This document discusses the evolution of knowledge management from its origins in the 1950s to the present. It covers key topics like the rise of knowledge workers, the distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge, influential books that shaped the field, and the role of information technology in managing knowledge. The document traces how knowledge management emerged from efforts to leverage knowledge embedded in work practices and transitioned to a focus on continuous learning and innovation.

1. Information and
Knowledge Management
Class 4: Knowledge Management Evolution
Marielba Zacarias
Prof. Auxiliar DEEI
FCT I, Gab 2.69, Ext. 7749
mzacaria@ualg.pt
http://w3.ualg.pt/~mzacaria

2. Summary
Knowledge as an asset
Origins of the knowledge worker
Types of Intellectual Capital
Initial definition of the types of knowledge
Knowledge Management vs Re-engineering
Web 2.0 Tools
Document sharing

3. Origins
Born with language
Formally emerges from developing
formal procedures
products
“leverage” or “know-how” embedded within
work practices

4. Origins
• post-war
• knowledge created during II world war
• proliferation of
• universities
• more knowledgeable workers
• creates knowledge society
• need to manage such knowledge

5. At that time..
• USA Organizations
• bureaucratic
• hierarchical structures
• high formalization, segmented,
centralized
• impersonal environments

6. Europe and Asia
• Post-war reconstruction
• New ways of organizing and managing
organizations
• employes more involved in defining and
planning businesses
• managers & employees got together
• focus on quality

7. In USA..
• Market share starts coming down
• Perception of inefficiencies, fragmentation
and resistance to change
• Middle of the 90s
• Formal knowledge management practice
• first in academy...

8. “Knowledge Worker”
• Peter Drucker
• Landarmarks of Tomorrow (1959)
• Creates the term “Knowledge worker”
• New class of employee from industrial
worker (white collar vs blue collar)
• with unprecedented education levels

9. Tacit vs Explicit
• Michael Polanyi
• The tacit dimension (1966)
• Difference between tacit and explicit knowledge
• Focus on knowledge
• not only as a product..
• but also as a process (acquisition and deployment)
• Enfasis on tacit knowledge
• Does not exist without human interaction (social process)
• Is MORE than Information Management

10. Shared Principles
• J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman
• In Search for Excellence (1982)
• Succesful organizations in competitive environments
• Shared values and practices regardles of their size,
mission, product and client base

11. The value of IT
• Paul Strassmann
• Information payoff (1985)
• Shows the impact of IT on productivity
• Importance of means to measure and assess the
value of human capital
• The concept of knowledge as an identifiable and
quatifiable asset emerges

12. Re-engineering
• Michael Hammer and James Champy
• Reingeneering the Corporation (1992)
• The situation is so desperate that the only
solution is to forget everything and redesign
the organization from scratch (white sheet)
• The process paradigm is introduced

13. Process Paradigm
Gerar Emitir
vendas
ordem ordem
contabilidade Verificar Aprovar Gerar
crédito crédito factura
produção Assembl. Enviar
produto produto

14. The case of Ford
Copia Ordem Ordem
ordem compras compra compras compra
is
ria
Nota de
vendedor
e
envio
at
m
Contas materiais
a pagar vendedor Contas
factura a pagar Sistema
pagamento

15. Results
• Showed that
• Procedures & rules not effective any more
• Renovated several enterprises
• Several failures
• A lot of firings

16. Re-engineering forgot..
• Replacing outdated knowledge for knowledge
that would be quickly outdated
• Essential knowledge management principles
• continuous improvement and learning
• focus on people as knowledge sources

17. Knowledge as an asset
• Acknowledgement of
• quality
• customer satisfaction
• innovation
• critical assets
• Innovation as an essential source of
competitive advantage

18. The continuity principle
• In contrast to re-engineering, knowledge
management
• assumes continuous monitoring
• foster continuous change
• aims at continuous innovation
• Continuityto satisfy marketa needs
frequency
understood as the required change

19. New Roles
• CKO (Chief Knowledge Officer)
• The Knowledge Creating Company
• Nonaka 1995
• SECI model
• 1995
• Knowledge Management peak of
popularity

20. The role of IT
• Scanning of
• Explicit but unstructured knowledge
• Document Management
• for explicit knowledge
• Workflows
• Process Management
• systemic knowledge
• Process analysis and improvement
• Data & Text mining