Knowledge Management: From Top-Down Control to Distributed Empowerment
- Dr. Moria Levy
- Nov 1, 2005
- 3 min read
The value of knowledge management is proven in the business market, and its value is expressed in the stocks of companies engaged in it.
Portals are being established in many organizations, and knowledge management is an activity implemented in more and more places. Nevertheless, it has its thorns. Despite significant investments, it's impossible to address all the knowledge needs of various departments in an organization. Despite numerous development teams, organizational and professional portals cannot keep pace with audience demands.
Does this mean insufficient funds are being invested? Should organizations double or triple their knowledge management teams?
Not necessarily.
We need to manage the activity differently than we have until now.
If, until today, we invested most of our knowledge management efforts and the major investments in portals in central needs, we must act differently.
We should combine Top-Down activities—focusing on core activities according to our established work plan—with Bottom-Up activities that address knowledge needs emerging from the field.
More departments have heard about knowledge management and want to implement it. They are unwilling or need to hear statements like "We'll get to you. You're in the work plan for 2008." More units in organizations want to create sites, and there's no reason for them to build sites without methodological guidance or professional support just because organizational resources are currently invested elsewhere.
So, how do we juggle everything? How do we address the central professional knowledge topics while simultaneously providing quality responses to those who want to move forward?
As with many issues, the answer lies in recognizing the need itself. Once we acknowledge the legitimate need for portals, sites, and other knowledge requirements, we are on the path to a solution.
The organization should plan its resources from the outset and divide them between centralized (implemented Top-Down) and an additional distributed project (implemented Bottom-Up).
The distributed project aims to build partnerships among different units, train them, and enable them to run knowledge management activities independently, establishing sites and portals using their own resources. The project also involves practical guidance for units during actual implementation.
Where is it appropriate to manage distributed knowledge management activities and site creation? Not in every organization, but certainly in dynamic organizations, organizations with young people, organizations with a high-tech character, and organizations where people stay updated, learn and want to implement new management methods and technologies.
How is this done?
The knowledge management and site development teams develop abbreviated methodologies based on in-depth knowledge management methods but designed using Rapid Application Development (RAD). These methodologies include components for "Light" needs analysis, establishing sites and knowledge solutions, and guidance for representatives—unit agents (Local Agents) who will implement solutions themselves. The knowledge management team and site development team focus on establishing the conceptual, technological, and methodological framework.
The knowledge management team and site development team are responsible for training and certifying unit representatives so they can implement activities independently.
The knowledge management and development teams guide unit representatives as a collaborative group and individually (about 50 annual hours on average for each activity/unit).
The knowledge management team conducts activity control, not replacing the units but complementing them.
The knowledge management and site development teams establish cross-cutting tools and infrastructures available to units, enabling them to progress and focus on business needs.
And the units?
Units interested in establishing sites or knowledge management must be committed. They initiate and drive the activity, while the knowledge management and site development teams provide support.
Units allocate quality personnel to lead knowledge management activities and site establishment on their behalf.
Units determine the implementation work plan and are responsible for its execution.
Units transform from partners to leaders, as in classic knowledge management projects.
And the bottom line:
Distributed knowledge management activity gives a new dimension and accelerates the organization's overall knowledge activity and site establishment. Not just because of the additional manpower for the activity—though that's part of it. But mainly because of the cultural change accompanying the activity. The very initiation of activity from the field brings out those more interested and increases the chances of success. Over time, the activity becomes contagious. Success after success turns into a flood. The positive competition that arises between units is amazing. And the beneficiary is the organization. A true knowledge management celebration.
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