First, Rod, thanks for the excellent example of KM at Welchco. Your
effort (especially in keeping up with this list) is inspirational of
what is possible. Your work demonstrates the value of active human
involvement in processing information into an ordered framework of
knowledge on an ongoing basis. From that framework can grow new
synthesized information and plans.
You said much in your email, but I only have time to comment on one
point right now.
Rod Welch wrote:
> Now, it is time look again for alliances with people who have the skills,
> temperament, and resources to move the ball forward.
This is the largest existing alliance for Knowledge Management I know
of.
http://www-4.ibm.com/software/data/knowledge/ikm/
I did a search on "IKM" in my local archive of this list and didn't see
it previously mentioned (though I find this hard to believe).
From that page:
> Launched in early 1999 by IBM and Lotus, the Institute for
> Knowledge Management conducts action research aimed at
> advancing the discipline of knowledge management. An
> international community of over 30 member organizations
> representing industrial corporations, service firms and
> government agencies is actively engaged in setting research
> direction and participating in projects.
IBM coordinates this alliance. They also offer KM consulting:
http://www-4.ibm.com/software/data/knowledge/consulting.html
(might be hiring?)
See also for example on IBM IKM formation:
http://www.lotus.com/lotus/press.nsf/a10dd8d2e75f06bc852564a5004cd7ea/11d73322a9da4c11852566fe0012c3c7?OpenDocument
From that page:
> Membership in the IKM is open to corporations of all sizes for a fee
> of $75,000 (full membership) or $25,000 (associate membership) per year.
> Full members participate in the IKM Executive Steering Committee and all
> research studies, help set research direction and establish special
> interest groups. Associate members receive all IKM research results
> but do not attend general or special interest meetings.
>
> Co-Director Laurence Prusak said the IKM was formed in response
> to the dramatic rise in interest among IT executives in mastering
> strategies for capturing and capitalizing on the knowledge bases
> within their organizations. "In the emerging economy, a firm's
> only sustainable advantage is its ability to leverage and utilize
> its knowledge. But there has been a distinct shortage of KM research
> and resources available to corporate IT executives to date,"
> said Prusak. "While many technology tools and product sets have
> emerged for KM, basic prerequisites to successful KM implementations
> have often been overlooked, including fundamental first steps
> such as analyzing social context and setting a sound knowledge strategy."
It may be worthwhile to consider coordinating the KM aspect of any
development effort or alliance with them, rather than start a new
alliance. At the very least, a new alliance must take in account the
existence of this group.
There are of course many other groups and resources:
http://www.google.com/search?q=institute+knowledge+management
This search:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22knowledge+management%22
produces about 394,000 hits.
Still, despite these numbers I would tend to agree with Rod that KM as
we might envision it (like the Welchco example) isn't widespread (even
if it is getting more widely talked about).
I am also not sure if all these efforts are talking about the same thing
in reference to "knowledge management", of course.
Disclaimer: My wife's work includes interaction with the IBM IKM people.
-Paul Fernhout
Kurtz-Fernhout Software
=========================================================
Developers of custom software and educational simulations
Creators of the Garden with Insight(TM) garden simulator
http://www.kurtz-fernhout.com
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