Integrating Strategic Knowledge Management Into Work Practices Vishwanath V Siddhanti

INTEGRATING STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT INTO WORK
PRACTICES
*Vishwanath V Siddhanti
ABSTRACT
Today the world is changing faster as technological advances enable faster, dynamic
interaction among individuals, groups and nations. People’s lives and daily activities
have transformed by the increasing capacity to learn. On the other hand, the nature of
work has also changed enormously with the shift from an industrial economy to a
knowledge economy. This shift in focus from product (industry) to services (knowledge)
has encouraged greater recognition of the importance of managing the knowledge within
the organization.
Knowledge management is a strategic process. A close link between knowledge

management and the strategic plans ensures that the knowledge activities contribute to
organizational profitability and strategic environment. Avoiding duplicated effort and
encouraging innovation and creativity ensure the organization makes the most of the
internal capabilities to better position itself in the market place.
This paper tries to review the key elements of strategic knowledge management and
identify the key issues which should be considered when integrating strategic knowledge
management into work practices.
Key words: Strategic knowledge management, Collaboration, Value adding, Diffusion
Faculty- Operations area, BLDEA’s, A.S.P.C.C, MBA Department Bijapur (Karnataka)

Email: vishu.siddhanti@gmail.com
1. 0 STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: AN INSIGHT
Knowledge management involves enhancing organizational knowledge through sound

practices of information management and organizational learning. Knowledge
management deals with using information which creates value in the long run.
Knowledge management attempts to build a range of strategies to facilitate the
definitions, identifications, capture, organization and dissemination of knowledge across
the community (J Desenberg, 2000). It focuses on building a culture of collaboration
which enriches the firm’s knowledge base. It relies strongly on building a strong social
community which sees sharing and support for the organizations strategic needs as
crucial. Every organization faces the challenge of identifying the knowledge that is of
strategic business value and ensuring that knowledge is captured and shared. Strategic
Knowledge management is a multifaceted and organized process of development. The
organization is required to pay attention on some of the key systems to planning, people,
processes, products and performance to build the necessary knowledge characteristics
into the overall organizational strategy and achieve full integration into the organizational
setting.
2.0 FIVE ‘P’ FRAMEWORK OF STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

2.1 PLANNING
Strategic knowledge management requires broad planning. Planning processes take time
and perseverance, requiring careful consideration of whole knowledge context. Planning
should clarify the knowledge goals and establish effective values and processes to
support the goals. In order to do so the long term and the short term goals need to be
clearly defined. Planning for various infrastructures should also reflect knowledge
management goals. They also need ongoing monitoring and measurement to ensure the
planned strategies are successfully implemented.
2.2 PEOPLE
People have the knowledge. They are the one who manages the systems and processes.
The commitment of all the people concerned is a must for its overall success. The people
need to be convinced that knowledge management is a valuable strategic move. A sharing
culture which encourages knowledge diffusion can be developed through effective
knowledge hubs and networks.
2.3 PROCESSES
Knowledge management principles need to be put into practice via effective workplace
practices. The alignment of strategy, principles, processes and practices needs to be
carefully managed to ensure that knowledge management principles do not fracture when
implemented. It needs to be recognized that messages about what is important may be
perceived differently across the organization. Employees will consider the rhetoric and
the reality of consequences when determining
2.4 PRODUCTS
Each organization builds its own knowledge outputs or products. These may be provided
to clients, or exist as internally shared knowledge objects. A focus on core knowledge
helps to identify the range of knowledge products which should be cultivated,
encouraging their definition, capture, management and distribution. Sources of embodied
knowledge may need to be identified to encourage their access by others. Explicit
knowledge should be captured and distributed in an efficient and timely manner, so that it
is readily accessible by would be users.
2.5 PERFORMANCE
Knowledge management needs to be regularly reviewed to ensure that the financial and
social investment is positively influencing the intellectual and social capital of the
organization. Any organization must ensure it balances long and short term priorities to
enable effective financial management and development for the future. Most companies
always battle to find the best solution for achieving efficient and cost effective but
innovative approaches to their business challenges. Many businesses recognize that there
are various ways inefficiencies thrive and undermine the effective development of better
processes
3.0 INTERGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN WORK
PRACTICES
3.1 DEVELOPING KNOWLEDGE SHARING AS A CORE COMPETENCY IN THE

ORAGANISATION
One core competency is knowledge sharing. Many employees will have experienced
contradictory messages about the need to share, particularly when rewards are to the
individual rather to the group. Work setting may pay lip service to sharing, but give
limited opportunity or encouragement to really do so. Knowledge intensive communities
should encourage sharing and collaboration. People need to actively share, discuss their
practice, and see leaders modeling and sharing their knowledge.
3.2 CAPACITY BUILDING

Capacity building should be instituted throughout the organization to build longer term
potential. This ensures that workers develop suitable competencies and capabilities to
meet future needs and challenges. Different organizational directions will emerge over
time, requiring new and different skills in the work force. Thus capacity building
encourages knowledge workers to anticipate and prepare for the long term strategic needs
of the organization.
3.2 GERMINATING A KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITIES

Knowledge management focuses on building a strategic knowledge community. It
emphasizes the communal sharing of knowledge, and the building of better practice
through community interaction. When constructing knowledge management frameworks,
it is important to recognize the need to include and integrate the whole community rather
than a favored few.
3.3 VALUE ADDITION

Knowledge management should add value. Knowledge management has the potential to
be significant organizational influence which adds major value in the long term. Slavish
imitations of other firms’ practices or rigid adoption of theoretical models without
considering the existing culture may prevent, rather than encourage, effective knowledge
management. Knowledge management therefore needs to be carefully considered and
constantly reviewed to ensure that each element positively contributes to the consistent
implementation of an effective knowledge culture and related practices relevant to that
organization
4.0 CONCLUSION
The present paper has attempted to explore a number of factors which influence the
development of a strategic knowledge management system in an organization. At the
ground level it is needed to understand the process of knowledge development and
management to recognize that each stage is influenced by the access to sources of
guidance, and the support to spread knowledge to others. The knowledge workers work
mainly with skills to produce services and knowledge drawn from their personal expertise
and know how. These workers may integrate a range of knowledge processes and rely on
organizational infrastructure for support. How ever systems and services may not always
enhance knowledge management. In order to be effective, they must also ally to a social
capital, in that they are community groups formed by choice because of recognized
communal needs and/or interest. To be successful, knowledge management integrates
five core systems: planning, people, processes, products and performance. Overall the
paper emphasizes the need to develop a strong and cohesive strategic knowledge
framework which encourages collaboration, value adding, and knowledge diffusion
through a range of formal and informal mechanisms.
5.0 REFERENCES
1. APQC. (2000). Stages of implementation: A guide for your journey to Knowledge
Management Best Practices.
2. Clarke, A. J. (2000). Knowledge Management Implementation Can Benefit From
Quality Experience. Quality Progress, 33(1), 67-74.
3. Gold, A. H., Malhortra, A., & Segars, A. H. (2001). Knowledge Management: An
Organizational Capabilities Perspective. Journal of Management Information
Systems, 18(1), 185-214.
4. Hansen, M. T., Nohria, N., & Tierney, T. (1999). What’s your strategy for
managing knowledge? Harvard Business Review, 106-116.
5. J L Sampler and J E Short (1998) “ Strategy in dynamic knowledge intensive
environments’, Journal of Management
6. Knowledge Management Review. (2001). KM Review survey reveals the
challenges faced by practitioners.
7. KPMG, C. (2000). Knowledge Management Research Report. Retrieved
February, 1, 2003, from
http://www.kpmg.hu/detail.thtml/en/library/consulting/knowledgemanagement/
8. Polanyi, M. (1966). The Tacit Dimension: Doubleday & Co., Reprinted Peter
Smith, Gloucester, Massachusetts.
9. R Raeside and J Wlaker (2001) “ KM the key to organizational survival” TQM
Magazine
10. Ribière, V., & Sitar, A. S. (2003). Critical role of leadership in nurturing a
knowledge-supporting culture. Knowledge Management Research and Practice,
1(1), 39-48.
11. W Rodgers ‘ Measurements and reporting of knowledge based assets’, Journal of
Intellectual Capital
12. Wilson, L. T., & Asay, D. (1999). Putting Quality in Knowledge Management.
Quality Progress. Quality Progress, 32(1), 25-31.
13. Y Sivan and J. Rosen (2002). ‘The bi focal vision of knowledge management: the
knowledge map as a corrective lens’, International Journal on e-learning

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INTEGRATING STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT INTO WORK

Knowledge management is a strategic process. A close link between knowledge

Key words: Strategic knowledge management, Collaboration, Value adding, Diffusion

Faculty- Operations area, BLDEA’s, A.S.P.C.C, MBA Department Bijapur (Karnataka)

Knowledge management involves enhancing organizational knowledge through sound

2.0 FIVE ‘P’ FRAMEWORK OF STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

3.1 DEVELOPING KNOWLEDGE SHARING AS A CORE COMPETENCY IN THE

3.2 CAPACITY BUILDING

3.2 GERMINATING A KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITIES

3.3 VALUE ADDITION

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