|
||
 |
||
|
When Hoffman-LaRoche did a formal mapping of its knowledge and hoe it was shared, the company decided that their switching points in these networks of knowledge should be termed "Rudis." "Rudi" is not the some learned acronym; Rudi is a person. And Rudis are, in fact, how knowledge tends to be shared. As much as companies want to establish formal processes for knowledge management, they rely on people lie Rudi who know things, and who take the time to share what they know. Tom Stewart, a member of the board of editors at Fortune magazine, tells his and many other illuminating stories in Intellectual Capital. In the process, he makes clear what companies can do to manage their knowledge. The stories also demonstrate, however, that a scientific approach has its limits-even though so many companies are announcing knowledge initiatives that we're in danger of seeing this become a fad. In the end, he suggests that today's organizations need to find their own Homers to preserve, embellish, and pass on the lessons of their Achilles. Like many people, Mr. Stewart argues that knowledge, rather than financial resources, will be the primary engine for creating fortunes in the future. Therefore, he says, managing knowledge-"finding and growing intellectual capital, storing it, selling it, sharing it-has become one of the most important task of individuals, businesses, and nations." With stories ranging from information content of the ordinary aluminum beer can to the impact of "smart bombs" in the Persian Gulf war, Mr. Stewart shows how knowledge generated profits and won long wars before today's intense interest. But, he says, the new centrality of knowledge in organizations means we would do well to become as adept with this type of capital as we have become with earlier factors of production. In Part Two, the strongest part of the book (a good starting point for anyone in a hurry), Mr. Stewart provides examples of organizations that do a reasonable job of knowledge management. He lets the resident experts offer suggestions on where to focus. Mr. Stewart also offers an important warning: Knowledge assets are only worth cultivating in the context of a business's strategy. So, he cautions, there is no one correct way to manage knowledge. Companies should avoid the arcane prescriptions that some books and experts offer as panaceas and should be aware that it's easy to over-invest in knowledge management. Mr. Stewart recommends staying focused on the human element. In other words, people generate knowledge; systems, processes, and databases are only useful to the extent they offer support. He also recommends using market mechanisms to stay attuned to the organization's needs. The Products Processes Organization at Hewlett-Packard, for example, only pursues knowledge transfer activities that it can persuade operating divisions to finance. By the end, Mr. Stewart organizes his reports to build a map of this territory called knowledge management. The map, while tentative, goes far beyond the "here be dragons" stage. At times, the volume of examples threatens to overwhelm the thread of Mr. Stewart's argument. I also wish that he had taken more time to connect the new terrain with the old, showing how organizations can change their cultures to establish the kind of knowledge management that Mr. Stewart recommends. He draws a great map of Oz, but neglects to tell us how to find the tornado to take us there. Probably the most severe drawback to Mr. Stewart's work isn't fault: So many similar books are being published that threatens to get lost. A quick search at Amazon.com reveals eight books with "intellectual capital" in the title. Four, including Mr. Stewart's, are called Intellectual Capital. Three were published this year. But don't let the title confusion obscure Mr. Stewart's work. His tale-telling skills are a good fit, given the territory, in which so many things are going on that too soon for one clear path to have emerged. Mr. Stewart provides an instructive collection of reports from the frontier. His books should be high on the reading list of those interested in knowledge management—and may, in fact, be the list.
|
