Posted by Jay Reay on April 04, 1998 at 20:11:48:

In Reply to: Tayloristic culture posted by Robbert Northolt on April 02, 1998 at 03:23:53:

Robbert and Yogesh
Just a quick drop-in on your discussion here with two points from Robbert's response.

A minor point first. Managers in their 50s (and, yes you've guessed, I'm getting close to that age myself), are often these days the most keen to embrace the right kind of change - at least in the companies with whom I consult. Younger ones, especially with MBAs - this is not a flame :-} - think what they are doing cannot be improved on, but of course it can, in every situation. Moreover, knowledge, in the holistic sense, is the gift of these older managers to the next generation, as in the Japanese tradition. Business ignores them at its peril.

More importantly, Robbert, I am not sure that knowledge can only be shared when it is (reduced to) information. Intuition, know-how, experience, understanding are all parts of personal knowledge which can and must be shared and become corporate knowledge, but not as information. In the act of sharing we may discuss these elements in terms which can be transferred, perhaps via a non-human third party, so we might seek to reduce such knowledge to constituent parts. But the essence of this knowledge requires transmission without transliteration into mere information packages.

My studies of innovation and creative problem-solving in F1 racing teams indicates that, sometimes there is an intuitive dialogue between parties, particularly those who have worked at high levels with each for some time. Sharing of knowledge then is way above transmission of information, and becomes a two-way interaction in which knowledge is shared and grown with instantaneous understanding, reaching new knowledge.

However, in a KM programme, we do seek to systematise knowledge sharing so that key-person succession is dealt with, so you have a point.

Regards, Jay

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Follow Ups:

• Re: Tayloristic culture Robbert Northolt 08:01:00 4/08/98 (1)
  • Re: Tayloristic culture Jay Reay 22:52:27 4/08/98 (0)

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