Knowledge Management

With the bulk of information coming in from every corner of the world imaginable, a system to manage information is very appropriate. That is why at present we have specific personnel included in organizations in charge to keep track of the storing, utilizing, processing, and retrieving of information-the knowledge information systems. Knowledge information systems is the specific name given to this field of study. Because of its relevance to the growing number of companies that rely on information, the management of information systems has been the topmost priority. Its goal, according to one expert, is to channel raw data into meaningful signals so as to make it usable i9n the future.

Another term given to this broad field of inquiry is knowledge management. Just a quick reminder though about knowledge from Neil Fleming: there are things that knowledge is not. Considering these things, one can put knowledge into a framework that is meaningful in management decision-making. For instance, a collection of data is not information; a collection of information is not knowledge; a collection of knowledge is not wisdom; a collection of wisdom is not truth. Gathered data without any relation and meaning is not information. The same thing is true with the rest when it does not come with purpose and understanding.

From this perspective, one can easily glean what management of information, knowledge management, and knowledge information systems really mean. Information is concerned with perspective, definition, and description or the who, what, when, and where. Knowledge consists of approach, method, practice, and strategy or the how. On the other hand, wisdom enfleshes the archetype, moral, insight, and principle or the why. The question now lies on what knowledge to manage and the knowledge information systems to use. This is a very important question considering that knowledge comes in bulks. Selecting which of these should be managed eases the burden of taking in all the information without even the benefit of sorting the relevant from the irrelevant.

To answer this question, keep in mind these simple questions. What is your company trying to accomplish? A clear statement of your goal and mission is important, not only in the area where knowledge is concerned but also in other management areas as well. How do we attain a competitive advantage? Sometimes, it is in these parts, where most executives fail. They have delivered their mission statements eloquently, but they falter in giving bones, tendons, and muscles to it, thus, resulting in poor organizational performance. This leads us to the next question: How do we deliver results? And if change comes, how will your company cope with it?

By answering these questions, it would not be too long to realize that knowledge management is only important when it improves organizational capacity, development, and ability. Data is unhelpful when it cannot be understood. Even if it has obvious importance and has relations between other data, still it would not help when it is not understood. For example, because data creates data trends, looking into past results, the market, the information associated with the organization, and the competition involved, a company is likely to predict and prepare for what is perceived to occur. This is knowledge management. This is using knowledge information systems to its full advantage. This is managing knowledge information systems to make it work for your growing company.

Knowledge Management |