know|edge Management Learn|ng rocesses A Survey

Pow effecLlve were Lhe followlng for you? Pas lL caused an lmprovemenL ln your skllls and knowledge?
lease raLe Lhe knowledge managemenL processes ln your organlzaLlon on a scale of 1 Lo 3 wlLh 3 belng
Lhe mosL favourable and 1 belng Lhe leasL effecLlve
l onLlnuous Learnlng
a encouraglng workers Lo conLlnue Lhelr educaLlon by LulLlon fees relmbursemenL afLer successful
compleLlon of workrelaLed courses
b offerlng offslLe Lralnlng Lo workers ln order Lo keep skllls currenL

ll lnqulry ulalogue
a lnLeracLlve sesslons wlLh Leam leaders and peer performance appralsals
b feedback from superlors durlng and afLer compleLlon of pro[ecLs
c open forums Lo dlscuss lmprovemenLs ln parLlcular pro[ecLs whereby everyone ls free Lo volce
Lhelr oplnlons

lll 1eam Learnlng
a encouraglng workers Lo parLlclpaLe ln pro[ecL Leams wlLh exLernal experLs
b faclllLaLlng collaboraLlve work by pro[ecLs Leams LhaL are physlcally separaLed

lv Lmbedded SysLems
a dedlcaLlng resources Lo deLecL and obLaln exLernal knowledge and communlcaLlng lL wlLhln Lhe
flrm or organlsaLlon
b regular updaLlon of daLabases/webslLes of good work pracLlces lessons learned or llsLlngs of
experLs
c preparlng wrlLLen documenLaLlon such as lessons learned Lralnlng manuals good work
pracLlces arLlcles for publlcaLlon eLc
d wrlLlng up and publlshlng experlences for a wlder readershlp wlLhouL uslng unnecessary
Lechnlcal [argon
e conducLlng perlodlc LesLs Lo check Lhe level of learnlng and subsequenL advancemenL ln
organlzaLlonal hlerarchy (moneLary / poslLlon)

v LmpowermenL
a recognlLlon for Laklng lnlLlaLlves Lhrough awards/fellclLaLlons
b lncreased knowledge sharlng horlzonLally (across deparLmenLs/ funcLlons/ buslness unlLs)
c lncreased knowledge sharlng verLlcally (up Lhe organlzaLlonal hlerarchy)
d prevenLlng dupllcaLe research and developmenL

vl SysLem onnecLlon
a capLurlng and uslng knowledge obLalned from oLher lndusLry sources such as lndusLrlal
assoclaLlons compeLlLors cllenLs and suppllers
b developlng soclal consclence Lhrough Lhe numerous S8 acLlvlLles documenLed

vll SLraLeglc Leadershlp
a use of formal menLorlng pracLlces lncludlng apprenLlceshlps
b asslsLance ln lmprovlng sofL skllls for developlng responslble fuLure leaders

vlll ManagemenL LffecLlveness / 1ransferablllLy of knowledge
a experlenced workers belng encouraged Lo Lransfer Lhelr knowledge Lo new or less experlenced
workers
b provldlng formal Lralnlng relaLed Lo knowledge managemenL pracLlces
c provldlng lnformal Lralnlng relaLed Lo knowledge managemenL

lx lnnovaLlon
a Lhe dlfferenL pracLlces ln knowledge managemenL helped ln lncreaslng worker accepLance of
lnnovaLlons
b lncreased flexlblllLy ln producLlon and lnnovaLlon
lease grade Lhe followlng skllls before and afLer uLlllzlng kM sysLems aL lS on a scale of 1 Lo 3 wlLh
3 lndlcaLlng Lhe hlghesL score (low medlumlow medlum medlum hlgh excellenL)
x Skllls ueveloped
8efore AfLer
a lnLerpersonal neLworklng
b 1eam layer
c Leadershlp
d SofL skllls
e rlsls ManagemenL
f lnLerculLural lnLeracLlons
g llexlblllLy ln
1 adopLlng new ldeas aL work
2 work llfe balance
h onLrlbuLlons Lo kM sysLems
l lass A (hlgh lmporLance conLrlbuLlons)
ll lass 8 (medlum lmporLance conLrlbuLlons)
lll lass (low lmporLance conLrlbuLlons)






















Jatk|ns and Mars|ck's Mode| (1997) of the Seven D|mens|ons of the Learn|ng Crgan|zat|on
ulmeosloo uesctlptloo
onLlnuous learnlng pporLunlLles for ongolng educaLlon and growLh are provlded learnlng ls
deslgned lnLo work so LhaL people can learn on Lhe [ob
lnqulry and dlalogue 1he organlzaLlonal culLure supporLs quesLlonlng feedback and
experlmenLaLlon people galn producLlve reasonlng skllls Lo express Lhelr vlews
and Lhe capaclLy Lo llsLen and lnqulre lnLo Lhe vlews of oLhers
1eam learnlng Work ls deslgned Lo use Leams Lo access dlfferenL modes of Lhlnklng
collaboraLlon ls valued by Lhe culLure and rewarded Leams are expecLed Lo
learn by worklng LogeLher
Lmbedded sysLem necessary sysLems Lo share learnlng are creaLed malnLalned and lnLegraLed
wlLh work employees have access Lo Lhese hlgh and lowLechnology sysLems
LmpowermenL eople are lnvolved ln seLLlng and lmplemenLlng a shared vlslon responslblllLy
ls dlsLrlbuLed so LhaL people are moLlvaLed Lo learn whaL Lhey are held
accounLable Lo do
SysLem connecLlon 1he organlzaLlon ls llnked Lo lLs communlLles people undersLand Lhe overall
envlronmenL and use lnformaLlon Lo ad[usL work pracLlces people are helped
Lo see Lhe effecL of Lhelr work on Lhe enLlre organlzaLlon
SLraLeglc leadershlp Leadershlp uses learnlng sLraLeglcally for buslness resulLs leaders model
champlon and supporL learnlng

SCCIAL LLAkNING 1nLCk
lndlvlduals can learn by observlng whaL happens Lo oLher people and [usL by belng Lold abouL
someLhlng as well as by dlrecL experlences 1he vlew LhaL we can learn boLh Lhrough observaLlon and
dlrecL experlences ls called Soclal learnlng Lheory 1hls acknowledges Lhe exlsLence of observaLlonal
learnlng and Lhe lmporLance of percepLlon ln learnlng 1he lnfluence of models ls cenLral Lo soclal
learnlng vlewpolnL lour processes have been found Lo deLermlne Lhe lnfluence LhaL a model wlll have
on an lndlvldual
1 Attent|on rocess eople learn from Lhe models only when Lhey recognlze and pay aLLenLlon Lo lLs
crlLlcal feaLures We are lnfluenced by models LhaL are mosL aLLracLlve repeaLedly avallable lmporLanL
Lo us or slmllar Lo us ln our esLlmaLlon
2 ketent|on rocess A model's lnfluence wlll depend on how well Lhe lndlvldual remembers Lhe
model's acLlon afLer Lhe model ls no longer readlly avallable
3 Motor reproduct|on processes AfLer a person has observed a new behavlor by observlng Lhe models
acLlon Lhe waLchlng musL be converLed Lo dolng 1hls process Lhen demonsLraLes LhaL Lhe lndlvldual
can perform Lhe modeled acLlvlLles
4 ke|nforcement rocesses lndlvlduals wlll be moLlvaLed Lo exhlblL Lhe modeled behavlor lf Lhe
poslLlve lncenLlves or rewards are provlded 8ehavlors LhaL are poslLlvely relnforced wlll be glven more
aLLenLlon learned beLLer and performed more ofLen
Crgan|zat|on behav|or mod|f|cat|on (8 mod) ls Lhe appllcaLlon of relnforcemenL Lheory Lo lndlvlduals
ln organlzaLlonal seLLlngs
Step 1ldenLlfy Lhe performance relaLed behavloral evenLs 1hree klnds of organlzaLlonal acLlvlLy are
assoclaLed wlLh Lhls behavlor Lhe behavloral evenL lLself Lhe performance LhaL resulLs and Lhe
organlzaLlonal consequences LhaL befall Lhe lndlvldual
Step 2 1he manager measures Lhe basellne performance Lhe exlsLlng level of performance of each
lndlvldual 1hls usually ls sLaLed ln Lerms of a percenLage frequency across dlfferenL Llme lnLervals
Step 3 ls Lo ldenLlfy Lhe exlsLlng behavloral conLlngencles or consequences of performance LhaL ls
whaL happens now Lo employees who perform aL varlous levels
Step 4 1he manager agaln measures performance Lo deLermlne wheLher Lhe deslred effecL has been
achleved lf noL Lhe manager musL redeslgn Lhe lnLervenLlon sLraLegy or repeaL Lhe enLlre process
Step S 1he manager looks for lmprovemenLs ln lndlvldual employees' behavlor Pere Lhe emphasls ls
on offerlng slgnlflcanL longerLerm rewards such as promoLlons and salary ad[usLmenLs Lo susLaln
ongolng efforLs Lo lmprove performance
ALLrlbuLlon Lheory suggesLs LhaL employees observe Lhelr own behavlor deLermlne wheLher lL ls a
response Lo exLernal or lnLernal facLors and shape Lhelr fuLure moLlvaLed behavlor accordlngly 1hus
aLLrlbuLlon Lheory also has moLlvaLlonal lmpllcaLlons
1nL LLAkNING CCLL
1he cycle of experlenLlal learnlng ln adulLs whlch was proposed by kolb has four parLs 1he four
parLs are explalned below
1) Lxper|enc|ng a learner has some concreLe experlence or ls helped Lo have experlence durlng
Lhe Lralnlng programme
2) rocess|ng reflecLlng on and analyzlng Lhe experlence lndlvldually or ln a group
3) Genera||z|ng absLracL concepLuallzlng based on Lhe experlence and formaLlon of a LenLaLlve
Lheory or a way Lo explaln Lhe daLa
4) App|y|ng Lrylng ouL Lhe new behavlor or uslng lL ln dayLoday work
1he fourLh sLep ls followed by a new experlence and Lhe cycle conLlnues
LLAkNING S1LLS
8ased on Lhe cycle of experlmenLal learnlng kolb also proposed four learnlng sLyles whlch are
1) Concrete exper|encers 1hey are exclLed by Lhe new acLlvlLy or experlence and share lL wlLh
oLhers Lhey generally comblne Lhe experlenclng and generallzlng parLs of Lhe cycle
2) kef|ect|ve observers 1hey learn from ob[ecLlve observaLlon reflecL on lL dlscuss lL and Lhen
generallze Lhey beneflL from Lhe processlng and generallzlng parLs of Lhe cycle
3) Abstract conceptua||zers 1hey rely malnly on loglc and raLlonal analysls Lhey Lend Lo
generallze from Lhelr exposure Lo loglcal maLerlal
4) Act|ve exper|menters 1hey are pragmaLlc and rely on Lrylng Lhlngs ouL ln famlllar slLuaLlons
Lhe applylng parL of Lhe learnlng cycle ls more appeallng Lo Lhem

1he survey was deslgned Lo capLure lnslghLs abouL organlsaLlonal learnlng Lled Lo Lhe pro[ecL cycle ln
Lhe pro[ecL cycle learnlng ls seen as a means Lo lncrease organlsaLlonal efflclency and reduce repeLlLlon
of mlsLakes Learnlng ln Lhls conLexL ls dlvlded lnLo Lhree maln areas
- eotoloq befote le learnlng LhaL happens before a pro[ecL ls sLarLed focuslng on Laklng Llme Lo learn
from oLhers and drawlng pracLlcal concluslons from pasL lessons
- eotoloq Jotloq le learnlng LhaL happens whlle a pro[ecL ls carrled ouL focuslng on conLlnuous
revlewlng of Lhe pro[ecL's ob[ecLlves and Lhe organlsaLlon's capaclLy
- eotoloq oftet le learnlng LhaL happens afLer a pro[ecL has been compleLed focuslng on glvlng a
sLrucLure Lo general reflecLlon follow up and fuLure reappllcaLlon of lessons
1he nC survey revealed LhaL mosL of Lhe nCs (over 80) sald LhaL Lhey do consclously assess
organlsaLlonal knowledge and skllls alLhough 49 admlLLed LhaL Lhls only happened someLlmes
Around one Lhlrd (31) of Lhe nCs sald LhaL Lhey underLake such assessmenL falrly regularly
Powever only a few nCs sald LhaL Lhey underLake sysLemaLlc monlLorlng of Lhe lmpacL of prevlous
learnlng on exlsLlng pro[ecLs noL surprlslngly 68 of Lhe nCs sald LhaL Lhey would llke Lo see Lhlngs
done dlfferenLly ln Lhelr organlsaLlon and ln donor organlsaLlons ln relaLlon Lo learnlng


know|edge management (kM) ls a process LhaL helps organlzaLlons ldenLlfy selecL organlze
dlssemlnaLe and Lransfer lmporLanL lnformaLlon and experLlse LhaL are parL of Lhe organlzaLlon's
memory and LhaL Lyplcally reslde wlLhln Lhe organlzaLlon ln an unsLrucLured manner 1hls sLrucLurlng of
knowledge enables effecLlve and efflclenL problem solvlng dynamlc learnlng sLraLeglc plannlng and
declslon maklng knowledge managemenL lnlLlaLlves focus on ldenLlfylng knowledge expllcaLlng lL ln
such a way LhaL lL can be shared ln a formal manner and leveraglng lLs value Lhrough reuse

2 approaches Lo knowledge managemenL process and pracLlce approach

knowledge managemenL pro[ecLs LhaL lnvolve esLabllshlng a knowledge envlronmenL conduclve Lo Lhe
Lransfer creaLlon or use of knowledge aLLempL Lo bulld coltotol teceptlvlty 1hese aLLempLs are
cenLered on changlng Lhe behavlour of Lhe flrm Lo embrace Lhe use of knowledge managemenL
8ehavloralcenLrlc pro[ecLs requlre a hlgh degree of supporL and parLlclpaLlon from Lhe senlor
managemenL of Lhe organlzaLlon Lo faclllLaLe Lhelr lmplemenLaLlon MosL flrms developlng knowledge
managemenL sysLems have creaLed a knowledge managemenL offlcer a ch|ef know|edge off|cer (CkC)
aL Lhe senlor level 1he ob[ecLlves of Lhe k's role are Lo maxlmlze Lhe flrm's knowledge asseLs deslgn
and lmplemenL knowledge managemenL sLraLegles effecLlvely exchange knowledge
asseLs lnLernally and exLernally and promoLe sysLem use




Process Approach Practice Approach
Type of knowledge Explicit knowledgecodiIied in rules, Mostly tacit knowledgeunarticulated
8:pported tools, and processes (DeLong and knowledge not easily captured or codi-

ahey, 2000) Iied (Leonard and Sensiper, 1998)
ean8 of tran8288on ormal controls, procedures, and InIormal social groups that engage in

standard operating procedures with story telling and improvisation

heavy emphasis on inIormation (Wenger and Snyder, 2000).

technologies to support knowledge


creation, codiIication, and transIer


oI knowledge (Ruggles, 1998).

eneft8 Provides structure to harness Provides an environment to generate

generated ideas and knowledge and transIer high-value tacit

(Brown and Duguid, 2000). knowledge (Brown and Duguid, 2000;

Achieves scale in knowledge reuse Wenger and Snyder, 2000).

(Hansen et al., 1999). Provides spark Ior Iresh ideas and

responsiveness to changing environment

(Brown and Duguid, 2000).
8advantage8 ails to tap into tacit knowledge. Can result in ineIIiciency. Abundance oI

May limit innovation and Iorces ideas with no structure to implement

participants into Iixed patterns oI them.

thinking.

#ole of nfor2aton Heavy investment in IT to connect Moderate investment in IT to Iacilitate
technology people with reusable codiIied knowl- conversations and transIer oI tacit

edge (Hansen et al., 1999). knowledge (Hansen et al., 1999).
$4:7.0Alavi et al. (2003), p. 3.