Knowledge Study

The term Knowledge Study makes this sound like a strictly academic pursuit and indeed, there is no reason why an academic would not want to study knowledge. However, there are very many compelling reasons why a business or organisation would want to study its knowledge resource. These could include:

• To allow an organisation to see its knowledge based strengths and weaknesses.
• To allow an organisation to assess its knowledge based risks
• To help an organisation to manage its activities more effectively
• To allow uncomplicated discussion about the knowledge resource
• To know what people need to know in order to work effectively

The purpose of studying an organisational knowledge resource, or at least part of one, is to find out information about it and to use that information to help manage the business more effectively. It just so happens, that it is also quite an interesting thing to do and can also encourage staff to become more interested in their own and the organisations knowledge. It can help staff and managers to value the knowledge correctly and to make more informed decisions about which parts of a business need to be changed etc.

Knowledge Structure Mapping

Knowledge Structure Mapping (KSM) is the method of Knowledge Study that is promoted here because it can deliver the objectives claimed for Knowledge Study and it has shown that it can deliver these claims in many business based knowledge study projects since the late 1990(s). The 'KSM' tab in the menu on the left is a link to a better description of knowledge structure mapping. The method started life as a research project involving the Applied Knowledge Research Institute (now closed) and many cooperating companies including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce plc, Akzo Nobel, Coop Bank, Worswick Engineering, TDS CAD Graphics, and many more. A successful trial run of the method was carried out at BAE Systems in 1998 on an area of knowledge called Super Plastic Forming and Diffusion Bonding. The method was improved during many other business projects that covered a very broad range of knowledge from complex engineering, management and even the knowledge required in order to run an Off-License (drug store).

In 2005, AKRI Limited was launched and a further year was used to transform the research into a business focused and business serving method. This is what has become Knowledge Structure Mapping. Whilst it has been specifically targeted at business need, it is still capable of useful contribution to the academic pursuit of understanding knowledge.