Working Knowledge

by Thomas H. Davenport, Laurence Prusak

This influential book establishes the enduring vocabulary and concepts in the burgeoning field of knowledge management. It serves as the hands-on resource of choice for companies that recognize knowledge as the only sustainable source of competitive advantage going forward. Drawing from their work with more than thirty knowledge-rich firms, Davenport and Prusak--experienced consultants with a track record of success--examine how all types of companies can effectively understand, analyze, measure, and manage their intellectual assets, turning corporate wisdom into market value. They categorize knowledge work into four sequential activities--accessing, generating, embedding, and transferring--and look at the key skills, techniques, and processes of each. While they present a practical approach to cataloging and storing knowledge so that employees can easily leverage it throughout the firm, the authors caution readers on the limits of communications and information technology in managing intellectual capital.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management, Information Science, School

240 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1997

About the author

Tom Davenport holds the President's Chair in Information Technology and Management at Babson College. His books and articles on business process reengineering, knowledge management, attention management, knowledge worker productivity, and analytical competition helped to establish each of those business ideas. Over many years he's authored or co-authored nine books for Harvard Business Press, most recently Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning (2007) and Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results (2010). His byline has also appeared for publications such as Sloan Management Review, California Management Review, Financial Times, Information Week, CIO, and many others.

Davenport has an extensive background in research and has led research centers at Ernst & Young, McKinsey & Company, CSC Index, and the Accenture Institute of Strategic Change. Davenport holds a B.A. in sociology from Trinity University and M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University. For more from Tom Davenport, visit his website and follow his regular HBR blog.

Reviews

[Jack Vinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent review of actual practice of knowledge management in a variety of firms, based on the career work of the two authors and their interaction with many companies. One of the central themes of the book was that knowledge projects are not information technology projects. Knowledge projects have more to do with the human behavior aspects of an organization than it will ever have to do with technology. The technology aspect comes into play with the simple realization that new software makes possible concepts that would have been very difficult to implement with older technology. The book is broken down into several sections that go into the details of why and how various firms have gotten into knowledge management.
1. Knowledge Generation
An organization generates knowledge through acquisition (buying a company, reading reports), rental (academic consortia), dedicated resources (R&D offices), fusion (bring diverse people together to solve a problem, “creative abrasion”), and adaptation (adapt or die). The authors go into some detail on each of these mechanisms for knowledge transfer.
2. Knowledge Codification & Coordination
The authors discussed the concept of knowledge mapping – determining how information flows around an organization. In a perfect world this would identify all the buyers, sellers and brokers of all sorts of knowledge within an organization. In the real world, politics come into play and identifying people as “experts” becomes a tricky proposition. Nonetheless, a simple knowledge map is a useful start to understanding where a knowledge project would most likely prosper.
3. Knowledge Transfer
How is knowledge “marketed” and “sold?” Knowledge is transferred between individuals when the provider thinks she has something to gain, and the receiver thinks the value is worth the price. Interestingly, it is unlikely that financial gain is the motivator amongst colleagues within a company. Colleagues are much more interested in tit-for-tat, repute or simply altruism as motivating factors for exchanging knowledge. There are also people in companies who act as knowledge brokers, connecting people who need knowledge with those who might have it. (Unit managers and Librarians come to mind as people who hear from a wide cross-section of an organization.)

How does an organization encourage knowledge transfer? Japanese firms encourage their scientists to visit the tearoom and share their current projects. Some firms have placed everything in Notes or on the Web. Some firms have a high reliance on internal reports and after-the-fact decision analyses. Clearly, firms with high trust levels amongst the employees will have an easier time of promoting knowledge transfer than those firms where the trust level is low. The success of knowledge transfer is related both to the quality of the transmission and the absorption (use) of the knowledge at the other end.
4. Knowledge Roles & Skills
What kinds of people are involved in knowledge transfer and knowledge management? At one level everyone is a knowledge worker in firms such as Pharmacia and other high technology organizations. On another level, there must be people in place who advocate for knowledge, just as there are people whose job it is to make sure the books are balanced. The authors discuss the roles of everyone from a chief knowledge officer to knowledge project managers to advocates to the people who use the knowledge from day to day.
5. Technologies for Knowledge Management
Brief discussion of types of software and tools that are useful for knowledge management. This includes everything from enabling technologies like wireless phones and desktop computers with standard software installations to specific software applications.
6. Pragmatics of Knowledge Management
There are three main types of KM projects, although individual projects may have aspects of all of these types: knowledge repositories, knowledge access and transfer, and knowledge environment. Things that help knowledge projects along include
· Knowledge-oriented culture
· Technical and organizational infrastructure
· Senior management support
· Link to economics or industry value
· Process orientation
· Clarity of vision and language
· Nontrivial motivation
· Some knowledge structure
· Multiple channels of knowledge transfer
There are special issues associated with managing KM projects, particularly the human aspect of these projects. “If technology takes up more than 1/3 of the time and budget of the KM project, then the project will likely fail.”

[Carl Gauger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good overview of the landscape of Knowledge Management: understanding the value of knowledge to your organization or business, figuring out what kinds of knowledge it resides in, and learning how to preserve, codify, and use it to its best advantage. The fact that there are many types of knowledge dictates that there is no single method of codifying knowledge. Perhaps the word "knowledge" is misleading--much of what needs to be managed, exploited, and leveraged in any organization is "experience," but in the vocabulary of Knowledge Management experience is a kind of knowledge. Once existing knowledge is identified, it's value appreciated, methods of codification implemented, etc.--the beginning of the KM process--it becomes much easier not only to preserve existing knowledge, but to create new

knowledge. As the workforce becomes increasingly mobile (read--fleeting) the importance of managing knowledge becomes more compelling; its implementation more and more a profitable venture. The book is ten years old now, and some of the data is a little dated--particularly the sections devoted to tools. There probably are better--or at least more up-to-date--books out there, but I haven't kept up. However, for general principles this is still a good resource.

[Kip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 175 page gem detailing the methods of keeping knowledge within businesses and organizations. In today's talent marketplace, employees don't stay 5, 10, even 20 years at a company. In a simple, straightforward manner, this book illustrates the different ways companies can store tacit knowledge and benefit from turnover as opposed to falling back a step when their talent leaves. One of the real winners in this arena.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straight-forward, readable and convincing. This seems like the sort of book that should be handed to CEOs who are resistant to knowledge management or who do not believe in the power of knowledge networks. I read this for my KMS class, so I'm already mostly convinced, but fear that other readers are in my position - sold already. I was ready to argue on some points (one coming to mind now is about "access") but Davenport and Prusak offered great alternatives that were more realistic.

[N Lationo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Working Knowledge
Authors: Thomas H. Davenport, Laurence Prusak


I. Summary
In conclusion, the book emphasises the significance of knowledge and how to effectively administer it within organisations. They discuss the significance of comprehending the differences between data, information, and knowledge and provide strategies for transforming data into useful information. Additionally, the passages examine the interconnected components of knowledge, such as experience, judgement, and rules of thumb, and emphasise the role of knowledge in decision-making and intuitive responses. They emphasise the dynamic nature of knowledge and its relationship to action, highlighting the significance of ongoing learning and adaptation. The passages also discuss the difficulties of managing knowledge within organisations, the role of trust and interpersonal interaction in knowledge sharing, and the application of technology to knowledge management. The passages provide valuable insights for individuals and organisations seeking to improve their knowledge of and approach to knowledge management.

II. Evaluation and Investigation

The book's organisation and structure are well-executed and consistent. Each chapter logically connects to the next, creating a progression of ideas. The information is presented in a straightforward and organised fashion, making it accessible to readers with varying levels of subject expertise.

The book had a substantial effect on my understanding of knowledge management. As a result of reading this book, I have a deeper comprehension and more nuanced perspective of the subject.

Despite the book's many strengths, I found the occasional repetition of certain points or examples to be a minor defect. Although it did not significantly impede from the overall reading experience, it could have been shortened for a more concentrated message.

[Iain Hamill · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The great end of knowledge is not knowledge but action" - Huxley

I picked this up during my MSc a few years back, bit dated with the examples and some terminology but still helpful.

[rp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read some on KM implementation approach, I've read some on KM strategy. This one is finally about Knowledge.

Nick Milton referred to this as the first one and still the best book about KM. In his "cut off" satirical chapter to Designing a Successful KM Strategy: A Guide for the Knowledge Management Professional, Milton laughs that you don't need to try understand what is knowledge before trying to manage it, knowledge is straight-forward and you will be able to make it up on your way. I should have read this one much in advance before any other KM book.

It's a great work in all ways. Not just a specialist book, can be easily read by anyone who simply wants to grasp what this discipline is about and how to identify and communicate it's benefits.

[Daniel]

Working Knowledge examines how knowledge can be nurtured in organizations. Building trust throughout a company is the key to creating a knowledge-oriented corporate culture, a positive environment in which employees are encouraged to make decisions...

[Yared · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since in the postgraduate program I was Immersed time ago was one of the recommended books about the topic of knowledge management, I went to the library and I borrow it. No regrets, this book worths the time I invested in reading it.

[Moses · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction reading for me to knowledge management.
Very useful insights on what Knowledge is, why knowledge management is vital to organisations.. Treat knowledge just like any commodities, with "knowledge market". Generating, transferring knowledge.

[Dev Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my first books I read about learning organisations and knowledge management. An inspirational book with lots of ideas and best practices

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good primer on Knowledge Management (although dated)

[Mohammad Yasir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really an amazing work ... (y)

[Doruk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good milestone about knowledge management. It is an influencing one, you understand it after you read it!

[Cameron Stewart]

Chapter 4 of codification.