Knowledge Management: definitions and issues
From the hive to the company: the importance of Knowledge Management
Knowledge Management is not a recent concept, far from it. Born in the 90s , this discipline quickly established itself as a strategic lever for companies . For the Davenport Group, Knowledge Management is “ the systematic exploitation of a company's knowledge to improve its operations ” .
Companies such as Microsoft , iconic in the world of knowledge management, are renowned for their culture of innovation and their ability to quickly adapt to market changes . To do this, the Redmond firm uses knowledge management tools to share skills and expertise between its employees , whether they are in the United States, India, France... or anywhere in the world.
These tools, such as internal wikis or discussion forums , make it possible to capitalize on existing knowledge and make it accessible to everyone. It is this ability to transform collected information into useful knowledge that still makes Microsoft a leader in its market today. And also a magnificent beehive.
From monitoring to intangible assets: a natural evolution
How is this knowledge obtained in the first place? This is where monitoring comes in. In business, monitoring is the process by which information is collected, analyzed and disseminated . It allows the company to stay up to date with the latest market trends, technological developments, competitor movements and many other key factors.
The intangible asset , on the other end of the spectrum, is the end product of effective information and knowledge management . Here are some common examples of intangible assets:
- A knowledge base
- An intellectual property
- An organizational culture
- A network, relationships, an address book
- The know-how of your employees
We understand through these examples that the challenge does not only consist of gathering relevant information. It must also be given a structure to simplify access and make it truly useful .
Google , another champion of knowledge management, is today one of the largest technology companies in the world. One of the reasons for its success lies in its ability valuable intangible assets from the day before . This intangible asset is unparalleled knowledge of user behavior on the Internet . Thanks to constant monitoring and the analysis of billions of requests, Google has been able to develop ever more appropriate services and optimize its advertising revenue.
No need to call Microsoft or Google to take advantage of today's tools. If your hive is small, you can still take full advantage of Knowledge Management tools and methods. But before implementing such processes, we must first understand what goes wrong when we try to do without them ...
How the lack of structuring of monitoring work harms Knowledge Management
Business monitoring: an often untapped treasure
Why don't all companies succeed in transforming their monitoring into a valuable intangible asset like Google?
One of the reasons is the lack of structuring of monitoring work . In the absence of a clear strategy and coordination between the different stakeholders, monitoring can quickly become an isolated and unstructured task.
Companies in the pharmaceutical sector often illustrate this point in an instructive way. Positive point: many engineers conduct in-depth monitoring of specific subjects . Negative point: in the absence of coordination, everyone carries out their own monitoring in isolation . The knowledge thus acquired is rarely shared with the rest of the company and risks disappearing when the employee leaves the company.
This situation is unfortunately common in many organizations and hampers the effectiveness of knowledge management. It is all the more common in functions where individual monitoring is necessary, putting the collective interest second.
The illusion of easy information: the trap of the digital age
At the same time, the information age has radically changed the situation. Today, thanks to the Internet, businesses have access to an almost unlimited of information . But this abundance of information is double-edged. Without a structured monitoring strategy, companies can easily be overwhelmed by this mass of information. We've all experienced this one day.
Let’s illustrate this… Your business may have an online sales site . Thanks to the Internet, you have access to a multitude of information about your competitors, your customers, your suppliers, etc. Without an adequate monitoring strategy, this information can turn into a deluge of indigestible data . You risk finding yourself paralyzed, unable to sort through relevant information and make informed decisions.
IPMetrix: a powerful tool, to finally make monitoring an intangible asset
IPMetrix: a lever for transformation
Fortunately, there are tools that can help businesses overcome these challenges. The IPMetrix business intelligence software is one of them. Thanks to its advanced features, it allows companies to structure their monitoring , collaborate around information and capitalize on their knowledge .
For SME managers and R&D directors, IPMetrix can quickly become a major asset. It makes it possible to structure monitoring work and transform it into an intangible . So, even if an employee leaves the company, the knowledge they have acquired is not lost. They are stored in IPMetrix and remain easily accessible to everyone else in the company, much more than in a dark Excel file.
An intangible capitalization tool
IPMetrix is more than just a monitoring tool. It’s a true knowledge management platform that literally creates your intangible . For example, you will be able to build a centralized knowledge base , or set up detailed competition profiles , or even build sectoral expertise . Once these assets are created, all you have to do is feed them, and above all use them.
With IPMetrix, monitoring does not disappear: it is capitalized and shared, thus helping to strengthen the company's knowledge assets.
The future is “just poorly distributed”
Just like pollen to the bee, information is your most valuable asset . But it is only valuable if you know how to transform it. Each of your sources of information and your knowledge must be valued, so that your monitoring helps you create useful intangible assets . This is the role of Knowledge Management , and tools like IPMetrix can contribute significantly to this.
The future belongs to companies that will be able to make monitoring a strategic asset , by structuring their monitoring approach and capitalizing on the knowledge acquired. The honey of the digital hive is within the reach of those who know how to extract it. As science fiction writer William Gibson said: “The future is already here – it’s just poorly planned . ” It is up to each company to give itself the means to capture its share.
