒe et al. 2009).

Conclusion

In conclusion of this chapter it can be depicted that knowledge management is an important part of the organisational management like all other aspects of management. This study defines the concept of knowledge management and the impacts of different system regarding knowledge transfer have also been discussed. Hence, it can be said that knowledge management and knowledge transfer can be considered as the most effecting tool in managing information while dealing with the constraints of knowledge transfer within the organizational structure.

Applied Report

This report intends to highlight the practices of knowledge management and knowledge transfer within the industrial structure. Here the concept of knowledge would be critically discussed in accordance with the literature review. On the other hand the concept of knowledge transfer and mode of transfer would also be evaluated in this context. The report mainly aims to discuss the given scenarios or case studies provided in knowledge cafe 2 and 3 and the models and principles of knowledge transfer will be evaluated in order to provide a valid information and appropriate understanding of the entire process (Antonacopoulou, 2006). The idea of knowledge management has been defined as the process or a system through which accumulated information of an individual are being transferred to another or to any organization. In the same way the reader’s conception about knowledge transfer would be enhanced if the study would successfully deliver the explanation about the system of knowledge transfer and the mechanisms that are being used in this regard.

The report also encompasses various other aspects related to knowledge management like organizational and individual learning as these two terms are considered as an important part of the formation of KM. All the mentioned aspects will be defined and discussed in the context of knowledge cafe 2 and knowledge cafe 3 and the required questions will be answered in this regard. Therefore, it can be said that knowledge management and transfer are the two aspects of organizational management structures that helps in forming the apt information management and people management in the organization. The organizational and individual learning system generates a systematic and general approach to the employee’s attitude towards the transfer and accumulation of knowledge aided with information communication technology (Caddy, 2001).

Constraints in knowledge transfer

Main body

Intellectual capital in knowledge management

Intellectual capital is a term that can be defined as cogitative assets of an individual for it has been observed that individuals are more likely to use their brain instated of employing physical labour in the future course of work. The intellectual capital may not be able to construct company’s balance sheets but it can be considered as the most valuable asset for the organizations (Kidd, 2005). It has been evidently observed that from the previous researches that the economic balance of an organization can be managed through the employee’s expert management skills and the problem solving attitude that can be derived with same positive results from physical engagement in this context. The modern scenario of the organization is based on the information based knowledge rather than the traditional form of knowledge. In this respect the implementation of intellectual capital in relation to knowledge cafe 2 and KC3 has been identified in terms of knowledge transfer principles that show that knowledge transfer process in KC 2 has taken extra time while the information communication technology (ICT) is able to make the transfer system quick and less time consuming. Therefore, knowledge and intellectual capital are the two most important aspects that are able to create competitive advantages by managing people and the firms at the same time.  Hence, it had been observed that intellectual capital intellectual capital includes the strategies, models and principles that may be used for creating apt informative knowledge and problem solving skills within the employees (Managing Knowledge in Organizations: Tools & Techniques for Competitive Advantage, 2016).

Organizational and individual learning and community practices

Organizational learning is the most efficient and effective tool in relation to knowledge management as organizational management can form learning systems preferred by the employees that will help the organization to create appropriate knowledge. Hence the community practices can be considered in this regard as the social units through which the information or the knowledge is being created. In case of KC3 it can be said that the organisational learning has exercised its impact on the situation in which BB University has conducted a scenario of knowledge transfer in which the online process methods are being employed in the course of knowledge (Minbaeva and Michailova, 2004). Therefore the organizational learning and the knowledge management of reconstructing the strategic workforce of an organization aided with community practices. In the literature review part the relation between organizational and individual learning has been assessed in order to identify the importance of knowledge management in the organizational management system. This has been considered as a model so far in past decades as the organizational learning depicts the process in which individuals tend to get more skilled within the community represented as a social unit in this context. However, the organizational learning is well connected with the community practices as the community has been formed with the individuals gaining knowledge (Mohanta and Thooyamani, 2009).

Role of social media in knowledge management

Applied Report

The adoption of social media in the modern age in organizations has enlarged the scope in which people are exchanging and sharing information, solving problems and taking organizational decision. In this regard it can be mentioned that the organizations are employing social media within the circle of organizational functions. The enterprise social networking system (ESNS) is the type of social media that has been implemented in order to exchange information and knowledge within the organization. In case of KC3 it can be realised that the knowledge management process are being conducted through ICT system and social environmental system. Hence the social media has exercised a huge impact on the organizational management system that has been gain in two out comes that is knowledge management process and workplace learning system. On the other hand the knowledge management system is also enriched with the ICT knowledge transfer system as it is a process in which the information are being transferred through information and communication technological system. Thus, the social media is playing a vital role in enhancing the practices of knowledge management within the organizations (Role of Social Media in Knowledge Management during Natural Disaster Management, 2012).

ICT system in transferring knowledge

In this modern age, competition and economic balance compelled the organization to engage themselves in the act of transferring information and other data to their counter parts in order to survive in the environment of competitive advantage. In this regard the act of knowledge transfer can be considered as the most effective tool in this regard.  In recent years as the attention has been diverted into the aspects of knowledge management, the KT process are being highlighted in this context from past few years( Graham, 2000). This process encompasses the transfer method of knowledge from one possessor to another or in other ways to an ignorant party from another experienced one. The KT processes exhibits itself through the concept of change and development, for instance, if a company is introducing new product of policy then through the act of knowledge transfer the traditional or the old none are being replaced by the new ones with the help of accumulated information about the market gathered by information communication technology. In relation to the case study it can be said that we find in KC3 that the individuals are receiving invitation to participate in the knowledge transfer system and observed that the ICT process are playing the most significant role in this respect (Kraaijenbrink and Wijnhoven, 2008).

Hence, in the literature review part, the usefulness along with the effectiveness of the ICT system has been evaluated with all its potential sides. Many capacity theories are being described in the previous researches that depict the ICT system can be defined in terms of obtaining capabilities in such areas like richness, social presence and the ability to interact. However theses capabilities do not advocate any particular function of communication technologies rather it depicts the how the objectives in relation to knowledge transfer can be achieved through effective practices of KT system. The review of the literature shows that the capabilities of CT system are being engaged in terms of drawing positive outcomes and results. Therefore in relation to obtaining knowledge the organization that is employing ICT system as a means of transferring knowledge should be reassessed in order to understand the actual function of ICT system and how it is effective in the field of knowledge management and knowledge transfer (Nelson and McCann, 2008).

Transfer barriers and tacit and explicit knowledge

In relation to knowledge transfer many investigations have been conducted in order to find out whether any barrier has been formed in this context. But it has been observed so far that there are two types of barriers exist in relation to KT system. The main two barriers in this regard can be mentioned the localization and the cultural barrier (Burnett, 2012). The cultural barrier as discussed previously in literature review can be described as the lack of individual trust for which people are unable to share information as they cannot trust any other people with the information of the knowledge they are providing. On the other hand, the localization can be described as the form of unaware practices regarding the KT system and it occurs when the individuals or the employees are carrying out the duties of transferring knowledge with the help of information communication technology (Bhardwaj and Monin, 2006). This happens due to the ignorance of the staff as they do not know how to and where the knowledge should be projected. In this report the researcher has evaluated the importance of knowledge as well as the fundamental sides of knowledge that the categories including tacit and explicit knowledge. In order to understand the application of such categories of knowledge the theories related to it must be understood in this context. Therefore the term tacit knowledge can be defined as personal knowledge and it helps in developing personal skills of the employees those results in better productivity of the company ( Jiang, 2005). Therefore, this type of knowledge demands an individual to transfer tacit knowledge they must understand the type of the knowledge that they intend to transfer and also should possess the comprehension about right place to put the knowledge.

Figure 1: model for tacit knowledge

Source: (Venters, 2010)

 On the other had the other type of knowledge can be defined as the formal structured type of knowledge, that is this type of knowledge is being presented in the written format like, any manual, or copyright or something like that. The explicit knowledge demands the formal academic education or study in order to get proper understanding of the format of such knowledge. Once the explicit knowledge is being codified then it can be reused in the context of problem solving or other issues in the organizational context. Therefore it can be said that the act of gathering and assessing explicit knowledge can cost a little more than other processes and also time consuming (Salisbury, 2003).

The definition of knowledge has been provided in this report in order to make a smooth way towards the concept of knowledge transfer. Hence knowledge can be defined in this context as a particular skill obtained by the individuals so that they can show off their inherited talent in the respective fields (Chiang, 2011). But the definition of knowledge transfer has not been clearly stated in the previous research works. But here a sense of confusion may work as there is not much difference that can be detected between knowledge transfer and creating new knowledge. The literature review reveals that knowledge combination, knowledge creation and learning can be included in the concept of knowledge transfer (Yencken, 2008). Here the concept of knowledge transfer has been discussed in the context of organizational structure as it has been proven beneficial and effective in this regard. The absorptive capacity can be explained in this regard as the ability to accept and receive knowledge from the external sources. This capacity includes the assimilation of the external information, assessment of the information and the application of the information for the sake of company betterment. The first two components of absorptive capacities that are the acquisition and assimilation are very common and interdependent but the third section that the application needs some extra understanding of the right place that the knowledge is being employed.  It is evident in this regard that the absorptive capacity has four different dimensions namely, acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation. The first two are considered to be the potential type of absorptive capacity and the later two are the realised ones (Tsoukas, 2002). The four dimensions of absorptive capacity are being discussed in the following manner.

Acquisition: this kind of absorptive capacity is defined as the ability to acquire value and explain knowledge from the external sources. It depends mostly on the prior investments and prior knowledge.

Assimilation: it depicts the ability of an organization to adapt, explain and explore knowledge from the external sources. It is a routine in the organization that allows the analyzing process to take place in this regard.

Transformation: it explains the ability of the organization to adapt new knowledge and merge it with the existing knowledge in order to form new information.

Exploitation: allows organizations to apply the merged information into it operational ground and also to look for new scope to develop new knowledge.

The absorptive knowledge mainly possesses some affective factors in the fields of its activity. Those factors are the external factors and the internal factors. The internal factors are those that come in the way of merging the new source of knowledge with the old ones. As the old ones have practiced positive impacts on the management aspects of the company. But the exsternal factors are those that depict the difficulties in accumulating knowledge from external sources and most importantly detecting the right source of knowledge. Hence, it can be said that the absorptive capacity is another important aspect in relation to knowledge transfer and knowledge management in the industrial structure (Song, 2014).

Conclusion

To conclude this report it can be said, that there are many aspects working behind the function of knowledge management and transfer. In this report it can be assumed that the main aspects in the course of transferring knowledge are the ICT system and the role of social media in this regard. In relation to the knowledge management it has been observed so far that the various forms of knowledge are also important in delivering appropriate knowledge to the organizations. Hence, in relation to overpower the barriers in this regard, the organization must introduce training programme in relation to the use of ICT system and other technological means in order to make the working process smooth and detangled. In this regard, some suggestion also can be made that the organization should focus their concentration on the new methods and technologies that must be employed in order to make the knowledge management process more efficient and effective.

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