Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

What or Whom do Knowledge-Managers Manage?

Nissen, Hans-Erik LU (2012) 13th European Conference on Knowledge Management (ECKM) p.839-847
Abstract
Knowledge-management has a long history in the work place enacted variously as apprenticeship, corporate libraries, and professional training programs. As an academic topic, it first appeared after Nonaka's (1991) paper. Western authors on knowledge-management generally treat "knowledge" and "information" as some kind of a commodity. "Knowledge" and "information" are thought to be acquired and transferred like other commodities. The paper argues that the use of verbs has value over nouns. It is more useful to refer to processes of becoming more knowledgeable and better informed than simply use the nouns forms. This paper's thesis is: "a consistent change of using verbs to refer to processes will open some new vistas in research on... (More)
Knowledge-management has a long history in the work place enacted variously as apprenticeship, corporate libraries, and professional training programs. As an academic topic, it first appeared after Nonaka's (1991) paper. Western authors on knowledge-management generally treat "knowledge" and "information" as some kind of a commodity. "Knowledge" and "information" are thought to be acquired and transferred like other commodities. The paper argues that the use of verbs has value over nouns. It is more useful to refer to processes of becoming more knowledgeable and better informed than simply use the nouns forms. This paper's thesis is: "a consistent change of using verbs to refer to processes will open some new vistas in research on knowledge-management." The paper will also discuss ways to conceive of learning and communicating. In these discussions it will argue risking a misleading view on communicating by using the nouns "knowledge" and "information". The paper will further discuss how this will avoid the risk of developing phlogiston like theories. Then the paper will turn to two approaches of what it means to become more knowledgeable at the individual level. One way is direct and the other by indirect experience. The latter uses language. Next the paper will address the transition from individual learning to innovative companies. This will start from how people observe and interact as they learn and how this can be disseminated and applied within companies. In this context the question of "What and whom do knowledge-managers manage?" will be taken up. Knowledge-managers generally will direct creativity by asking questions. The paper will then reflect on Nonaka's "spiral of knowledge". Then the paper will turn to problem formulation and solution. Next it will address some supporting factors and obstacles to reflecting creatively, both for individuals and companies. The paper will end with some conclusions in which it will review new vistas indicated in the text. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
autonomy, connotative language, data, distinguish, observer, reorient
host publication
Proceedings of the 13th European Conference on Knowledge Management, Vols 1 And 2
pages
839 - 847
publisher
Acad Conferences Ltd
conference name
13th European Conference on Knowledge Management (ECKM)
conference dates
2012-09-06 - 2012-09-07
external identifiers
  • wos:000321973400097
  • scopus:84871110936
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4888a284-d871-44e1-883a-980e1325261d (old id 4106219)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 11:24:30
date last changed
2022-01-29 21:47:14
@inproceedings{4888a284-d871-44e1-883a-980e1325261d,
  abstract     = {{Knowledge-management has a long history in the work place enacted variously as apprenticeship, corporate libraries, and professional training programs. As an academic topic, it first appeared after Nonaka's (1991) paper. Western authors on knowledge-management generally treat "knowledge" and "information" as some kind of a commodity. "Knowledge" and "information" are thought to be acquired and transferred like other commodities. The paper argues that the use of verbs has value over nouns. It is more useful to refer to processes of becoming more knowledgeable and better informed than simply use the nouns forms. This paper's thesis is: "a consistent change of using verbs to refer to processes will open some new vistas in research on knowledge-management." The paper will also discuss ways to conceive of learning and communicating. In these discussions it will argue risking a misleading view on communicating by using the nouns "knowledge" and "information". The paper will further discuss how this will avoid the risk of developing phlogiston like theories. Then the paper will turn to two approaches of what it means to become more knowledgeable at the individual level. One way is direct and the other by indirect experience. The latter uses language. Next the paper will address the transition from individual learning to innovative companies. This will start from how people observe and interact as they learn and how this can be disseminated and applied within companies. In this context the question of "What and whom do knowledge-managers manage?" will be taken up. Knowledge-managers generally will direct creativity by asking questions. The paper will then reflect on Nonaka's "spiral of knowledge". Then the paper will turn to problem formulation and solution. Next it will address some supporting factors and obstacles to reflecting creatively, both for individuals and companies. The paper will end with some conclusions in which it will review new vistas indicated in the text.}},
  author       = {{Nissen, Hans-Erik}},
  booktitle    = {{Proceedings of the 13th European Conference on Knowledge Management, Vols 1 And 2}},
  keywords     = {{autonomy; connotative language; data; distinguish; observer; reorient}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{839--847}},
  publisher    = {{Acad Conferences Ltd}},
  title        = {{What or Whom do Knowledge-Managers Manage?}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}