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

What’s your Strategy for Measuring IT & Non-IT for
Knowledge Management in an Organisation?
Ravinder Singh Kahlon and Man-Chie Tse
Middlesex University, School <strong>of</strong> Engineering and Information Sciences
The Burroughs, London, UK
RK350@live.mdx.ac.uk
MT631@live.mdx.ac.uk
Abstract: This paper presents and describes a new pragmatism orientation technique for identifying and
measuring knowledge management to grow an organisation. The technique brings toge<strong>the</strong>r Dilip Bhatt KM
components. The empirical study presents results, a Kiviat diagram, highlights <strong>the</strong> principal significance for
comparison alignment between two KM models (Non-IT and IT connections) using Composite Features
Diagramming methodology. This method illustrates an abundance characteristics component results in visual
qualitative technique that also enables conducted quantitative evaluation to fundamentally analyse, measure and
transform an organisation success level retrospectively. It studies <strong>the</strong>se links in a Healthcare organisation
context, where KM is a strategic concern. Finally, fur<strong>the</strong>r recommendation is subsequently addressed for future
exploration works.
Keywords: Knowledge Management (KM), Composite Features Diagramming (CFD), Knowledge Management
Systems (KMS), Knowledge Management Models (KMM), Information Technology (IT) Models Metrics, Kiviat.
1. Introduction
How can organisations measure Knowledge Management (KM)? Where and what are <strong>the</strong> issues and
problems, and how are <strong>the</strong>y linked? KM is becoming a prominent aspect <strong>of</strong> re-engineering in
organisations (Malhotra, 2000). However, <strong>the</strong> necessity <strong>of</strong> measuring and evaluating KM is hardly
questioned. The term KM Models (KMM) originated from within s<strong>of</strong>tware development, several
fragmented models exist for KM in <strong>the</strong> context <strong>of</strong> IT based perspective, and <strong>the</strong>se models established
two categories used for system development. These categories are Non-IT and IT KM discipline
models. Non-IT follows a generalised reiterative single system application approach. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r
hand, IT has a linear iterative nature which is based on combination where each component is
repeated. Organisations postulating towards Non-IT usually follow an explicated implicit traditional
form which bounds within a structured organisation. The IT approach, however follows an
unstructured combined with dependent Non-IT to support <strong>the</strong> foundations and predefined
requirements for an organisation (Kahlon, 2009). The objective <strong>of</strong> this paper begins with a discussion
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se KMM (Non-IT and IT). This is followed by critically examining <strong>the</strong> two models and provides a
recommendation based on <strong>the</strong> application <strong>of</strong> findings. The background research is based on
publications, practitioners’ reports from a healthcare context. The evaluation and selection was based
on participant’s opinions. The paper is divided into three sections. The first section provides an
overview <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se models. The second section explains <strong>the</strong> CFD technique methodology and
discusses <strong>the</strong> results attached to it. The last section provides an outline <strong>of</strong> analysis recommendation
and conclusion.
2. Overview <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> models
There are vast amounts <strong>of</strong> literature on KM and <strong>the</strong> subject area attracted much attention. Past
literatures led focus on associating purely with technology as facilitating and transmitting, a platform
giving wonders for capability to spread different dimensions <strong>of</strong> knowledge representation, whe<strong>the</strong>r it is
internal or external for an organisation. Yet, organisations fail to understand <strong>the</strong> surreal technology
platform and <strong>the</strong> potential gradient value. The work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two authors presents advancement,
evolved from Dilip Bhatt (2000), best known practitioner <strong>of</strong> KM, who derived three key KM
components being People, Process and Technology, as connecting sub-elements. As a focal point for
KM, <strong>the</strong>se three elements were integrated and embedded accordingly to Non-IT and IT approaches.
2.1 Non-IT Approach
Non-IT accomplishes high level <strong>of</strong> constructed intellectual knowledge task in traditional forms (face to
face, direct communication, etc). In spite <strong>of</strong> progress to simplify Non-IT, <strong>the</strong>y remain to be powerful
tools required to balance 70% and 30%, o<strong>the</strong>rwise lack <strong>of</strong> implicit way can impede and hinder an
organisation knowledge communication flow (Bhatt, 2000). Non-IT model are essential for any
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