Directorate of distance education

Knowledge Management
“Knowledge Management” (KM) refers to the methods and software 
tools which make it possible to identify and capitalize on the knowledge of 
the enterprise to organize and distribute them, in particular. We general 
distinguish between tangible knowledge (also called explicit knowledge) 
of the enterprise, contained in databases or rather in all the hardcopy 
or electronic documents, and tacit knowledge (also called intangible 
knowledge) consisting of knowledge, know-how and competences of the 
entire staff (therefore referred to as “intangible assets”). The performance 
of an enterprise depends directly on the individual business competences, 
experience and knowledge, although it is rarely shared by all persons.
As a matter of fact, it is the human resources of an enterprise which 
determine the force, responsiveness, and the dynamics, or more precisely 
the synergetic work of these different persons. The term collective 
intelligence, which has become increasingly common in the literature, 
clearly illustrates the fact that proper functioning of the enterprise largely 
depends on having good information available at the right time.
In addition, with the development of information and 
communication technologies, the downside may be excessive information 
(sometimes called information pollution even textual harassment): 
“too much information kills information”! The purpose of a knowledge 
management project is therefore to identify, capitalize on and value the 
intellectual assets of the enterprise by involving the entire staff.

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The Knowledge Management Project
The knowledge management project is structured by 5 stages, 
which are frequently known by the term “virtuous circle of knowledge 
management”:
➢ Obtaining knowledge;
➢ Preserving knowledge;
➢ Valuing knowledge;
➢ Creating and sharing knowledge;
➢ Updating knowledge.
ERP
ERP (in English Enterprise Resource Planning), also called Inte-
grated Management Software (PGI), are applications whose purpose con-
sists in coordinating all activities of a company (so-called vertical activi-
ties such as production, procurement, or rather horizontal activities such 
as marketing, sales forces, management of human resources, etc.) around 
the same information system. 
Integrated Management Software generally provide Groupware 
and Workflow tools to ensure transversality and flow of information be-
tween the different services of the company. The term “ERP” comes from 
the name of the MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning) method used 
during the 70s for managing the planning of industrial production.