Knowledge management knowledge work Data information and Knowledge

Knowledge management knowledge work

Data information and Knowledge • Data: set of discrete facts about events • Information: data that are processed to be useful; provides answers to "who", "what", "where", and "when" questions • Knowledge: application of data and information; answers "how" and “why ”question (actionable)

Where might knowledge reside? Or who wants to be a millionaire? • Record, document… – Content Management, Information organization and retrieval • Expert’ head – Knowledge elicitation/acquisition • Social systems – Organizational structure – Social network – Community of practice • Data – Data mining/knowledge engineering

Knowledge work • Relatively unstructured • Involves manipulation of symbols through the use of tools, including ICT systems. • Characterized by an emphasis on theoretical knowledge, creativity, and use of analytical and social skills • Types of work does not lend itself particularly well to knowledge capture and standardization because there is a significant reliance on the application of both explicit and tacit knowledge • Autonomy over the major work processes • Knowledge workers own the organization’s primary means of production – that is, knowledge.

Organized in a way to • Attract and retain knowledge workers • Promote innovation and creativity – The role of the management is to provide conditions that will facilitate knowledge work

Knowledge work cont. • Autonomy over the major work processes – Knowledge workers own the organization’s primary means of production – that is, knowledge. • Diversity – “the nature of knowledge production is changing and increasingly knowledge production relies on the combination of knowledge from a variety of fields and disciplines”

Knowledge work • Relatively unstructured – Types of work does not lend itself particularly well to knowledge capture and standardization/automation – Manipulation of symbols – Characterized by an emphasis on theoretical knowledge, creativity, and use of analytical and social skills – Involves manipulation of symbols through the use of tools, including ICT systems.

Taylorism (Scientific management) • Standardization and mass production – Modern Times ; measurement and efficiency; telecommuting • Work processes were to be broken down into standardized, basic tasks that ever simple to perform; bureaucracy • Where does the knowledge reside in a mass production factory?

• What are the conditions (structural, social) under which knowledge work can flourish? • How to make autonomous individuals with diverse knowledge backgrounds work together?

Management of knowledge workers • Autonomy vs. efficiency – Flexibility and self management • Proper knowledge “enablers” – Organization structure • Decentralization – Organization cultural • Fairness • Reward sharing, part of job requirement • "Successful knowledge sharing is 90 percent cultural, 5 percent tools and 5 percent magic. “

The Bavelas-Leavitt Experiment Variables Simple Task Complex task Fewest messages Centralized Least errors Centralized Decentralized Least time Centralized Decentralized Satisfaction Decentralized

Organization structure in knowledge work • Bureaucracy Work processes organized around functional groups Many formal rules, policies and procedures Direct control characterized by supervision Centralized decision-making Coordination achieved through explicit rules and procedures Highly mechanistic form • Adhocracy Work processes self-organized around team Few or no formal rules, policies and procedures Normative control characterized by selfmanagement Decentralized decision-making Coordination achieved through mutual adjustment Highly organic form

Organizing templates of knowledgeintensive firms

Organizing templates

Organizing templates cont.

The reward system • The reputation oriented reward system – Competing for recognition and attention – Make the self-interested behavior contribute to the benefit of the community – Distributed cognition: no Science Czar, scientist (in general) are left to their own device

Control • Output • Time • Cultural control – Norm – Discipline

Organizational culture • A system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations – Fairness – 3 M’s 15 percent and 30 percent rules • Post-it – Google’s 20 percent rule • Gmail

The end of university as we know it • “The division-of-labor model of separate departments is obsolete and must be replaced with a curriculum structured like a web or complex adaptive network. Responsible teaching and scholarship must become cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural” – Abolish permanent departments, create problem-focused programs, kind of radical, and might not work, why. . . – E. g. Beckman institute at U. of Illinois – cs + x at Stanford

Why do scientists collaborate? • Division of cognitive labor • Interdisciplinarity – Allow scientists to incorporate many different kinds of knowledge – Guarantees a diversity of perspectives – Scientists are more productive when collaborating – Death of distance?

Case study 2. 1 Managing Knowledge Work, p. 36 • Describe what strikes you as the most interesting aspects in Science. Co’s management of knowledge workers. • How was the balance between accountability/efficiency and innovation in knowledge work kept in Science. Co? • Do you see any area in Science. Co’s KM practice that can be improved?

Case study 2. 1 Managing Knowledge Work, p. 36 • Organization structure – Flat – Innovation Exploitation Board • Recruitment and selection – Are you one of us? • Willingness to share knowledge, ability to work collaboratively, openness, willingness to experiment • Performance management – DRTs, PRTs. – Lead consultants • Training and development – Conferences, courses, workshops, journal, database submission • IT usage – Protocols and norms in IT usage? • Culture