Mastering Organizational Knowledge Flow

Preface

Many organizations still struggle to make best use of the knowledge that exists within them. While individuals might use their knowledge on a daily basis and for their decisions, frequently that knowledge is not shared and leveraged across the organization from one person to another. A common notion of how to make this transfer of knowledge happen is via technical systems. Those systems play a role as an enabler, but they are only one piece of the puzzle to make the flow of knowledge work in an organization. This book looks at the other factors that are involved and specifically focuses on human aspects. What motivates people to share their knowledge, and how can you overcome some of the barriers that are in the way of a good flow of knowledge in your organization? How should you deal with measuring? What are some of the best drivers that you can put in place not only to get a knowledge flow initiative started but to make sure it survives and can provide longer-term value?

When I started my first initiative (named ToolPool) back in 1997, it was purely to solve a very specific business problem: to leverage technical tools, tips, and tricks around a global organization. Over the years, it turned out that lasting success was based on a lot of factors of which the technical infrastructure was actually a smaller piece than anticipated. I was fortunate enough to get management support to pursue a number of approaches that helped drive ToolPool to what it eventually became. I ...