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KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT #1 (Defining Knowledge ("Capital consists in a…
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT #1
What is Information?
- Information is a collection of facts
- In information systems, info takes many forms: text, numbers, images, audio, video etc
- Become informed, reduction of ignorance + uncertainty
- Closely related terms are data + knowledge: these terms are often used interchangeably + are somewhat ambiguous
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Defining Knowledge
- "Capital consists in a great part of knowledge + organisation...Knowledge is our most powerful engine of production" [Marshall 1890]
- Knowledge can be seen as:
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- It's questionable whether knowledge can be transferred directly - although clearly it can be transferred [or created] somehow
Nature of Knowledge
- Related to, but different from, data + information
- Bottom of the pyramid: Data
- A set of defined, objective facts concerning events
- Basic facts, just symbols e.g "ticks" of a machine; e.g each weight of a package being packed
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- Middle of the pyramid: Information
- A value-added form of data that adds meaning through contextualisation, categorisation, calculation, correction or condensation
- Data in context e.g total weight of packing this week, day or hour
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Tacit/Explicit Dichotomy
- Explicit Knowledge: an entity + can be transferred like data + information can
- Instructions on how to use a video player
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- Weight of package ID 01234
- Tacit Knowledge: is embodied in people [individually] + while they can use it, they can't give it to anyone directly
- How to swim or ride a bike
- The best decision to make about something complex [stock market etc]
- This has profound implications on how knowledge might be managed
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Explicit Knowledge
- Knowledge that's easy to transfer
- Is transferred through written, verbal or codified media
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- Employees record "how each task is to be performed, how long each task should take, the sequence of steps to be followed in performing each task, + the steps to be taken by each worker in checking his/her own work"
Tacit Knowledge
- Knowledge that's difficult to transfer
- A personal type of knowledge that can't be shared simply through written or verbal communication, learned mostly through experience over time
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- Toyota transfers tacit knowledge whenever it opens a new assembly factory
- Toyota sends employees to work at one of its established factories, where experienced employees train them. They are sent back to the new factory to transfer their production knowledge to the rest of the new employees