Organisational Knowledge and Work Practices (Essay Sample)

HOW TACIT AND EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANISATION KNOWLEDGE ENABLES ONE'S WORK PRACTICES?
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Abstract
Knowledge management is described as the method of creating, capturing, and utilizing organizational knowledge. Today, the primary function of knowledge management is that of supporting knowledge work. The theory of knowledge work hypothesizes work not only performance but also the evaluation and review of the work conducted so as to comprehend and gain some learning experience. In knowledge management, there are two components that are integral to its implementation; one is tacit knowledge, and the other is explicit knowledge. We will cover these two later in the paper as we discuss the importance of knowledge management to work practice. Meanwhile, this paper will look at the advantages that come with organizations adopting proper knowledge management methods in relation to the improvement of work practices among employees.
Keywords: Knowledge Management, Work Practice, Tacit Knowledge, Explicit Knowledge, Organisational Knowledge.
Introduction
Many have debated the notion that knowledge is a long-term resource of competitive leverage for many organizations. Furthermore, it is widely believed that research in the field of knowledge management is vital since it helps businesses to strategize ways that they will use to compete effectively in a knowledge-driven environment (Wagner & Bolloju 2005, p. 3). In this new era, companies should embrace methods that will enable them to compete effectively in the current knowledge-based economy which features various driving forces such as:
* Increase in consumer choices
* Globalization of trade
* Fierce business competition
* Relentless turbulence
* Increased volume of foreign direct investment (Kuhn, Tomassini and Simons, eds. 2006).
In this environment, it is vital to look out for ways that will offer insights on how to improve the performance of a business. Therefore, one element of Knowledge management helps in the making a business competitive is its capability to process and capture its collective intelligence and expertise to establish and encourage innovation and learning, which can be strategically imperative (Wagner & Bolloju 2005, p. 3).
Importance of Knowledge Management
In an organization, knowledge management includes more than merely an organization's documents and files. Information and conversations are regularly being shared and exchanged. Unluckily, this significant knowledge is usually lost or misplaced in the departments or ignored due to it being concealed in email threads. Furthermore, new employees who join a company lack the access these past communications. It is even worse when a staff member departs, all the information and knowledge they have contributed leaves with them. To retrieve and share this knowledge with colleagues who may need it more, knowledge must be made seamlessly accessible (Jelenic 2011). Effective knowledge management has various positive effects on an organization. These include:
* Cost Saving
Usually, people spend loads of time striving to retrieve information across different platforms due to "information overload." Hence, if a company practices effective proper management of information, they will be able to cut the cost involved with constant retrieval of misplaced or lost data through the involvement of data consultants. Furthermore, if modern technology is used for the storage of useful data, it makes it extremely cheaper to get the information back in case of emergencies like fire and other unexpected unfortunate occurrences. It is also vivid that if an organization invests in an efficient knowledge management system, it will reduce the recurring expenditure on continuous control of information. Therefore, if organizations utilize technologies like cloud data storage and well as the use of modern database system, they will ultimately reduce the cost associated with acquiring regular data storage outsourcing services (Jelenic 2011).
* Knowledge Development
It is universally acknowledged that effective data management, exchange, and sharing methods are highly significant in the enhancement of knowledge. An organization’s employees both inductees and experienced are offered an appropriated platform to share important skill enhancing the information that eventually work in favor the human resource development in the company. Proper storage ensures that vital knowledge is not lost easily and can be accessed by all and sundry within a company. With knowledge enhancement, organizations tend to gain from improved quality products or services depending on the line of business an organization is inclined. Secondly, as the company’s knowledge enhance quality production, the client satisfaction levels increases leading to improved business for the organization. Thirdly, it is very importantly to the eventual retention of key employees. Most workers believe in personal development apart from the company. They aspire to enhance their skills for future prospects (Jelenic 2011).
* Innovation
One of the essential benefits of employing knowledge management in an organization is the fact that it can lead to the unimaginable development of new ideas that will eventually lead to the growth of the business. Since knowledge management allows people to share information, it allows for the exchange of ideas, facts, and skills that may end up spurring the invention of new methods or technologies. For instance, at a company like Google, there is an open forum held within the organization that encourages the employees to share their creativity among themselves. After a particular period, every is usually asked to come up with an innovation or idea that they think may help advance the position of the company in terms of provision of cutting edge technology. Consequently, this has led to their constant churning out of applications, ideas, and processes that have had a huge effect on the innovation and business world (Jelenic 2011).
Due to the above observations that highlight advantage of knowledge management to an organization, it becomes clear that businesses need to invest sufficiently in the development of education both at an individual and organizational level. Rationally, an employee's learning is guaranteed to have a massive bearing on the business but it is debatably very difficult to distinguish what is gained as an individual from the company at a collective level. However, companies should be cautious on how they invest in the training of their staff so that it is envisaged as an investment and not an expense (Kuhn, Tomassini and Simons, eds. 2006). Organizational learning is how firms construct, enhance, and organize knowledge and work practices around their daily activities and cultures. Embracing and growing organizational effectiveness by increasing the use of the broad skills of their workforces (Kuhn, Tomassini and Simons, eds. 2006).
* Improved Relationships
Knowledge management processes encourage information exchange and sharing that in turn enhance employee to employee relationships as well as the client to employee relationships. The former becomes evident due to the bond created through constant positive interactions. As it is commonly known, discussion forums end up creating friendships and acquaintances of those taking part in it which, in this case, is the employees in an organization (Coakes, ed., 2005). Furthermore, this exchange is not necessarily between individuals from the same institution; it can also occur in different organizations leading to inter-organizational sharing. This scenario may also be replicated on the side of the client and an organization’s staff (Coakes, ed., 2005). Since, knowledge management practices may lead to improved customer satisfaction, these clients may and up developing friendships with the particular individuals who offered them the service or product. Consequently, this becomes good news for any organization that bases its business on building binding bonds with its customers. Today, this is practice known as customer retention practice (Brown & Duguid 2001, p. 198).
Distinct Forms of Knowledge and their Importance in Work Practice
As mentioned before, there are two critical elements of culture in an organization. These two are far wide and distant but both aid in the process of efficient knowledge management. Moreover, it plays a significant function in the sharing and exchange of information within an organization's staff. These are:
* Tacit knowledge
This kind of knowledge is described as the type that is difficult to transmit to another individual by means of verbalizing it or jotting it down (Goh, 2002, p. 23). For instance, saying to a person that London is in the United Kingdom is the piece of common knowledge that can just be put down on paper, transferred, and comprehended by the recipient. As much this kind of knowledge seems to be simple and easy to transmit, it has over-reaching consequences and is not extensively embraced. This is because, this kind of knowledge is hardly understood by those involved in its transmission nor do they understand its impact on them. Active transfer of this kind of knowledge needs deep personal contact, constant interaction, and trust. Furthermore, tacit knowledge can only be exposed to practice in a certain context and transferred through social networks. To some degree, it is "captured" when the owner of the information connects with a community or network of practice. Some day-to-day practices that involve tacit knowledge are: playing a piano, carrying out a repair, driving a car, and riding a bike (Goh, 2002, p. 24).
In the work practice, this kind of knowledge is highly relevant due to its broad solutions that it offers. Tacit knowledge is highly relevan...