Principles Driven Knowledge Asset Management

Many organisations search for the ‘Best Practices for Knowledge Management’. This is, of course, a very valuable thing to do. Especially when considering why knowledge management is important, and how to approach the implementation.

But there are several problems with just considering Best Practices :

• They are written in the context of a certain organisation, which may not be applicable in the same way for your organisation
• They tend to set a mindset of ‘these are the best standards to apply’. What we really want to do is consider them as ‘Good Practices’ and set a mindset to strive to exceed them, creating even better practices.
• They take a long time and significant cost to the organisation, to research, analyse and understand and adapt for implementation

There is a much better way. That is to distill and understand the Principles of effective Knowledge Management and the Principles of effective Knowledge Asset Management. These Principles can then be best adapted and implemented in your organisation. But what do we mean, exactly by a Principle and being more Principles driven?

What is a Knowledge Management Principle?

Well a dictionary definition of a principle is a ‘fundamental truth or law as a basis of reasoning or action’.

Furthermore, principles have, at least, five distinct characteristics:

1. They are timeless. They will be just as relevant in 50 years time as they are now.

2. They are changeless. Whereas knowledge will change over time, principles do not change ever. You might even say, this is wisdom.

3. They are universal. That is to say, they can be applied anywhere.

4. They are scaleable. That is, the same principles can apply to individuals, teams, organisations, inter-organisations, and even globally.

5. They ‘naturally emerge’ within the right social and environmental conditions.

So one could say that principles, are ‘the heart of the matter’, the essence, the spirit, the fundamental source.

In the context of knowledge management, over many years, our KM consultants are continually striving to uncover these principles and apply them, at the personal, team, organisation, inter-organisation and global levels.

Our mission is to help organisations to turn these KM principles into daily knowledge working reality.

But how can you do that?

The answer is to embed them in practical strategies, processes, methods, systems, tools, technologies and techniques. This will bring about a ‘natural knowledge driven culture’ and capability across the organisation.

Principles of knowledge management and knowledge asset management need to be embedded in the organisation and embodied in the people. Organisations will succeed to the degree that the Strategies are aligned to the Principles!

This is why we need an holistic Knowledge Asset Management Framework to act as a roadmap for the implementation of KAM principles. Initially, it enables your organisation to assess your position today, against this KAM Framework.

The good news is that, since 2014,  there are now global ISO Standards that are ‘principles driven’ that can be applied to Knowledge Management and Knowledge Asset Management. So ISO Standards requirements have moved from just a position of compliance, to the application of sound Principles as a requirement.

At Knowledge Associates, we are dedicated to principle centred knowledge leadership. Our education programmes, based on ISO Global Standards requirements, to better manage knowledge and knowledge assets operationally, and strategically, can be viewed here.

For more information contact info@knowledge-associates.com

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