Introduction to Knowledge Management and Public Administration

ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences INTRODUCTION TO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION PA 3110: Knowledge Management and ICT for Public Administration  LEARNING OUTCOMES:...

ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences INTRODUCTION TO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION PA 3110: Knowledge Management and ICT for Public Administration  LEARNING OUTCOMES: » Understand the fundamentals of knowledge management and its importance in public administration. » Identify the challenges and opportunities in knowledge management within the public sector. PA 3110: Introduction to Knowledge Management and Public Administration  TOPIC OUTLINE: » The concept of knowledge » KM Defined » History of KM » The purpose and significance of KM » KM in Public Administration » Challenges and Opportunities in KM within PA PA 3110: Introduction to Knowledge Management and Public Administration  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences The Concept of Knowledge  KNOWLEDGE DEFINED Knowledge is defined as what people understand about things, concepts, ideas, theories, procedures, practices and ‘the way we do things around here’. It can be described as ‘know-how’ or, when it is specific, expertise. ‘Knowing how’ vs ‘Knowing that.’ Knowing how is the ability of a person to perform tasks, and knowing that is holding pieces of knowledge in one’s mind. (Ryle, 1949)  KNOWLEDGE DEFINED ‘Knowledge is multifaceted and complex, being both situated and abstract, implicit and explicit, distributed and individual, physical and mental, developing and static, verbal and encoded.’ (Blackler, 1995) Nonaka (1991) suggested that knowledge is held either by individuals or collectively. Embodied or embraced knowledge is individual and embedded, and cultural knowledge is collective (Blackler, 1995)  KNOWLEDGE DEFINED It can be argued (Scarborough and Carter, 2000) that knowledge emerges from the collective experience of work and is shared between members of a particular group or community.  EXPLICIT VS TACIT KNOWLEDGE » Knowledge is either Explicit or Tacit. » Explicit knowledge can be codified – it is recorded and available and is held in databases, in corporate intranets and intellectual property portfolios » Example: Books, periodicals, journals, maps, photographs, audio-recordings, web pages, websites, portals  EXPLICIT VS TACIT KNOWLEDGE » Tacit knowledge exists in people’s minds. It is difficult to articulate in writing and is acquired through personal experience » The main challenge in knowledge management is how to turn tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge.  EXPLICIT VS TACIT KNOWLEDGE Documented information Know-how and learning embedded within the minds of that can facilitate action. people Explicit Knowledge Tacit Knowledge 1. Formal and codified 1. Informal and un-codified 2. Documents, reports, policy 2. Values, perspectives, and manuals, white papers, culture standard procedures 3. Knowledge in heads 3. Databases 4. Memories of staff, suppliers, 4. Books, magazines, journals and vendors (library)  DATA, INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE » Data consists of the basic facts – the building blocks – for information and knowledge; » Information is data that have been processed in a way that is meaningful to individuals; it is available to anyone entitled to gain access to it. As Drucker (1988) wrote, ‘information is data endowed with meaning and purpose’; » Knowledge is information put to productive use; it is personal and often intangible and it can be elusive – the task of tying it down, encoding it and distributing it is tricky.  DATA, INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE Data Information Knowledge Definition Raw facts, figures, Data placed into a Information in context and records form that is to make it insightful contained in a accessible, timely, and relevant for system. and accurate. human action. Reason Processing Storing/organizing Insight, innovation, improvement Collection of facts, Organized data Contextual, relevant, measurements, actionable statistics information  DATA, INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE Example: Data Information Knowledge revenue sources Creating Comprehending the steps (taxes, grants, fees) visualizations, charts, involved in creating a expenditure and graphs to show budget (e.g. revenue categories (education, the allocation of funds forecasting, prioritizing spending areas, and healthcare, to different sectors engaging with infrastructure) explaining the sources stakeholders) historical spending of revenue Balancing competing patterns discussing how past needs and interests within budget decisions have a limited budget impacted the Explore how budget community. decisions impact public services and overall municipal development  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences KM Defined  KM: Meaning and Definition » Knowledge Management is a process of acquiring, creating, and sharing knowledge in order to achieve the organizational objectives by making the best use of the knowledge. » KM is a group of systems and practices for identifying, capturing, storing, and disseminating information.  KM: Meaning and Definition » It focuses on the development of firm-specific knowledge and skills that are the result of organizational learning processes. » Knowledge management is concerned with both stocks and flows of knowledge. » Stocks included expertise and encoded knowledge in computer systems. » Flows represent the ways in which knowledge is transferred from people to people or from people to a knowledge database.  KM: Meaning and Definition » Knowledge management has also been defined by Tan (2000) as: ‘The process of systematically and actively managing and leveraging the stores of knowledge in an organization.’ » Knowledge management strategies promote the sharing of knowledge by linking people with people and by linking them to information so that they learn from documented experiences. ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences History of Knowledge Management  The 1950s: Origins » Some researchers were already starting to write about knowledge and its management. » In governmental, business, and other private organizations, groups of professionals began to emerge, in charge of generating ideas and knowledge that was then managed to help present products or services to given industrial communities. » The reference for the time was Vannevar Bush’s 1945 article “As we may think”, which anticipated a number of technological and social trends that were to become more evident in subsequent years.  The 1950s: Origins » Bush focused on the problem of information overload and observed that in the future, despite the new technological innovations, such information problems would become more extreme (Levy, 2009). » The first model for KM appeared in 1967, framed within management by objectives in the context of the U.S. penitentiary system » This system was considered very modern but had only low general acceptance in management communities, due to a lack of sophistication in its organizational management and because it had to deal with very complex social distinctions, which often ran contradictory to penitentiary objectives (Terwilliger & Adams, 1969).  The 1960s and 1970s: Personal computing and the primitive background of KM » Focused particularly on the management of information for engineering teams (Jasper, 1966; Konikoff, 1960) and for early developments in computing. (e.g. involving the aerospace industry, marine exploration, ARPA/the Internet) » Becker and Hayden (1971) argued that a well-designed management information system derived from data processing was vital for successful management control » Zaltman and Vertinsky (1971) presented a social marketing model, whose contribution consisted of ways to structure and organize diverse sources of knowledge and data.  The 1960s and 1970s: Personal computing and the primitive background of KM » With already growing amounts of data and information, Ferrero di Roccaferrera (1972) questioned whether computers would eliminate administrative decision- making and argued that responsible managers, as well as the implementation and use of management systems, were still needed to solve companies’ problems. » During the mid-1970s, Stepp, Henry, Scott, and Gwinn (1974), proposed a management model with a financial perspective in the context of hospital administration based on rudimentary computational developments in that sector intended to anticipate the effects of public policies and other external factors.  The 1960s and 1970s: Personal computing and the primitive background of KM » Another remarkable advance from this period was Galbraith’s (1977) formulation of a conceptual framework to handle organizational problems and issues.  The 1980s: The beginnings of KM Systems » One of the decade’s most representative milestones was the massification of personal computers, which opened up enormous possibilities – and challenges – for the production and personal/organizational use of information. » The rise of desktop computers and their increasingly widespread use in companies of all kinds encouraged some futurists at the time to predict that, because of these new technologies, by the year 2000 almost three-quarters of the workforce would be devoted to information management rather than the production of goods. » they predicted that half the workforce, including at universities, would be classifiable as knowledge workers.  The 1980s: The beginnings of KM Systems » Information as an essential ingredient in office work, management decision-making, and the productivity of knowledge workers. » Information science could – and should – be applied to study the economic benefits of organizations' information systems with the purpose of investigating the social and behavioral implications of the new technologies » Knowledge management developed interdependently with the information sciences as the kind of information needed to carry out effective organizational management processes was itself supported by the creation of internal information systems  The 1980s: The beginnings of KM Systems » Such management and computational developments ended up converging in the so-called “Knowledge Management Systems” » E.g. Use of computerized systems in medicine  The 1990s: The Rise of Internet, the Data Realm, and the Boom in KM » ICT became a source of competitive advantage and integral parts of the organizational core » Emphasis was now placed on how laptop computers could add value to the generic functions of company sales forces (sales, orders, reports, services, consulting) by ensuring the effective dissemination of information about customers, accounts, products, prices, technology, market trends, and institutional memory » Effective tools and techniques for storing, implementing, and executing other components of knowledge, as well as issues of user specification and design, were still in their infancy  The 1990s: The Rise of Internet, the Data Realm, and the Boom in KM » The 1990s also saw the massification of the Internet (Schafer & Thierry, 2018) » Towards the middle of the decade, growing Internet usage motivated the orientation of KM towards the use of Web- based systems » In the late 1990s, Learning Management Systems (LMSs) were developed as platforms in the style of Web portals but oriented to formal educational contexts, integrating certain kinds of communication services, messaging, and information storage.  The 1990s: The Rise of Internet, the Data Realm, and the Boom in KM » In the mid-1990s, Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) developed a model of KM (The Knowledge Creating Company) also known as “the spiral of knowledge” » This model had the capacity to create new explicit knowledge for the organization, derived from the tacit knowledge of its members, and to disseminate it throughout the organization so that it could be incorporated into products, services, and systems. » Kaplan and Norton (1996) formulated the Balance ScoreCard, which, although not always considered a KM proposal, certainly considers knowledge and learning as intangible assets that generate competitive advantages.  The 1990s: The Rise of Internet, the Data Realm, and the Boom in KM » Other KM frameworks were developed at this time by: Huber (1991); Wiig (1994); Petrash (1996); Choo (1996); Szulanski (1996); Saint-Onge (1996); Grant (1996); Meyer and Zack (1996); Alavi and Leidner (1999); Klobas (1997); Van der Spek and Spijkervet (1997); Mayo (1998); Friedman, James, and David (2012); Skyrme (1998); O'Dell, Grayson, and Essaides (1998); and Hansen, Nohria, and Tierney (1999).  The new century: the 2.0 era and the emergence of personal KM » The new millennium arrived with the evolution of multiple services and products based on the use of the Internet and mobile technologies, starting with the consolidation of the so-called “2.0 culture”, which emphasizes the participation of the individual within the dynamics of a networked society » This development left a very particular imprint on research about knowledge management.  The new century: the 2.0 era and the emergence of personal KM » Two parallel perspectives: (1) continued formulation of frameworks focused on the organizational dimension and intellectual capital; and (2) the emergence of a fresher perspective focused on the management of personal knowledge. » The second perspective considers the need to articulate the organizational type of knowledge management with another, more “on-demand” type  The 2010s: The 4.0 economy and the challenges for KM » The “4.0 economy” is generating new ecosystems of personal and organizational interaction that are projected through trends or technological developments such as the Internet of Things, Big Data, learning analytics, social media, and artificial intelligence.  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences The Purpose and Significance of KM  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences THE PURPOSE OF KNOWLEDGE 1. MANAGEMENT Improve decision-making by providing employees with access to the information and expertise they need. 2. Increase innovation by encouraging the sharing of ideas and best practices 3. Reduce costs by avoiding duplication of work and by improving efficiency. 4. Improve customer service by providing employees with the knowledge they need to answer customer questions 5. Attract and retain top talent by creating a knowledge-rich environment 6. Improve employee satisfaction by giving employees a sense of ownership over their knowledge.  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT 1. Stay ahead of the competition by quickly adapting to change. 2. Improve their bottom line by increasing efficiency and productivity. 3. Create a more innovative and collaborative culture. 4. Attract and retain top talent. 5. Improve customer satisfaction.  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences KM in Public Administration  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences Improved Decision- Increased Making Efficiency Improved Enhanced Accountability Innovation Increased Citizen Participation  ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY College of Arts and Sciences Challenges and Opportunities in KM within PA  Opportunities in KM within PA » the governments of the 21st century will only be capable “to anticipate a new age of sustainable human development if they ensure not only access to universal knowledge, but also everyone’s participation in a society of knowledge.” (Lodhi & Mikulecky, 2017) » A vital aspect of the society’s success is the knowledge that its citizens possess, is made available to its public servants, and is embedded in structural and other intellectual capital assets that can be leveraged internally as well as externally.  Opportunities in KM within PA » Managing knowledge creates value by reducing the time and expense of trial and error » Increase efficiency and effectiveness: KM can help public agencies increase efficiency and effectiveness by reducing duplication of effort, improving collaboration, and streamlining processes. This can be done by implementing KM policies and procedures, developing KM tools and techniques, and measuring the impact of KM initiatives.  Opportunities in KM within PA » Increase citizen engagement: KM can help public agencies increase citizen engagement by providing citizens with access to information and opportunities to participate in decision- making. This can be done by creating citizen portals, developing citizen advisory boards, and using crowdsourcing to gather input from citizens. » Improve decision-making: KM can help public administrators make better decisions by providing them with access to the knowledge and expertise they need. This can be done by creating knowledge repositories, developing knowledge- sharing networks, and training public administrators on how to use KM tools and techniques.  Challenges in KM within PA » Lack of a shared vision and understanding of KM. There is often a lack of consensus on what KM is and how it can be used in the public sector. This can make it difficult to develop and implement KM initiatives. » Cultural barriers. The public sector is often characterized by a culture of secrecy and information hoarding. This can make it difficult to share knowledge and collaborate across organizational boundaries. » Technological challenges. The public sector often has to use outdated technologies that are not well-suited for KM. This can make it difficult to capture, store, and share knowledge.  Challenges in KM within PA » Lack of resources. The public sector often lacks the resources to invest in KM initiatives. This can make it difficult to develop and implement effective KM programs. » Resistance to change. Change is often difficult in the public sector, and KM can be seen as a threat to the status quo. This can make it difficult to get buy-in for KM initiatives. END OF LECTURE.