Post on 04-Jan-2016
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The Nonaka-Takeuchi Model of Knowledge Management
“In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of lasting competitive advantage is knowledge.”
I. Nonaka
The problem is that few managers understand how to manage the knowledge-creating company
Focus on ‘hard’ or quantifiable knowledgeSee KM as information processing machine
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Nonaka & Takeuchi/2
The authors studied successful Japanese companies to try to identify how they achieved creativity and innovation Found it was more than mechanistically processing
objective information Depending on highly subjective insights
Slogans, metaphors, symbols Holistic model of knowledge creation and management
of “serendipity”
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Nonaka & Takeuchi: The Spiral of Knowledge
Knowledge creation always begins with the individual Brilliant researcher has an insight that leads to a new patent Middle manager has intuition of market trends and becomes
the catalyst for an important new product concept Shop floor worker draws on years of experience to come up
with a process innovation that saves $$$$ In each case, an individual’s personal knowledge is
translated into valuable organizational knowledge
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The Basis for the Nonaka – Takeuchi Model
Making personal knowledge available to others in the company is at the core of this model of KM It takes place continuously It takes place at all levels of the organization
Individual Groups Company-wide
Can be unexpected E.g. home bread-making machine innovation
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Explicit vs. Tacit Knowledge
files
Tacit Knowledge
Explicit Knowledge
80-85% 15-20%
active passive
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Tacit
Explicit
Tacit Explicit
....
Nonaka and Takeuchi Model
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Nonaka & Takeuchi – the Knowledge Spiral Model
Tacit
Explicit
Tacit Explicit
SocializationSocializationBrainstorming
Coaching
Combination:Combination:SystemizingClassifying
ExternalizationExternalizationCapturingSharing
InternalizationInternalization:Understanding
Learning
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Tacit to Tacit Transformation
Individual to individual(s) Apprenticeship Mentoring Observation Shadowing
Imitation Practice Brainstorming Coaching
Apprentice may learn from the master, but the knowledge remains tacit & is not leveraged across the organization
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Tacit to Explicit Transformation
Able to articulate the knowledge, know-how Can be written, videotape, audiotape format Often need intermediary to capture this
knowledge – a journalist, a workshop… It now exists in a tangible form It can now be more easily shared with others and
leveraged throughout the organization
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Explicit to Explicit Transformation
Can combine discrete pieces of tangible knowledge into a new form E.g. a synthesis in the form of a report, a
comparative evaluation, a new database Simply a new combination of existing
knowledge – no new knowledge is created
It is easiest to convert from the same type of knowledge – tacit to tacit and explicit to explicit – harder to change the type
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Explicit to Tacit Transformation
As new knowledge is shared throughout the organization, employees now begin to internalize it They use it, broaden it, extend it and reframe
their own existing tacit knowledge base They learn – they do their jobs differently now
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The KM Spiral
First we learn something through socialization (e.g. being apprenticed to a master)
Next we translate this into a tangible format that can be more easily communicated to others (externalization)
This knowledge is then standardized using templates, coding rules etc (new combination)
Finally, team members enrich their own tacit knowledge bases by adding new knowledge and skills (internalization)
They then share this new knowledge tacitly (back to socialization and the spiral continues)
Tacit to Explicit and Explicit to Tacit are the key steps
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From Metaphor to Model
Externalization (tacit to explicit) and Internalization (explicit to tacit) both require a high degree of personal commitment
Involves Mental models Personal beliefs and values Re-inventing yourself as well as the organization
Metaphor is a good way of expressing the “inexpressible” Slogans, symbols Fables, stories, allegories analogies Models – final step, no contradictions, consistent, systematic, logical “two ideas in a single phrase”
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From Chaos to Concept
How to structure metaphors, models and analogies in an organizational KM design
1st principle: Built-in redundancy – make sure there is shared
overlapping information Easier to articulate Easier to share Easier to internalize
Can be done with internal competing groups, built-in rotational strategy and free access to company information via single integrated database or k-base
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From Chaos to Concept (con’t)
Need to orient ensuring chaos created by the inevitable discrepancies in meaning that occur Provide a conceptual framework that helps them make
sense of their experiences Conceptual umbrella for key concepts Domain ontology – categorization of the organization’s
knowledge base Standards set by the company re. strategic value of
knowledge
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Recommended Solution
Tacit
Explicit
Tacit Explicit
Recommendations1. 2. 3.
Recommendations1. 2. 3.
Recommendations1. 2. 3.
Recommendations1. 2. 3.