Knowledge Management Best Practices

With the mass exodus of baby boomers leaving the work force, knowledge management should be on the top of every CEO and HR executives' mind. When your retirees walk out the door, they’re not just taking their coffee mug and other personal memorabilia with them; they’re taking years of proprietary knowledge. Knowledge transfer is a complicated task that can never be performed perfectly—no matter how many systems and managers you have in place to make sure your brain trusts pass down everything the next generations of workers need to know. Before you begin setting up Knowledge Management Systems, you must first understand knowledge to manage it effectively. This article explores some of the characteristics of knowledge, and the tools to make the most of the knowledge assets in your organization. No matter what industry you are in—healthcare, education, corporate or government; these tips are applicable for all. Knowledge Travels via Language. This characteristic is particularly important for organizations that operate globally, in many languages. It is also important for high-tech firms that need to communicate complicated ideas firm-wide. Ensuring there is a single common language for all to understand is key. Global companies cannot expect all employees to speak one language so ensure your Knowledge Management Systems has translation capabilities and/or is easily converted to various languages. Knowledge seeks community. Knowledge is transferred in places of community and social interaction. It is vital for organizations to have both in person and online forums for employees from various departments to exchange and share ideas. Social sharing options that mimic the Facebook environment are becoming more popular for knowledge transfer techniques. These can be built into your learning, talent or knowledge management system so be sure to ask your system provider if your LMS software has these capabilities. Knowledge doesn’t grow forever. As years go by knowledge gets lost or dies. This is not necessarily a bad thing if the knowledge is outdated or extinct. Loss of knowledge can even be a great thing when it means letting go of old ways of thinking and possibly retiring whole blocks of knowledge for new knowledge to evolve. Knowledge loss becomes a problem though, when vital systems, procedures, and data get lost. Knowledge Management Best Practices Business today marks a dynamic time where companies must either innovate or die. Whether developing innovative products or services, the ability to learn, adapt and change is a core competency for survival. To do this effectively, past, current and future knowledge must be nurtured, maintained and shared properly. Here are a few suggestions to manage your organization's knowledge: A North Star Does your organization have a guiding north star? A ‘north star’ should represent the purpose, sense of identity, and core principles that guide an organization. Knowledge organizes itself around organizational purpose so it is vital that employees have your mission ingrained into their being. One way to do this is having a talent management system that aligns corporate training with organizational goals. Formal Knowledge Management Leaders Most large organizations employ knowledge leaders to manage organizational learning and knowledge transfer. If you can’t afford to bring someone on full time, don’t sweat it. Many talent and competency management systems make it easy for you to manage this on your own. To do the work of a Knowledge Manager, it is best to group your activities into three or more subcategories including: Knowledge transfer: ensuring that exiting employees appropriately document information and processes that must be handed down to ensure smooth operations once they leave. Learning & Competency Management: ensuring that new and existing employees are kept up-to-date with new skills and knowledge. Knowledge Creation: ensuring employees have the time and resources to engage in research and development. Knowledge Sharing: ensuring that employees have opportunities to share knowledge with one another both online and in person. To integrate the tasks listed above, a learning management system is integral to ensure everything works in unison. Credit to: Sean Hougan Marketing Coordinator at Lambda Solutions

IGF-1 Insulin-like Growth Factor

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), also called somatomedin C, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IGF1 gene.[1][2] IGF-1 has also been referred to as a "sulfation factor"[3] and its effects were termed "non suppressible insulin-like activity" (NSILA) in the 1970s. IGF-1 is a hormone similar in molecular structure to insulin. It plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults. A synthetic analog of IGF-1, mecasermin, is used for the treatment of growth failure.[4] IGF-1 consists of 70 amino acids in a single chain with three intramolecular disulfide bridges. IGF-1 has a molecular weight of 7,649 daltons.[5] GF-1 is produced primarily by the liver as an endocrine hormone as well as in target tissues in a paracrine/autocrine fashion. Production is stimulated by growth hormone (GH) and can be retarded by undernutrition, growth hormone insensitivity, lack of growth hormone receptors, or failures of the downstream signalling pathway post GH receptor including SHP2 and STAT5B. Approximately 98% of IGF-1 is always bound to one of 6 binding proteins (IGF-BP). IGFBP-3, the most abundant protein, accounts for 80% of all IGF binding. IGF-1 binds to IGFBP-3 in a 1:1 molar ratio.IGFBP-1 is regulated by insulin.[medical citation needed]

IGF-1 is produced throughout life. The highest rates of IGF-1 production occur during the pubertal growth spurt. The lowest levels occur in infancy and old age.[medical citation needed]

3-d model of IGF-1 Protein intake increases IGF-1 levels in humans, independent of total calorie consumption.[medical citation needed] Factors that are known to cause variation in the levels of growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1 in the circulation include: insulin levels, genetic make-up, the time of day, age, sex, exercise status, stress levels, nutrition level and body mass index (BMI), disease state, race, estrogen status and xenobiotic intake.[6] Fasting, including intermittent fasting, can reduce IGF-1 levels rapidly and dramatically.[medical citation needed] It may be, however, that fasting increases IGF-1 levels because fasting causes very low blood sugar, which in turn stimulates the release of growth hormone by the pituitary, [7] which in turn increaInsulin-like growth factor 1 (somatomedin C) SOURCE : Wikipedia

Knowledge management

Knowledge management (KM) is the process of capturing, developing, sharing, and effectively using organisational knowledge.[1] It refers to a multi-disciplined approach to achieving organisational objectives by making the best use of knowledge.[2] An established discipline since 1991 (see Nonaka 1991), KM includes courses taught in the fields of business administration, information systems, management, and library and information sciences (Alavi & Leidner 1999).[3][4] More recently, other fields have started contributing to KM research; these include information and media, computer science, public health, and public policy.[5] Columbia University, Kent State University and the University of Haifa offer dedicated Master of Science degrees in Knowledge Management.[6][7][8] Many large companies, public institutions and non-profit organisations have resources dedicated to internal KM efforts, often as a part of their business strategy, information technology, or human resource management departments.[9] Several consulting companies provide strategy and advice regarding KM to these organisations.[9] Knowledge management efforts typically focus on organisational objectives such as improved performance, competitive advantage, innovation, the sharing of lessons learned, integration and continuous improvement of the organisation.[10] KM efforts overlap with organisational learning and may be distinguished from that by a greater focus on the management of knowledge as a strategic asset and a focus on encouraging the sharing of knowledge.[2][11] It is an enabler of organisational learning. source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia