Knowledge Management and Culture in Organizations
"Knowledge Management in Research and Development" by R. Chapas et.al. provides an analysis of the importance of knowledge and culturalmanagement within organizations, particularly in the businesssetting/environment. These two factors are discussed in the articlebecause of recent studies illustrating the vital role that knowledgemanagement and cultural diversity play in the development of intra-organizational communication and interaction. Further, knowledge andculture have significant relationships with each other, influencing thekind and effectiveness of management within the organization. The authors trace the shift of focus of business organizations frombeing skills- and asset- to knowledge-oriented-that is, "[h]i
However, the authors argue that knowledge and information within theorganization is sufficient enough for generation of new ideas, especiallywhen knowledge is "captured from individual" and "exchange of knowledgethrough discussion. " This means that there isreciprocal relationship between employer and employee in the exchange ofknowledge and information: while the employee benefits from theorganization's recognition of his/her idea, the organization, in turn,benefits from the success and ingenuity of the employee's idea(s). The article also differentiates between knowledge management and"facilitating knowledge flow": while the latter focuses on monitoring andappropriately channeling incoming knowledge to their specific destinationsor uses, knowledge management refers to the usage of existing knowledge andinformation within the organization. Optimally using this advantages, organizations, as the articleexemplifies, have been creating "best borrowed idea" or "shamelessstealing" programs, taking into consideration not only the variety ofknowledge and information within, but also outside, the organization. " These methods of knowledge transfers will become moreeffective if "organizational layers" are 'eliminated,' giving membersbetter interaction as they exchange information and easier access toknowledge generated from these discussions and exchanges within theorganization. storically,the focus was on capabilities involving tangible assets; now, knowledge iswidely recognized as the source for competitive advantage. The essence of knowledge and its relationship in organizationalmanagement is, more than a set of ideas and concepts, "the capability toadd value to the organization (or individual). In this sense, knowledge managementincludes analyses of data and information for new or continuing researchand development (R & D) programs of the organization, as well as updatingof information and date that will be included in the organization'sdatabase. " Indeed, thedevelopment of businesses from being quantitative to qualitative resultedto the valuation of knowledge, where information becomes vital for thecompany, with the formulation of new ideas and concepts coming from theorganization's members/employees. Of course, knowledge is as diversified as the people who conceive andformulate these ideas and concepts. Cultural diversity within theorganization is may have disadvantages, since differences often lead toconflicts and misunderstandings; however, it is also advantageous in thatit allows the organization to have new and different ideas resulting fromthis heterogeneous grouping of people. Furthermore, cultural diversityallows for more flexible interaction and communication amongmembers/employees.
Common topics in this essay:
Development Chapas,
knowledge information,
knowledge management,
cultural diversity,
ideas concepts,
research development,
knowledge information organization,
information organization,
exchange knowledge,
organization authors,
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