Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

Figure 8: Cynefin Framework
Chris Blodgett
5. Knowledge transfer frameworks (KTFs)
When it comes to KM sense-making, it is <strong>the</strong> Knowledge Transfer Frameworks (KTFs) that can
actually be ‘managed’; ie, KTF disciplines like strategy, change, risk, communication and human
resource management. The challenge for institutional leaders at all levels is to determine which KTFs
are best suited for <strong>the</strong>ir organization.
5.1 Strategy management
While many different schools <strong>of</strong> strategy exist in management literature, <strong>the</strong>re is no single prevailing
body <strong>of</strong> knowledge in this field. Still, it is generally accepted that organizations have three levels <strong>of</strong>
strategy: <strong>the</strong> corporate strategy, <strong>the</strong> business/divisional strategies and <strong>the</strong> strategy within <strong>the</strong>
businesses (Hrebiniak, 2005). For most military personnel, strategy is associated with a plan or series
<strong>of</strong> actions designed to achieve a specific objective. But what if your goal is to maximize operational
and organizational efficiency and effectiveness (MOOEE)?
The inconvenient truth is that institutional leaders need to ‘make <strong>the</strong> time’ to acquire <strong>the</strong>
organizational competency to formulate strategy at all levels. The K&N Balanced Scorecard
approach <strong>of</strong>fers a systems approach to integrating common tacit goals with sound performance
management. It is a descriptive (not prescriptive) framework that embraces quality initiatives like ISO
and Six-Sigma. The Balanced Scorecard design process builds upon <strong>the</strong> premise <strong>of</strong> “strategy as a
hypo<strong>the</strong>sis, where <strong>the</strong> key for implementing strategy is to have everyone in <strong>the</strong> organization
understand <strong>the</strong> underlying hypo<strong>the</strong>ses, align resources with <strong>the</strong> hypo<strong>the</strong>ses, test <strong>the</strong> hypo<strong>the</strong>ses
continually and adapt as required in real time” (K&N 2001).
In NATO <strong>the</strong>re are at least two organizations that employ <strong>the</strong> K&N Balanced Scorecard system: <strong>the</strong>
Supreme Allied Command Transformation (SACT) Headquarters and <strong>the</strong> NATO Consultation,
Command and Control Agency (NC3A). The NC3A two-year strategic plan uses a strategic
methodology similar to <strong>the</strong> KM IEF introduced in this paper; ie, a concurrent strategic top-down and
bottom-up operational approach (NC3A Strategic Plan 2009).
5.2 Change management
Strategy may be important, but execution is everything! A study <strong>of</strong> almost 300 managers revealed that
<strong>the</strong> ability to execute strategy was more important than <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> strategy itself (Kaplan/Norton
2001). Execution in simple terms represents a disciplined process or logical set <strong>of</strong> connected activities
that enables an organization to take a strategy and make it work. Not only is strategy execution
critical for success, it is more difficult to do than <strong>the</strong> actual task <strong>of</strong> developing <strong>the</strong> strategy (Hrebiniak
2005). The institutional leader will require formal training in this discipline.
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