Knowledge‐based organizations in context
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/03055720610667318 |
| Published date | 01 January 2006 |
| Date | 01 January 2006 |
| Pages | 12-16 |
| Author | Francesco A. Calabrese |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
Knowledge-based organizations
in context
Francesco A. Calabrese
Enterprise Excellence Management Group, Inc., Vienna, Virginia, USA
Abstract
Purpose – This article seeks to discuss a balanced and effective holistic knowledge management
(KM) framework, which consists of four key domains postulated and validated in the late 1990s and
2000 as The George Washington University (GWU) four-pillar KM framework: leadership,
organization, technology, and learning.
Design/methodology/approach – The two conceptual organizational models of an “adaptive
enterprise” and “agile enterprise” are briefly described, their utility challenged and a request launched
for empirical findings documenting the organizational implementations and linkages to leadership,
technology and learning with attendant performance results.
Findings – The twenty-first century has surfaced the need for more flexible and responsive
knowledge-based organizational entities capable of rapidly adjusting to the increasing rate of change
and demands in both products and services.
Originality/value – Provides an insight into the George Washington University four-pillar KM
framework.
Keywords Knowledge management, Leadership, Organizations, Learning
Paper type General review
Organization
How can we hope to make “organization” something futurist, exciting, provocative or
different? Organization means a “wiring diagram”; it means: “well structured”; and it is
a synonym for an entity; an enterprise.
Well yes – it can be all of the above, but in the context of the twenty-first century
knowledge age it is significantly more expansive. “Organization” as an entity, or as an
enterprise, exudes style or culture reflective of the humans who populate it; the reason
for its existence; and the guidelines that establish how it will function. Organizations
have been studied, characterized, and recorded for centuries. Egypt’s Pharaohs; the
Roman Forum; Machiavelli’s Royal enclaves; modern society’s depictions of capitalist,
socialist, democratic, dictatorial, type(s) of “organizations”. Descriptors like: autocratic;
formal; casual; closed; open; innovative; efficient; and profitable. The newest
characterizations speak to the “adaptive enterprise” (Haeckel, 1999); the “agile
organization”; and the “learning organization” (Senge, 1990).
The adaptive and agile enterprises are used as two examples of “emerging
knowledge-based organizations” and are summarized later in this article. To a large
extent emerging organizations for the knowledge age are in the conceptual stages. But,
concepts form the “theory” end of a continuum who’s value lies in the formulation of
realistic “practices” capable of being replicated to achieve more efficient, effective and
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0305-5728.htm
VINE
36,1
12
VINE: The journal of information and
knowledge management systems
Vol. 36 No. 1, 2006
pp. 12-16
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0305-5728
DOI 10.1108/03055720610667318
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