"Knowledge management is the process of capturing,

distributing, and effectively using knowledge." Davenport (1994)

INTRODUCTION
Knowledge Management is the systematic management of
an organization's knowledge assets for the purpose of
creating value and meeting tactical & strategic
requirements; it consists of the initiatives, processes,
strategies, and systems that sustain and enhance the
storage, assessment, sharing, refinement, and creation of
knowledge.
Knowledge management (KM) therefore implies a strong
tie to organizational goals and strategy, and it involves the
management of knowledge that is useful for some purpose
and which creates value for the organization.

ORIGIN OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

The operational origin of KM, as the term is understood today, arose
within the consulting community and from there the principles of KM
were rather rapidly spread by the consulting organizations to other
disciplines. The consulting firms quickly realized the potential of the
Intranet flavour of the Internet for linking together their own
geographically dispersed and knowledge-based organizations. Once
having gained expertise in how to take advantage of intranets to
connect across their organizations and to share and manage
information and knowledge, they then understood that the expertise
they had gained was a product that could be sold to other
organizations. A new product of course needed a name, and the name
chosen, or at least arrived at, was Knowledge Management. The timing
was propitious, as the enthusiasm for intellectual capital in the 1980s,
had primed the pump for the recognition of information and
knowledge as essential assets for any organization.

IMPLEMENTING KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT (DIMENSIONS)
KM Strategy: Knowledge management strategy must be dependent

on corporate strategy.
Organizational Culture: The organizational culture influences the
way people interact, the context within which knowledge is created,
Organizational Processes: The right processes, environments, and
systems that enable KM to be implemented in the organization.
Management & Leadership: KM requires competent and
experienced leadership at all levels.
Technology: The systems, tools, and technologies that fit the
organization's requirements - properly designed and implemented.
Politics: The long-term support to implement and sustain initiatives
that involve virtually all organizational functions.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMANT GRAPHIC BY

IBM

EXPLICIT, IMPLICIT AND TACIT KNOWLEDGE

Explicit: information or knowledge that is set out in

tangible form.
Implicit: information or knowledge that is not set out
in tangible form but could be made explicit.
Tacit: information or knowledge that one would have
extreme difficulty operationally setting out in tangible
form.

WHAT OPERATIONALLY CONSTITUTES KM?

Lessons Learned Databases: Lessons Learned databases are

databases that attempt to capture and to make accessible knowledge
that has been operationally obtained and typically would not have
been captured in a fixed medium (to use copyright terminology).
Expertise Location : If knowledge resides in people, then one of the
best ways to learn what an expert knows is to talk with that expert.
The basic function of an expertise locator system is to identify and
locate those persons within an organization who have expertise in a
particular area.
Communities of Practice (CoPs): CoPs are groups of individuals
with shared interests that come together in person or virtually to tell
stories, to share and discuss problems and opportunities, discuss
best practices, and talk over lessons learned

THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF KM

1 :Information Technology-:That first stage has been described using

an equestrian metaphor as by the internet out of intellectual capital.

The concept of intellectual capital provided the justification and the
framework, the seed, and the availability of the internet provided the
tool.
2:HR and Corporate Culture-:The second stage of KM emerged when
it became apparent that simply deploying new technology was not
sufficient to effectively enable information and knowledge sharing.
Human and cultural dimensions needed to be addressed.
3:Taxonomy and Content Management-:The third stage developed
from the awareness of the importance of content, and in particular the
awareness of the importance of the retrievability of content, and
therefore of the importance of the arrangement, description, and
structure of that content.

IS KM HERE TO STAY ?

Quality Circles, 19771986

Source: Abrahamson
,1996

Total Quality
Management, 1990-2001
Source: Ponzi & Koenig,
2002

Business Process
Reengineering, 19902001
Source: Ponzi &
Koenig, 2002

In comparison to the graph of these hot management topic of present

years KM graph looks dramatically different.

It does indeed look as though KM is no mere enthusiasm; KM is

here to stay.

BUILDING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

FRAMEWORKS
KM consists of :
Identification of needs
Identification of knowledge resources
Acquisition, creation, or elimination of knowledge
related resources/ processes/ environments
Retrieval, application and sharing of knowledge
Storage of knowledge

KM MODELS

The KM Process Framework by Bukowitz and Williams

(1999)

 An Integrated Knowledge Management Model

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Under the initiative referred to as "act", the integrated

model outlines a series of knowledge management

processes.
These are:
Knowledge Discovery & Detection
Knowledge Organization & Assessment
Knowledge Sharing
Knowledge Reuse
Knowledge Creation
Knowledge Acquisition

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Strategic investments represent the companys choices/options so as to

enable and enhance the processes outlined earlier (e.g. knowledge sharing)
and to offer help define which knowledge is relevant (i.e. in line with
strategic objectives) and which is not.
Based on the strategic part of the integrated knowledge management
model, which includes:
Knowledge management strategic initiatives:
Invest: Support of existing structures, competencies, knowledge retention
mechanisms, culture, external network, and knowledge management
systems
Invest: Implement changes to structures, competencies, knowledge
retention mechanisms, culture, external network, and knowledge
management systems
Divest: Remove obsolete knowledge
Organizational Culture Change

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FAILURE

FACTORS
Causal Failure Factors:
Lack of performance indicators and measurable benefits
Inadequate management support
Improper planning, design, coordination, and evaluation
Inadequate skill of knowledge managers and workers
Problems with organizational culture
Improper organisational structure

Resultant Failure Factors:

Lack of widespread contribution
Lack of relevance, quality, and usability
Overemphasis on formal learning, systematisation, and
determinant needs
Improper implementation of technology
Improper budgeting and excessive costs
Lack of responsibility and ownership
Loss of knowledge from staff defection and retirement

CONCLUSION
Thus we see that knowledge management is a very
important part of the management process in an
organisation. It ensures transparency as well as good
distribution of facts and information. This results in the
smooth working in the organisation as the employees
remain less confused and more confident. These days the
new joinees are trained in this management method
hence evolving a better work experience for themselves as
well as co-workers. There are many failures , various
models that might confuse the expert , but following the
guidelines of knowledge management strategically and
understanding it will lead to good and effective outcome.