Author: Indira Guzman
November 8, 2001
 
Introduction

The document describes two strategies for knowledge management. In order to explain both strategies, the authors analyzed their application in some famous consulting firms. This review also provides information about the results that those consulting firms got.

Managers should be involved in any KM initiative

Many people in some organizations consider that buying computers, implementing a powerful network with customized software and hiring qualified specialists will be enough to get expected results for a knowledge management initiative. However, all that is not enough if managers are not involved in the selection of a strategy, its application and the sharing concept. For many employees it is very difficult to share their knowledge and sometimes even to use the tools for knowledge management. For example, Computing and Media Services has an information system named APRIORI. This system represents a kind of codification for knowledge management initiative because it stores all the incidents and many documents that have the solution for most of the problems users have. However, there are many documents that nobody uses because it is easier for a consultant to give the answer about a small “repetitive” problem than going to the document and check it as “useful”. Also, if a student consultant solves a particular “one of a kind” problem it is easier to give the solution and go to the next incident instead of creating a document explaining the solution for the problem. I think, managers should participate more in this initiative creating ways to motivate Student consultants’ participation. For example, explain everybody what is knowledge management, why APRIORI is a codification strategy for the department. Also, it could be important if managers promote the creation of documents by students and not just for part of the full time staff. They could only review documents before publishing them but all the students should be able to create documents. After that, they could let all the students know what are the best documents, the most used, why and all that important information for a KM initiative.

The Human side of knowledge management

“ To conceive of knowledge as a collection of information seems to rob the concept of all of its life… Knowledge resides in the user and not in the collection. It is how the user reacts to a collection of information that matters”. C.W. Churchman (1971).
Knowledge is information that changes something or somebody – either by becoming grounds for actions, or by making an individual (or an institution) capable of different or more effective action.” Peter Drucker.
The two previous definitions confirm what is stated in the HBR document. “Knowledge Management” is not only technology, data or models. It is the human side what matters: creating, disseminating and sharing information and experiences. Because of so much of human participation in both strategies, none of them can be the best if the organization culture and people in the organization are not willing to participate.

Quantity matters to take a decision

According to the HBR document, the codification strategy is better applied for repetitive and similar problems and personalization for very particular problems that are one of a kind. However, I consider that the number of repetitions is also very important. For instance, if a small company has 100 similar problems and wish to apply codification strategy, the money to develop and implement a system for just 100 similar problems monthly could be too much for a small company and that could be more than what it could cost bringing some consultants.

Conclusion

The best strategy is always the combination of codification and personalization with an emphasis in one of them. However, it is even more important that the strategy itself should be designed in order to add value to the product or service that the company provides.