Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

48 | Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water Utilities
Human Capital Social Capital Corporate Capital
The Essence of
Knowledge Management
Enabler Enabler
Technology
Innovation
Successes
Lessons Learned
Capability
Capacity
Relationships
Connectivity
Data
Info
Mapping
Software
Hardware
The Essence of
Information Management
The Essence of
Information Technology
Enabler
Incentives
Education
Training
IPTs
Physical
Assets
Infrastructure
Source: Department of the Navy, 1999.
Figure 6.1 Relationship of IT, IM, and KM
Figure 6.1 is a graphic produced by the Department of the Navy which is a four-tiered
depiction of the roles and connectivity of infrastructure, IT, IM and KM in a knowledge-centric
organization. The intent of the graphic was to remind knowledge workers with the Department that
the role of IT is in support of the infrastructure; that IT in and of itself exists to facilitate the management
of information; and that the management of information is in support of decision-makers,
that is, people. KM is not effective without IM, which must be supported by good IT, which is
embedded in the infrastructure. This is a picture of a healthy partnership of IT, IM and KM aligned
in support of the organization mission. A DON case study is included in the KM Toolkit.
A rough estimate of the amount of knowledge management that involves information technology
is about 20 percent. This focus is based on the amount of knowledge users can create from
the information that is stored, transferred, organized, and mined by information technology. This
percent is, of course, a judgment. While the major source of knowledge creation, sharing, leveraging
and application lies in the human mind—and depends on the willingness and capability of
individual workers to share their experience and knowledge—information technology is an enabler.
IT and information management are used to support the decision-makers who must create knowledge
from the information stored in and accessed from technology systems. Thus good IT and
information management are critical in today’s virtual, fast-paced environment.
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