Knowledge Organization
Organizational
theory developed in the past few years with the study of changes that
the knowledge economy has brought to the organizational ecosystem including
changes to the structure, culture, routines, and internal and external
communications. In the knowledge
economy with increasing emphasis on the value of innovation and knowledge
work, i.e. the knowledge intensity of business processes and operations,
organizations became more of learning systems.A
number of characteristics were unifrormly detected prompting many writers
to detect the emergence of a model – the model of the knowledge
organization where knowledge is at the core of business performance.
Those organizations recognized the knowledge-intensity of their business
processes , operations, networks and decision-making, and adapted their
structures and management styles in response. In many organizations
this was only the first step in their evolutionary journey to becoming
learning orgnizations – that know what they know, apply it and
learn from it.
The
knowledge organization model used by the most successful organizations
of the knowledge economy has the following characteristics:
*
A flat structure where the number of layers that knowledge and information
have to traverse are much fewer than those of the industrial economy
organizational model. For example Dow Chenmical delayering in late
1990s from 14 to 5 layers.
*
A boundary-less structure to enable interaction and cross-pollination
of experiences between the different departments and business units,
and the increased use of cross-functional teams.
*
Flexible organizational boundaries between the organization and external
partners to tap into the various networks when needed and access for
new ideas for business growth.
*
An IT infrastructure that facilitates the generation, collection,
sharing of ideas and knowledge across departmental and divisional
boundaries.
*
A management style based on leadership and motivation of knowledge
workers rather than command, control and close supervision. Decision-making
is pushed down as much as possible to middle and frontline management
while top and senior management focus more on strategic planning and
defining future directions.
*
A strong and positive culture that promotes action on self-initiative,
trust, collaboration and knowledge sharing. Risk taking and failure
are seen as part of experimentation and knowledge workers are not
only encouraged to submit new ideas but to implement them as well
whenever possible.
*
New positions on the senior and frontline management levels entrusted
with the management of knowledge, innovation and intellectual property.
Examples include Chief Knowledge and Learning Officers (CKOs and CLOs),
Directors of Intellectual Capital or Intellectual Property, Knowledge
Engineers and Specialists, and Information Stewards.
Note
- Please
visit this page later for more on the concept of the learning organization
and the implications of this concept on strategic planning.
