Definition of Knowledge

Originated in individual minds but is often embedded in organisational routines, process, practices, systems, software and norms. – Davenport, Thomas H. And Laurence Prisak, Havard Business School, 1998.

Ideas/best practices from organisation which can be utilized to achieve the organization’s goals

This knowledge is specific according to organisation role/function

Knowledge may be recorded in an individual brain or stored in organisational processes, products, facilities, systems and documents.

                Some definitions of Knowledge Management

1. Knowledge management is the collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination, and utilization of knowledge. – Brian Newman

2. Knowledge management is the management of the organization towards the continuous renewal of the organizational knowledge base – this means, for example, the creation of supportive organizational structures, facilitation of organizational members, putting IT-instruments with emphasis on teamwork and diffusion of knowledge (e.g., groupware) into place. – Thomas Bertels

3. Knowledge management is an audit of “intellectual assets” that highlights unique sources, critical functions and potential bottlenecks which hinder knowledge flows to the point of use. – Denham Grey

4. Knowledge management consists of activities focused on the organization gaining knowledge from its own experience and from the experience of others, and on the judicious application of that knowledge to fulfill the mission of the organization. – Gregory Wenig

5. Knowledge management is a business activity with two primary aspects: (a) treating the knowledge component of business activities as an explicit concern of business reflected in strategy, policy, and practice at all levels of the organization; and (b) making a direct connection between an organization’s intellectual assets – both explicit (recorded) and tacit (personal know-how) – and positive business results. – Rebecca O. Barclay and Philip C. Murray

6. Knowledge management is the process through which organizations generate value from their intellectual and knowledge-based assets. – Megan Santosus and Jon Surmacz

7. Knowledge management is the systematic process of finding, selecting, organizing, distilling and presenting information in a way that improves an employee’s comprehension in a specific area of interest. – University of Texas

8. Knowledge management is a process with four parts that comprise a loop: knowledge is created, knowledge is captured, knowledge is classified and modified, and knowledge is shared. – Wally Bock