Knowledge management denotes the process of developing, sharing, capturing, and utilizing organizational knowledge (Wiig, 2012). This approach aims at achieving full organizational objectives and goals by utilizing the knowledge of the organization, which is in the control of senior employees (Wiig, 2012).
Knowledge management is one of the issues in the contemporary enterprises and organizations Knowledge Management according to Wiing (2012), entails acquiring, storing, analyzing, manipulating, and exploiting the information in order to benefit the organization, therefore, it is about people and learning. Knowledge management lays its focus on the goals of the organization. For instance, knowledge management helps in improving performance, adding competitiveness of the organization, innovation, and creativity among other objectives (Wiig, 2012).
According to Wiing (2012), knowledge is the understandings, insights or practical know- how that we all have. He posits that knowledge is the basic resource that enables us to function and operate intelligently. For a number of years knowledge has undergone a transformation like books, technology, practices, and traditions in organization. When these transformations are used appropriately, they promote effectiveness of the organization. Besides, it is argued that knowledge should be natured and effectively used to ensure achievement of organizational objectives. Knowledge management in any organization should be considered in three different perspectives with objectives (Wiig, 2012). First is business perspective, this focuses on why and where and to what limit should organization invest in or exploit its knowledge (Wiig, 2012). Second is management perspective, which lay its weight in determining, directing, organizing, monitoring, and facilitating knowledge related practices required to help in achieving the organizational objectives. Finally, according to Aramburu and Saenz (2007), there are hands-on-perspectives, which lay its focus on applying the expertise to carry out explicitly knowledge related duties.
The knowledge management model is effective in that it helps in the documentation of important and valuable knowledge that are in the control of senior employees (Wiig, 2012). It enhances the speed in which information can be accessed, it facilitates the sharing of the lessons learned in various department of the organization, and it helps in minimizing the effect senior employees retiring or leaving their jobs by first writing down what they learn over the years about the organization (Aramburu & Saenz, 2007). There is also increased sharing and corporation among the departments in the organization. Based on the above benefits, it is true that work that is more complex normally is of greater significance by developing greater value in health care.
However, knowledge management requires the use of money in documentation of intellectual property. On the other hand, some employees still seek information from sites like Google, Wikipedia among other sites (Wiig, 2012). Further, it is commonly noted that when an employee really wants to get the information, they seek it from somewhere else. The most valuable organizational information may still leak, when a senior employee retires from their duty (Wiig, 2012). Finally, the cost in training has shot high that makes the process expensive.
Individuals use directly adaptable or executable examples of earlier situations, which have been memorized. They apply mental reference models, which in effect are understood stories encoded in different categories of abstraction to act in response to known situations via imitating previous behavior. Less understood situations are not responded to directly as the past ones. Consequently, organizations can employ new persons and make them useful decision-makers within the shortest time possible via operationalizing and adapting the reference models, which mostly resemble the novel conditions. The operationalization and adaptation always will initiate creativity and can result in innovation (Wiig, 2012).
In summary, going by history, knowledge has always been manageable through implication. However, effective knowledge management needs new perspectives and techniques in almost all departments in an organization. Knowledge Management is important and if used properly as intended, can help the organization to improve its performance.
Reference
Aramburu, N., & Saenz, J. (2007). Promoting people-focused knowledge management: the case of IDOM. Journal of Knowledge Management, 11(4), 72-81.
Wiig, K. (2012). People-focused knowledge management. Routledge.
