Good comments...but to put my thoughts forward I think I am going to have open that old can of worms based around what knowledge management should and should not do
Before I do that I request that you forget about this data, information etc definition and just while you are reading this thinking out of this box.
I believe that knowledge is based on the person, their believes, their identity and experiences and is therefore unique to that person and most importantly it CAN NOT be codified or computed.
Knowledge is so intrinsically linked to the person that it can not be separated, so knowledge management is really about managing people so that they can work together to achieve a common goal. In doing this they will share knowledge.
I think knowledge management is really people management.
So knowledge management can be used to resolve a conflict by ensuring that the people concerned develop a common goal and then use each other?s unique knowledge to solve it.
In fact saying I have more knowledge therefore power than you is what causes conflicts.
I have been involved in knowledge management for about 7 years working with the UK Post Office and the World Bank and it has depressed me that the whole knowledge management thing is focussed on computing the impossible. We should just accept that knowledge can not be captured, or computed, or shared in any other way other than people working together. If we could we could move on and focus on managing people better.
I appreciate your time reading this and I hope it makes sense, even if I am on my soapbox!
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David Gurteen
Quietening the audience at KM Brasil, August 2008
I help people to share their knowledge; to learn from each other; to innovate and to work together effectively to make a difference!
