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about tacit knowledge

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How do we help you to manage tacit knowledge

If one considers organisational knowledge to be of two types, tacit and explicit, then -

Explicit Knowledge is all the knowledge in an organisation that is documented in the form of formal procedures, policies, manuals, software, and photographs etc., and

Tacit Knowledge on the other hand, is all the other knowledge. Tacit knowledge therefore includes experience, on-the-job learning, attitudes, motivations, and skills, i.e. all the knowledge that is in workers’ heads, the knowledge that is actually used to create value.

There are many problems associated with effective tacit knowledge management (TKM), including the problems of

· identifying it (e.g. what is it),

· accessing it (e.g. who has it),

· measuring it (e.g. how much of it have they got),

· sharing it (e.g. how do you let others know it), and

· applying it (e.g.how to use it to increase productivity, reduce errors, develop new ideas etc).

So what is Tacit Knowledge Management?

Tacit Knowledge management is the process by which an organisation ensures that

· the right knowledge,

· is available to the right people,

· in the right form,

· at the right time,

· in the right place.

We call these, the Right5

Why is Tacit Knowledge Management important?

New Zealand has a reputation for having an innovative, No.8 fencing wire/can-do attitude, and a great lifestyle. However, these are under threat from a number of directions. Firstly, over the next 15 to 20 years we are likely to lose a considerable amount of tacit knowledge as the Baby Boomer generation moves into retirement. Secondly, the advent of global markets and the globalisation of technology is threatening our innovative point of difference, and thirdly we are losing a lot of young bright talent overseas in the infamous brain drain.

Often, a problem with Tacit Knowledge, is that we don't know what we know.

How do we help you to manage your Tacit Knowledge?

We help you to you identify, capture, store, retrieve, and apply the Right5, so that you can

· improve productivity,

· develop best practice and

· become innovative.

How do we do this?

To ▪identify▪ tacit knowledge, we help you to

Discuss

Investigate

Research

Conceptualise

To ▪capture▪ tacit knowledge, we help you to

Draw

Photograph

Map

Scan

Video

Record

To ▪store▪ tacit knowledge, we help you to use

Hard copy media

Digital soft copy media

Personal memory

Organisational culture

To ▪retrieve▪ tacit knowledge, we help you to develop in house

Multimedia

Seminars

Curricula

Instructions

Manuals

Maps

To ▪apply▪ tacit knowledge, we show you how to

Modularise

Collaborate

Facilitate

Train

Customise

Implement