Organizational culture and Knowledge management

B.V.L.NarayanaSr Professor (T M )

RSC/BRC

Definitions The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group (Wikipedia)Wilkins and Dyer (1988) suggest that culture "is [composed] of the values, competencies, and beliefs of a group of people that strongly influence whether and how organizational strategies are implemented. (p. 522)."

Definitions

Schein (1990) defines culture as, "…a) a pattern of basic assumptions, b) invented, discovered, or developed by a given group, c) as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, d) that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore e) is to be taught to new members as the f) correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems

Importance of culture

Karlsen & Gottschalk (2004) view culture as important because it shapes assumptions about what knowledge is worth exchanging; it defines relationships between individual and organizational knowledge; it creates the context for social interaction that determines how knowledge will be shared in particular situations; and it shapes the processes by which new knowledge is created, legitimated, and distributed in organizations. Lack of technology does not prevent KM activity – it just means that KM activity must be accomplished in different ways.

Importance of culture

Without the benefit of a culture that recognizes, encourages, and rewards KM activities, consistent performance of KM activities will not occur. Interaction and collaboration among employees is important when attempting to transmit tacit knowledge between individuals or convert tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, thereby transforming it from the individual to the organizational level (Gold, et. al., 2001).

Model of knowledge categories(Hedlund and

Nonaka)Knowledge characteristics

Individual

Group Organization

Inter organization domain

Articulated knowledge information embodied cognitive skills

Knowing calculus

Quality circles documented analysis of its performance

Organization chart

Suppliers patents and documented practices

Tacit knowledge and information, cognitive skills embedded

Cross cultural negotiation skills

Team coordination in complex work

Corporate culture

Customers attitudes to products and expectations

Factors in culture and impact

Information SystemsCombine people, processes, and technologyMust be flexible and tailored to the type of knowledge being captured, shared, or createdInclude formal and informal approachesImpact

Build networks that foster conversation,relationships, and trust among employees.Generate a collaborative environment in which employees know who knows what,know what was done before, and use this knowledge to resolve problems quickly and effectively.

Factors in culture and impact

Organizational StructureMust be permeable and minimize the focus on organizational silosMust support learning and sharing of knowledgeEncourages the formation of teams, work groups, and communities of practice

Impact Allows the flow of knowledge regardless of employee role, job function, or other traditional boundaries. Facilitates sharing of knowledge and learning to create even more knowledge. Allows employees to bond socially and technically to share information, build on each others knowledge, and to solve problems.

Factors in culture and impact

Reward SystemsConsist of a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivatorsEncourage knowledge sharing across role and functional boundaries; Must not trivialize knowledge sharing effortsInclude a formal assessment of achievements against knowledge management objectives

Impact Encourage knowledge sharing through formal systems, such as financial incentives and compensation structures; and through informal systems such as peer-to-peer recognition. Acknowledge the value of sharing knowledge, the contributions people make, and the importance of not hoarding information or knowledge. Motivate employees to develop innovations that would help them do things right the first time.

Factors in culture and impact

ProcessesConnect people with other knowledge peopleConnect people with informationEnable conversation of information to knowledgeEncapsulate knowledgeDisseminate knowledge throughout organization

Impact Promote collaborative problem solving, streamlined workload, consolidated information, and enhanced performance.Enable learning, sharing of cross-functional expertise, and sharing of worker-to-worker knowledge. Develop information systems that enable information to seamlessly cross traditional silos.

Factors in culture and impact

PeopleMost significant element of a knowledge management systemEmployees need reassurances that they are still valued after they give up their knowledgeLevel of trust greatly influences the amount of knowledge that is sharedImpact

Fosters an environment where employees trust that their knowledge is valued and ensures that the culture grows at the right pace, with the right people, and in the right mix. Allows employees to do a better job of aggregating useful information, and make it available to others who need it when they need it.

Factors in culture and impact

LeadershipProvides strong and dedicated commitment to knowledge management initiativesLeads by exampleFosters open knowledge sharing by creating an environment built on trustFosters a belief that organizational learning and knowledge management are criticalDevelops a customer-centered business orientation

Impact Creates the vision, mission, objectives, and ethics code for the organization as it develops its knowledge management system. Endorses and sustains knowledge management initiatives by taking on the role of coach and mentor. Removes barriers to progress. Reinforces and rewards positive behaviors and promotes the right people.Moves the entire organization toward knowledge management.

Factors in culture and impact

Factors in culture and impact