Page 224 - DCAP208_Management Support Systems

Unit 13: Knowledge Management

Most of times, there already are communities in the company (for specific jobs, specific profession, Notes
for projects, for given practices, specific interests …). One must analyse them and include them
in a strategic schema, in order to optimize their performance, in terms of knowledge sharing
and creation. The problem is to map the communities, existing or to be developed, to define for
each community, the issue, the type of the community, the nature of its need or the problem to
solve.

The Functioning Modes of Knowledge Communities

There are three types of way for working, exchanging through a community:

The classic type of the “labour division”: A worker realises a limited number of tasks,
with reduced autonomy in designing and realising the job. This is the most common way,
even in new and modern forms due to the introduction of information technology.
Dedicated structures analyse, design and codify the work to be done. This type of work is
supported by formalised links (planning of activities, performance supervision …), which
don’t facilitate cooperation. Cooperation links are hidden, implicit and limited.
The coordination type (“soft” cooperation): It relies on a better coordination of activities,
with information sharing and tasks synchronising. It is compatible with the Taylor point
of view. The only problem is to do better and quicker. The consequence is the
implementation of a global information system with a fast communication function and
a generalised access to information (the archetype is company intranet and email).

The cooperation type (“strong” cooperation): This is the work in synergy, not only
coordination between separated tasks. Work together is to establish a community with
sound bases for:

nature of problems and of knowledge to develop,
objectives identification,
convergence of reasons why people work together

Knowledge Community Supervision

Implementation of knowledge communities may be performed through their life cycle. This
leads to the definition of:
Management commitment at the different phases in the cycle
Indicators for supervision and control

Adequate supporting tools
The different phases in a community development are:
1. Emergence: A community is created on a knowledge domain. This creation arises from
aggregation according to affinities. It is spontaneous (a community cannot be prescribed).
Management is not an actor, maybe an observer. The main need is connection between
actors.

2. Structuring: The emergent community begins to collaborate. It is consolidated by peer
co-optation. Information sharing leads to coordination, but every actor is autonomous.
The community is still informal, driven by the actors themselves. Management is still an
observer. The needs are for coordination, for mutual information.
3. Becoming Official: The community is structured and active enough to become visible for
the organisation (if it is too premature, it stops). The community becomes coherent through

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