Drivers of Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management
Knowledge Management programs are typically tied to organizational objectives such as improved performance, competitive advantage, innovation, developmental processes, lessons learnt transfer and the general development of collaborative practices. Knowledge Management is frequently linked and related to what has become known as the learning organization, lifelong learning and continuous improvement. Knowledge Management may be distinguished from Organizational Learning by a greater focus on the management of knowledge as an asset and the development and cultivation of the channels through which knowledge, information and signal flow.

Drivers of Knowledge Management
There are a number of claims as to the "drivers", or motivations, leading organizations to undertake a knowledge management program. Popular business objectives include gaining a competitive advantage within the industry and increasing organizational effectiveness with improved or faster learning and new knowledge creation. As knowledge management programs can often lead to greater innovation, better customer experiences, consistency in good practices, knowledge access across a global organization, and other organizational benefits, many knowledge management programs will usually set some of these as end objectives as well. The government sector represents a highly active area,

Some typical considerations driving a Knowledge Management program include:

• Making available increased knowledge content in the development and provision of products and services
• Achieving shorter new product development cycles
• Facilitating and managing organizational innovation and learning
• Leveraging the expertise of people across the organization
• Increasing network connectivity between employees and external groups with the objective of improving information flow
• Managing the proliferation of data and information in complex business environments and allowing employees to access appropriate information sources
• Managing intellectual capital and intellectual assets in the workforce (such as the expertise and know-how possessed by key individuals) as individuals retire and new workers are hired.