ACCA P3考试：Knowledge Management

　　THE ORGANISATION, ITS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, AND KNOWLEDGE

　　The basis of competition is shifting from having a unique raw material or production system in manufacturing, to differentiation though the building of knowledge. 'Having knowledge can be regarded as even more important than possessing the other means of production - land, buildings, labour, and capital - because all the other sources are readily available in an advanced global society, while the right leading-edge knowledge is distinctly hard to obtain.' (1)

　　Companies have already moved from being labour intensive to process intensive, to carry out tasks most efficiently, effectively, economically and productively as possible while all the time introducing new techniques or elements to the process, product or service.

　　A company's success is dependent on adding value. This requires creativity based on the current knowledge position of the company. Organisations should not have to relearn on a regular basis but should be in a position to retain the knowledge they already have in their possession. They should then reinforce the use of this knowledge in processes and approach to the management of this knowledge. This is done by maintaining what is already known and then continue to maintain their position based on this unique knowledge, and finally renew and update the knowledge continuously.

　　This is a transparent approach to the handling of knowledge, which is the approach needed across the entire organisation so everyone can contribute.

　　With reference to knowledge management, the challenge (in the context of adding value) is that organisations have to reorganise themselves around the scarce resource of talented human capital and manage the constraining elements and strategic resources of information, knowledge and expertise (2). Obtaining this talented human capital is another task that requires human resource management and the involvement of the wider organisation.

　　HUMAN RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

　　As organisations have changed, downsized or expanded, there has been an increase in technology and in redundancies. In knowledge management terms, a reduction in employee numbers implies that those remaining have to demonstrate their value. Employee turnover of, or the rise of the free agent implies that long-term contracts are on the way out. Loyalty is much reduced or, as suggested, 'loyalty is dead - commitment and drive are lost, on the way out or gone' (3) both from the organisational and employee perspective, as neither can afford loyalty in rapid dynamic markets. Organisations affected by such changes, through the loss of people and then talent, can't keep relearning all the knowledge lost when people leave the company.

　　One such approach, which considers the individual rather than the process, is social network analysis. This helps identify and manage the hidden networks within an organisation.

　　According to Karen Stephenson, social network analysis is increasingly recognised as a means of leveraging organisational learning, retaining key workers, planning succession, harvesting innovative ideas, and managing both the rate and quality of change. This collective capability, Stephenson argues, depends on trusted relationships between individuals and has more power to influence the success or failure of an organisation than any managerial hierarchy (3)。

　　In this approach, employees are a key consideration, with individual requirements which should be acknowledged. Employees want freedom, autonomy, space, and flexibility enables intellectual capital to be assessed. By offering these, the opportunity for knowledge growth and retention can be developed.

　　THE CREATIVE ORGANISATION AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

　　The organisational cultural change required to facilitate the focus, development and application of organisational knowledge should include the development of an environment where innovation and creativity operate together.