What is Knowledge Management?

The purpose of this question is to demonstrate understanding of the many-sided nature of knowledge management.

It addresses the broad learning objectives of:

Critically discuss the role and importance of knowledge management in today's organisations

Critically discuss the issues raised by language and cultural diversity in shared knowledge systems

There are many definitions of knowledge management. Four are given below. The purpose of this question is for you to evaluate these definitions, and to reflect on your own interpretation of the subject.

- Knowledge management draws from existing resources that your organisation may already have in place - good information systems management, organisational change management, and human resources management practices. (Davenport & Prusak, 1998)- [KM is] the capability of an organization to create new knowledge, disseminate it throughout the organization and embody it in products, services and systems.

- Knowledge - the insights, understandings, and practical know-how that we all possess - is the fundamental resource that allows us to function intelligently. Over time, considerable knowledge is also transformed to other manifestations - such as books, technology, practices, and traditions, - within organisations of all kinds and in society in general. These transformations result in cumulated expertise and, when
used appropriately, increased effectiveness.

- Knowledge Management is about creating an environment that encourages people to learn and share knowledge by aligning goals, integrating bits and pieces of information within and across organizational boundaries, and producing new knowledge that is usable and useful to the organization.