Technologies for implementing knowledge management
The implementation of digital business applications can support knowledge management through
providing different applications which support the five different steps of knowledge management
described above. Binney (2001) identifies six different classes of KM applications as follows:
1
Transactional. Helpdesk and customer service applications.
2
Analytical. Data warehousing and data mining for CRM applications.
3
Asset management. Document and content management.
4
Process support. Total quality management, benchmarking, BPR, Six Sigma (see
www.
isixsigma.com
for further information).
5
Developmental. Enhancing staff skills and competencies – training and e‑learning.
6
Innovation and creation. Communities, collaboration and virtual teamwork.
Today, there is much discussion about the opportunities for using collaborative tools like
Yammer, which we introduced in Chapter 2, to enable sharing of information using social
networking approaches. Collectively this approach and these tools is often referred to as
Enterprise 2.0. You can see that these are potentially applicable across all six stages identified
above and can help share tacit and explicit knowledge.
Vendors now offer many tools for knowledge management, but it must be recognised that
these tools only facilitate knowledge management. Major changes to knowledge creation and
dissemination processes within the organisation are likely to be required to reap the benefits
of this technology.
Alternative tools for managing knowledge include:
●
Knowledge capture tools such as software for devising knowledge maps and mind maps.
●
Knowledge sharing techniques such as chat, discussion groups, wikis, webinars and
video‑ conferencing.
●
Knowledge delivery tools such as intranets and email.
●
Knowledge storage in document databases or knowledge bases such as Lotus Notes/
Domino and content management systems.
●
Electronic document management systems such as Interleaf publisher.
●
Expert systems used to capture specific task‑ based knowledge and deliver a solution.
Chaffey and Wood (2005) point out that intranets tend to have three stages of sophistication
for knowledge management:
1
Static. Basic web pages stored on a web server. Information publishing is centrally con‑
trolled. Employees browse and search for information but do not interact. Content
is refreshed on an irregular basis. The danger is that the intranet will become a silo of
underused and untrustworthy information.
2
Interaction. The intranet evolves into a dynamic environment developing around the
knowledge needs of employees. Publishing becomes a regular process that many employees
are involved with. Discussion boards and bulletin boards are introduced. Employees start
to develop trust in using the intranet to share and locate knowledge.
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