Why do we reinvent the wheel daily? It seems obvious that organizations, families or any social unit should share the knowledge gained from learning with one another. Yet the plain truth is that knowledge is often not harvested, captured, stored or managed, and that many organizations rely on technology solely for this task. Christina Evans argues convincingly that the need to manage for knowledge is principally a human interaction and that the HR function in an organization should play a central role in making knowledge management (KM) happen. Spending huge amounts on KM systems does not always bring the expected business benefits.
Knowledge is increasingly held to be a major business asset and includes brands, structural assets, products, operational processes and the “know‐how” of human assets. Evans takes the reader carefully through the mine‐field of definitions of KM and proposes a model of five stages in an organization’s journey from knowledge‐chaotic to knowledge‐centric, suggesting that very few have reached stages four or five. Evans outlines how the role of HR is changing from operational‐strategic in nature and proposes a blueprint for a knowledge‐centric organization centred on facilitative leadership. Some interesting paradoxes are revealed which are associated with managing organizational knowledge, such as “we learn mostly in projects … but we do not pass on our expertise”. More wheel re‐invention! The contention is that a knowledge‐centric culture must be built through changing structures and freeing boundaries.
This culture must be built with the help of the HR function, whose role is a strategic and facilitative one in partnership with others in the organization. At the heart of KM there should be an understanding of the nature and realities of learning at work, and the link to flexibility and success in a changing world. The social nature of learning is emphasized through the encouragement of working and learning in communities of practice, where learning is a living experience. It is the task of the HR function to align KR and HR practices through performance management, training and development and the creation of a learning environment.
Some of the difficult issues of KM are addressed in an interesting chapter about using language and tools for knowledge mapping. For example, there are issues about whether knowledge should be volunteered or conscripted, and how and when knowledge might be captured. How do we capture tacit (oral) and explicit (written) knowledge, and is this just a fraction of what we know in different contexts? Evans proposes a model (ASHEN), which uses slightly unusual words (artefacts and heuristics) to identify by enquiry knowledge disclosure points (KDPs). In this way meaningful questions can be asked, which balances tacit and explicit knowledge. Knowledge can be captured effectively through a toolkit which includes after‐action reviews, end of project learning reviews and by story‐telling, and in systems which use technology wisely.
All of this is summarized in a chapter, which suggests the key levers for change, moving, for example, from training to a knowledge pool, and from a help desk to a knowledge hub. This is not easy when organizations are dizzy from change, but Evans shows in a practical way how managing for knowledge can be achieved. She speaks from personal experience and has generalized some interesting concepts and models which aid understanding of the subject. This is aided by some useful case studies, summaries and a “pause for reflection” at the end of each chapter. It is possible to take issue with the logical flow of the chapters but, in summary, this is an accessible and thought‐provoking book which casts some timely light on the subject of managing for knowledge. If some people read this, wheels will not be needlessly re‐invented!
