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Closing the gap between theory and practice requires a transition from
simply understanding learning and knowledge to actually managing
learning and knowledge.
Organizational learning is a research discipline; “learning organization” is
an approach that attempts to put the fruits of that research into practice;
knowledge management adds technology to the mix. Unfortunately, knowledge
management practitioners tend to forget some of the basics of organizational
learning. Successful knowledge management must derive from the principles of
organizational learning as much as it extends from information technologies
such as document management or data mining.
 “Knowledge management is well on its way to becoming an essential feature of
business culture,” says Prof. Zhang Xinhua of the Shanghai Academy of
Social Sciences, describing the experience of companies Chinese and
elsewhere. In fact, he describes a “knowledge boom”. However he adds that
progress in this first phase has limited impact on organizational dynamics
as many companies are taking too casual an approach.
“Few of the companies have realized that using knowledge for long-term
business advantage requires change in many core aspects of the business.
What is most important is how to integrate knowledge management with
familiar aspects of the business—strategy, process, culture and behavior,”
he explains. “The focus is undoubtedly on holding knowledge, not knowing
about knowledge and turning knowledge to performance and vice versa. Thus
the problem of information and knowledge overload is ever deteriorating.”
Zhang emphasizes that the priority for future studies must answer the
question, “What does knowledge look and sound like in the daily life of an
organization?” He proposes that requires breaking the subject into four
separate competencies:
1.
Knowing about knowledge
2.
Knowing how to manage knowledge
3.
Knowing about knowledge management systems
4.
knowing how to transfer knowledge across
time and space |
