Knowledge Management issues in universities
| Date | 01 April 2000 |
| Pages | 14-18 |
| Published date | 01 April 2000 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040770 |
| Author | Valerie Ratcliffe‐Martin,Elayne Coakes,Gill Sugden |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Knowledge
Management issues
in universities
by Valerie Ratcliffe-Martin, Elayne
Coakes and Gill Sugden,
Westminster Business School
This
paper describes some basic concepts of
knowledge management, and explains, using
these definitions, why universities are not
always seats of learning or knowledge
sharing. A knowledge management
programme, initiated by a leading British
university, is described.
The authors conclude by suggesting that
knowledge management tools may be
beneficial to supporting academics in their
multi-faceted
work.
However,
time will tell as
to the extent to which they can actually share
tacit knowledge and enable real organisational
learning across cultures in universities.
Background
Knowledge Management has become an important
domain for both practitioners and management
researchers. In 1991 Nonaka drew attention to the
significance of knowledge to business:
"In an economy where the only certainty is
uncertainty, the one sure source of lasting
competitive advantage is knowledge"
(Nonaka, 1991 p 96)
Joseph Badaracco referred to two different types
of knowledge - embedded and migratory. Migra-
tory knowledge can move out of the organisation
very quickly. It is usually codified in some form,
thus it is easily transferable. Embedded knowl-
edge is 'embedded' in the culture of
an
organisation, in norms, attitudes, relationships
among individuals and groups, and decision
making routines (1991).
Nonaka and Tageuchi progressed the argument for
these two types of knowledge, using the terms
'tacit' and 'explicit' knowledge. They invented
the concept of the knowledge-creating company,
relying on a dynamic flow of tacit and explicit
knowledge constantly recreating and reinventing
itself
(1995).
This has become the basis of much
speculation and research in the area ever since.
Pan and Scarbrough elucidate on these two differ-
ent types of knowledge:
"Explicit is systematic and easily
communicated in the form of hard data or
codified procedures. It can be articulated in
formal language including grammatical
statements. This kind of knowledge can
thus be transmitted across individuals
formally and easily. Tacit knowledge is not
available as a text and may conveniently be
regarded as residing in the heads of those
working in a particular organisational
context. It involves intangible factors
embedded in personal beliefs, experiences,
and values."
(1999 p 362)
They claim that knowledge management is gener-
ally concerned with the conversion of tacit
knowledge into explicit knowledge, and this
explicit knowledge is usually based on information
technologies.
Scarbrough, Swan and Preston have recognised the
link between knowledge and learning. To them,
knowledge management is:
" any process or practice of creating,
acquiring, capturing, sharing and using
knowledge, wherever it resides, to enhance
learning and performance in organisations"
(1999 p 1)
They argue however that the core themes in
knowledge management cover mostly IT/IS related
topics. Through a survey conducted in 1998, they
found that nearly 70% of articles on knowledge
management were in the IT/IS areas, and many of
these were practice driven, with the emphasis is on
explicit knowledge (1999 op.cit.).
Explicit knowledge is increasingly being empha-
sised in both practice and literature, as a
management tool to be exploited for the manipula-
tion of organisational knowledge. Groupware,
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