Monday, November 18, 2002		Book Review

Knowledge management is more than IT
Review by B.S. Sandhawalia

Designing Knowledge Management Architecture by Archana Shukla & R. Srinivasan. Response Books; Pages 153, Price: Rs. 180 (Paperback)

KNOWLEDGE is the capacity for effective action. It is embedded in an organisation within its systems, policies, routines, documents and individuals. This knowledge, when identified, captured and leveraged, can be used effectively. In the past few years there has been a growing interest in treating knowledge as a significant organisational resource.

Knowledge management refers to the identification and leveraging of this collective knowledge in an organisation so that the latter uses the former effectively. It is purported to increase organisational innovativeness and responsiveness.

Modern organisations operate in unstable environmental conditions. These uncertain environmental variables may be political, economical, sociological or technological. In this business context across the globe, organisational knowledge is recognised as a significant source of competitive advantage. When markets shift, competitors multiply, technologies increase and products become obsolete overnight, successful organisations are those that manage their organisational knowledge effectively. These organisations by capitalising on their knowledge management initiatives are in a position to enhance the efficiency of their existing processes and effectively implement their strategies.

The book ‘Designing Knowledge Management Architecture’ by Archana Shukla & R Srinivasan focuses on how organisations can both develop and sustain competitive advantage by managing knowledge. It addresses the major issues and critical factors involved in implementing a knowledge management program. The highlight of the book is that the authors are able to spell out the basic concepts of knowledge and knowledge management. The major issues and steps in a knowledge management program are simplified and explained. A more clear understanding of the significance of these issues in various contexts and at different levels is brought about by the four case studies presented.

The book presents clearly why a knowledge management program is required and what it will achieve. It then describes the process of formulating a knowledge management strategy, and designing a framework for the knowledge management architecture.

Thereafter the authors identify the critical factors required for the successful implementation of a knowledge management program.

An important aspect of knowledge and knowledge management is that knowledge must be shared and for that it needs to be transferred. The authors emphasize this view by maintaining that while the deployment of information technology is an important ingredient it is not a sufficient condition in itself for successful knowledge management. Instead, based on their empirical evidence, they stress the importance of a culture of knowledge sharing and the criticality of complementary systems as being equally essential.

The authors are of the view that knowledge management is typically implemented as any other change management program. The same issues that crop up in the management of change also surface in the implementation of knowledge management. Also, implementing a successful knowledge management program requires top management support for clearly defining the business imperatives and the role of knowledge management in achieving them.

The book emphasises the use of knowledge in modern day learning organisations . It highlights the knowledge management program as an integrated process where organisations have to view it as a means to achieve some ends, rather than an end in itself.