Knowledge Management Systems

The issue of knowledge management systems has probably always been the most discussed and debated topic within knowledge management (KM). Even though knowledge management systems are not the most important part of KM (with some arguing that they are not even absolutely necessary), this is still the subject that generates most interest.

On this site, I have considered the impact of IT in all the knowledge management strategy subsections, with particular emphasis on its role in knowledge sharing. From this point on, the discussion will be organized as follows:

• This subsection will discuss the theoretical implementation of knowledge management systems and its impact on the organization.
• The section titled "KM Tools" will look at some of the main categories of systems available.

What are Knowledge Management Systems?

Knowledge management systems refer to any kind of IT system that stores and retrievesknowledge, improves collaboration, locates knowledge sources, mines repositories for hidden knowledge, captures and uses knowledge, or in some other way enhances the KM process.

If my explanation above makes the definition of these systems seem vague, that is because there is no consensus as to what constitutes a knowledge management system, much like there is no consensus regarding KM. Furthermore, since KM is involved in all areas of the firm, drawing a line is very difficult.

James Robertson (2007) goes as far as to argue that organizations should not even think in terms of knowledge management systems. He argues that KM, though enhanced by technology, is not a technology discipline, and thinking in terms of knowledge management systems leads to expectations of "silver bullet" solutions. Instead, the focus should be determining the functionality of the IT systems that are required for the specific activities and initiatives within the firm.

I fully agree with his reasoning. However, for the purpose of this site (intended to be useful for those people that do search for terms like knowledge management systems), I will break these down into the following general categories (adapted from the work of Gupta and Sharma 2005, in Bali et al 2009):

• Groupware systems & KM 2.0
• The intranet and extranet
• Data warehousing, data mining, & OLAP
• Decision Support Systems
• Content management systems
• Document management systems
• Artificial intelligence tools
• Simulation tools
• Semantic networks

These categories will cover the vast majority of the systems that people will normally link directly to KM.

Problems and Failure Factors

Too often, the effects of technology on the organization are not given enough thought prior to the introduction of a new system. There are two sets of knowledge necessary for the design and implementation of a knowledge management system (Newell et al., 2000):

• The technical programming and design know-how
• Organizational know-how based on the understanding of knowledge flows

The problem is that rarely are both these sets of knowledge known by a single person. Moreover, technology is rarely designed by the people who use it. Therefore, firms are faced with the issue of fit between IT systems and organizational practices, as well as with acceptance within organizational culture (Gamble & Blackwell 2001).

Botha et al (2008) stress the importance of understanding what knowledge management systems cannot do. They point to the fact that introducing knowledge sharing technologies does not mean that experts will share knowledge - other initiatives have to be in place.

Akhavan et al (2005) identify several additional failure factors including: lack of top management support, organizational culture, lack of a separate budget, and resistance to change.

Building upon all this, and incorporating previously discussed elements, failure factors of knowledge management systems are as follows:

• Inadequate support: managerial and technical, during both implementation and use.
• Expecting that the technology is a KM solution in itself.
• Failure to understand exactly what the firm needs (whether technologically or otherwise).
• Not understanding the specific function and limitation of each individual system.
• Lack of organizational acceptance, and assuming that if you build it, they will come – lack of appropriate organizational culture.
• Inadequate quality measures (e.g. lack of content management).
• Lack of organizational/departmental/etc fit - does it make working in the organization. easier? Is a system appropriate in one area of the firm but not another? Does it actually disrupt existing processes?
• Lack of understanding of knowledge dynamics and the inherent difficulty in transferring tacit knowledge with IT based systems (see segment on tacit knowledge under knowledge sharing).
• Lack of a separate budget.

Promoting Acceptance and Assimilation

According to Hecht et al. (2011) the process of successful implementation has three stages: adoption, acceptance, and assimilation. Based on recognized models and theories, the authors identified three comprehensive sets of factors affecting these three elements. The resulting model organized the KMS implementation factors into the following categories:

• Adoption:
  • Influenced by design: Innovation characteristics, fit, expected results, communication characteristics.
  • Not influenced by design: Environment, technological infrastructure, resources, organizational characteristics.
• Acceptance
  • Influenced by design: Effort expectancy, performance expectancy.
  • Not influenced by design: Social influences, attitude towards technology use.
• Assimilation:
  • Influenced by design: social system characteristics, process characteristics.
  • Not influenced by design: Management characteristics, institutional characteristics.

Step 1: KMS Adoption

Some of the key factors identified by Hecht et al (2011) are: characteristics, commercial advantage, cultural values, information quality, organizational viability, and system quality. To promote KMS adoption:

• Start with an internal analysis of the firm.
• Evaluate information/knowledge needs & flows, lines of communication, communities of practice, etc. These findings should form the basis of determining the systems needed to complement them.
• Make a thorough cost-benefit analysis, considering factors like size of firm, number of users, complexity of the system structure, frequency of use, upkeep & updating costs, security issues, training costs (including ensuring acceptance) etc. vs improvements in performance, lower response time, lower costs (relative to the previous systems) etc.
• Evaluate existing work practices and determine how the systems will improve - and not hinder - the status quo.
• One very interesting rule of thumb presented by Botha et al (2008), is that "the more tacit the knowledge, the less high-tech the required solution". For example, expert knowledge is often best supported by multimedia communication technology and by expert finders. Beyond that, it is about human interaction and collaboration.

Step 2: KMS acceptance

Some of the factors outlined by Hecht et al. (2011) include: anxiety, ease of use, intrinsic motivation, job-fit, results demonstrability, and social factors. Promoting acceptance can be improved by:

• Involve the users in the design and implementation process when possible (Liebowitz 1999).
• Involve the user in the evaluation of the system when applicable (Liebowitz 1999).
• Make it as user friendly and as intuitive as possible (Frank 2002).
• Support multiple perspectives of the stored knowledge (Frank 2002).
• Provide adequate technical and managerial support.
• Use product champions to promote the new systems throughout the organization.

Step 3: KMS Assimilation

Some of the factors identified by Hecht et al. (2011) include: knowledge barrier, management championship, process cost, process quality, and promotion of collaboration. Assimilation can be improved by:

• Content management (Gamble & Blackwell, 2011): In order for the system to remain useful, its content must be kept relevant through updating, revising, filtering, organization, etc.
• Perceived attractiveness factors (Gamble & Blackwell, 2001): This includes not only the advantages of using the KMS, but also of management's ability to convince users of these advantages.
• Proper budgeting: i.e. planning expenses and implementing a KMS that is cost efficient.
• Focus on collaboration. In particular, consider the adoption of enterprise 2.0 / KM 2.0systems, which by design promote collaboration while generally being inexpensive and often quite popular.
• Management involvement: The system must be championed by management at all levels.

Naturally, these factors do not apply to all systems. Some are fairly straightforward and accepted in today's society (e.g. email). However, the strategic implications of implementing knowledge management systems that significantly aim to change the way things are done in the organization requires proper consideration and careful planning.

by Alan Frost. Free paper released Jan. 2014.

Albert Einstein on the Secret to Learning

Shane Parrish writes Farnam Street

Find that which brings you joy

In 1915 Einstein, who was then 36, was living in wartime Berlin with his cousin Elsa, who would eventually become his second wife. His two sons, Hans Albert Einstein and Eduard “Tete” Einstein were with his estranged wife Mileva in neutral Zurich.

After eight long years of effort his theory of general relativity, which would propel him to international celebrity, was finally summed up in just two pages. Flush with his recent accomplishment, he sent his 11-year-old Hans Albert the following letter, which is found inPosterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children.

My dear Albert,

Yesterday I received your dear letter and was very happy with it. I was already afraid you wouldn’t write to me at all any more. You told me when I was in Zurich, that it is awkward for you when I come to Zurich. Therefore I think it is better if we get together in a different place, where nobody will interfere with our comfort. I will in any case urge that each year we spend a whole month together, so that you see that you have a father who is fond of you and who loves you. You can also learn many good and beautiful things from me, something another cannot as easily offer you. What I have achieved through such a lot of strenuous work shall not only be there for strangers but especially for my own boys. These days I have completed one of the most beautiful works of my life, when you are bigger, I will tell you about it.

I am very pleased that you find joy with the piano. This and carpentry are in my opinion for your age the best pursuits, better even than school. Because those are things which fit a young person such as you very well. Mainly play the things on the piano which please you, even if the teacher does not assign those. That is the way to learn the most, that when you are doing something with such enjoyment that you don’t notice that the time passes. I am sometimes so wrapped up in my work that I forget about the noon meal. Also play ring toss with Tete. That teaches you agility. Also go to my friend Zangger sometimes. He is a dear man.

Be with Tete kissed by your

Papa.

Regards to Mama.

courtesy : Times of Oman

HOW GENIUS ARE YOU?

Are you a GENIUS? Find out with a few of the most fiendish brain-teasers ever

Book by Robert Streeter and Robert Hoehn republished from 1930s

Originally designed to discover clever people by posing hard questions

A book designed to discover clever people in the 1930s has been republished and is full of tricky questions and brain-teasers. The answers can be found at the bottom of the page.

1. Rearrange the following letters so as to make the name of a living creature:

1. B R I N O

2. Four men can build four boats in four days. How long will it take one man to build one boat?

3. Test your memory on this passage: Three men and their wives and a widower left by car at noon one day for a picnic. After they had gone three miles, they saw two men and a child in another car that had broken down. ‘That is tough luck,’ said one of the picnickers. At 1 pm they arrived at the picnic grounds, where they saw only the old one-armed caretaker and his son. They immediately started to eat their luncheon of sandwiches, fruit and cake. Question: How many people have been mentioned?

4. Which is heavier, milk or cream?

5. What one word means both ‘dodge’ and ‘immerse’?

6. Rearrange the letters in the word ‘sleuth’ to make another word.

7. What word meaning ‘ship’ would mean ‘small collections of water’ if the letters were read backwards?

8. If a clock is stopped for a minute every ten minutes, how long will it take the minute hand to complete a revolution?

9. What adjective which means ‘pertaining to citizenship’ spells the same from right to left as it does from left to right?

10. When seen in a mirror, which of the following words printed in capital letters will look the same as when viewed directly?

MAN TOOT DEED

11. There is a monosyllable which, if you add to it a single letter, becomes a word of three syllables. What is it?

12. A man lived in a house that could be entered by only one door and five windows. Making certain that there was no one in the house one day, he went out for the afternoon. Upon his return, although the windows were still locked and unbroken and the door had not been forced, he discovered a thief in his house robbing it. If the thief did not use a skeleton key, or pick any of the locks, how did he get into the house?

13. If a hen and a half lays an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many eggs will seven hens lay in six days?

14. The first two syllables of the name of one of the States of the United States is suggested by a girl’s name. The third syllable is suggested by a word meaning ‘debark’. What is the name of the State?

15. How will the following sentence, attributed to Napoleon, read if you start with the last word and read all the letters and words backwards?

‘Able was I ere I saw Elba.’

If a clock is stopped for a minute every ten minutes, how long will it take the minute hand to complete a revolution?

If a clock is stopped for a minute every ten minutes, how long will it take the minute hand to complete a revolution?

16. In the following word, eliminate the second letter and every alternate letter thereafter. What word do the remaining letters form?

GLEAM

17. Rearrange the following letters so that they make the name of an article of furniture: 

 C H O CU

                                                                  

  18. My father is the brother of your sister. What relative am I of yours? Cousin, nephew, son, uncle, son-in-law?

19. By eliminating one letter in each of four words in the following sentence, a new sentence of an entirely different meaning will remain.

They heard meat was stewed.

20. What two four-letter words pronounced the same but spelled differently mean ‘valley’ and ‘curtain’?

21. Which two of the following words are composed of the same letters?

AGATE, AGITATE, GATES, STAGS, STAGE, GRATE

22. Write the following on your answer sheet and, by inserting two full-stops and a question mark, make the meaning clear.

That that is is that that is not is not is that not so

23. The first part of the name of a certain make of American car is suggested by a word meaning ‘call’; the second, by a word meaning ‘insinuation’. What is the make of the car?

24. There were three horses running in a race. Their names were Tally-ho, Sonny Boy, and Juanita.

Their owners were Mr Lewis, Mr Bailey and Mr Smith, although not necessarily in that sequence.

Tally-ho unfortunately broke his ankle at the start of the race. Mr Smith owned a brown and white three-year old. Sonny Boy had previous winnings of £20,000. Mr Bailey lost heavily although his horse almost won.

The horse that won was black. This race was the first race that the horse owned by Mr Lewis had run. What was the name of the horse that won?

FIND THE ANSWERS BELOW   ****************************************************

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3026944/Are-GENIUS-fiendish-brain-teasers-ever.html#ixzz3WVZ2Ywi7 

FIND YOUR ANSWERS TO BRAIN TEASERS

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