Video [4:15 min]: Organizational Knowledge Sharing Practices

Synopsis: Technology can help improve the management and sharing of knowledge to enhance the competitive advantage of an organization, but it’s important to understand the two different types of knowledge, tacit and explicit.

Section 13.4 discusses how organizations can leverage technology to optimize their planning and operations. Certainly, people in organizations have valuable knowledge, gained through both education and experience. But as the video suggests, the key to knowledge optimization is to get the right knowledge to the right people at the right time.

Does this sound easy? Maybe in smaller organizations that have all staff working under the same roof this could be simpler than larger enterprises with thousands of employees dispersed throughout many locations, perhaps globally. What about the two kinds of knowledge explained in the video, tacit and explicit, which of them would you think is easier to dispense and obtain from staff who need it?

From your own experience, are people always willing to share what they know, or could there be cultural, personal or even financial reasons why not? What about physical barriers caused by location, including time zones, language, and culture which could act as impediments against knowledge sharing? What else can you think of that could enhance or block the efficient sharing of knowledge in an organization?