Knowledge Management Studies

All of the articles were very closely related this week and they all struck a nerve or two. The article I get paid to do nothing  could have been a short essay on my life while working at one of my most recent employers. I was an employee for a fortune 50 company who was "lucky enough" to work from home and "hug my dogs". I had the same feelings as the woman in the article, but just thought that I was either not doing enough or I was doing something wrong. As a result, I found myself working 80 hour weeks and yet not really getting anything more done. Then about three years ago, I remember walking up the stairs and my legs began burning like I had just completed a major workout. Soon, my arms started getting tired from brushing my hair. I had mentioned these things to my doctor who told me that it was odd but we would just wait it out and see if it went away on its own. When my jaw started getting too tired during a meal for me to eat, I knew it was time to seek o...

What is Work? Work is that which must be done! I came across this definition at some point in my life and I do not remember the source, but it has always stayed with me. To me, this is the ultimate definition of work and can be read in so many different ways. The most important word here is "must". The word must can be read in a variety of ways and it is in those slight variations that we find most of our contemplation, confusion and conflict. Some would read "must" as "need" - work is what needs to be done. I would agree with this to some degree. For me, this depends on who is determining the need. If I am determining the need, then I am more likely to find it value added. I will support and work based on what I believe in. Therefore, if I determine that the work is needed, then I will be diligent in the work. The problem comes when we are not the ones who determine what is needed. If we do not see the need for the work then we are more likely not t...

Week 5 - Taking Stock I did do some serious reflection this past week. As always, I think of the effort that I am putting into the class and think of ways that I could be more efficient and productive and use my time more wisely. As, I have said before, this class and it's structure are very different than other classes I have taken in my graduate studies so far. I am finding it difficult to shake the precedent that has been set before and the schedule that I had developed in my life for school work. I find that, due to this, I am not experiencing the details of the class as much as I would like. I have decided that I will take the time to look up extra information on topics that I find particularly interesting to expand my knowledge. I have also been thinking of the quantitative measures as they pertains to this class. Obviously, the first thing that I think about is grading. Honestly, I have never had a problem with grades in courses that I have taken so far. This grading is...

Brainstorming as Consulting? I can see where it might seem like Schein is describing a brainstorming exercise as he talks about his consulting strategy. His strategy and brainstorming share some commonalities, not least of which is that both require a trusting relationship in order to succeed. Schein describes in depth how after forming this trust with a client, it is his job to help the client define and sort out the "messy problems" that they might have. He states that after some inquiry in the situation, often the true reason or problem emerges and it is then that new solutions might emerge (Schein, 2016). This is close to one of the fundamental reasons that we brainstorm - to "open up possibilities and break down incorrect assumptions." (Mind Tools, n.d.) However, there is a definite difference between the two approaches.  During brainstorming we throw out any an all possibilities - no matter how crazy. Possible solutions can come from anywhere and we tak...

Reflection on Engagement I found this a very interesting reflection topic this week. This is actually something that I have been struggling with this term.  All the courses that have come before this have been interesting and for the most part well-organized. While I found them interesting, I did not find them particularly challenging. They were set up in a prescriptive format with a set of readings and posts due each week with the occasional test thrown in here or there. There was usually a mid-term project and almost always a research paper of some sort due at the end of the class. I felt that the classes were set up so that if you did the readings, you would be able to do well on the postings, tests and papers. They were not particularly set up to be engaging or to promote thought and there was a sense of a "set it and forget it" mentality from the professors. This is not what I was expecting a Masters level course to be like, but I chalked it up to being structured...

Week 4 Mind Map Please note that I do not find mind mapping easy and it is probably my least favorite way to convey information. I find it hard to follow and I do not like that it lacks detail that I really want - but I realize the importance of being "vague". Apryl LLC Mind Map

Brainstorming linked to Critical Thinking There are many ways that brainstorming and critical thinking are alike. At the basis of both is the desire to solve a problem. They are both tools that are used to create solutions and encourage curiosity and eagerness (QualiaSoup, 2009). Here is where I believe the similarities start to fall away.  Brainstorming is, by its nature, a more free-spirited, avant-garde way of looking at a problem. It requires being able to express all thoughts - even the ones that seem illogical or crazy. (Mind Tools, n.d.). Critical thinking is just the opposite as it requires the expression of ideas that can be explained or tested. It requires that we don't just accept thoughts or ideas as possibilities, but rather that we evaluate and identify the false ideas to get us to a better solution (QualiaSoup, 2009).  A true critical thinker would have a hard time with a brainstorming exercise. They simply can not accept ideas without evaluating them...

I have not started a mind mapping of my special project yet. I am letting the idea ruminate a bit as we discussed in our 1:1. I have included the notes that I have on the project so far after our discussion below. Where am I now △ Where do I want to be What is the relationship between your self awareness and your KM technical skill sets What is my dream job What drew you to the course in the first place How do we present KM to executives Will will never get to utopia so how do we cope Utopia △ Where we are - what do we know of the difference? KM has the insight and becomes very threatening to the C-Suite How do we provide relevant insight to the C-suite Why does most consulting fail Why are most things project based and not implementation based How is KM work measured Qualitative vs. Quantitative Ethnography might help bring Quantitative to Qualitative Internal Knowledge Management is hard to maintain Business plan for Apryl LLC - fold in necessary tools - what is my...

Porter vs. Mintzberg This week we see two very different perspectives on strategy as highlighted by Porter and Mintzberg. In a nutshell, Porter would have you choose one of three generic strategies (Cost Leadership, Differentiation, or Focus) and analyze your organization in order to know which strategy to best choose. Mintzberg on the other hand would have you start down a path toward a strategy but not have it planned out. Basically, we would see where the road would take us. Evaluate the patterns of actions that are taken in response to certain circumstances and see the strategy that emerges from those actions.  For me, I see myself initially drawn to the teachings of Porter more than Mintzberg. This is simply because I prefer structure, detail and an "equation" to follow and Porter's theory lends itself to this nicely. However, I am also drawn to Mintzberg's teachings. As my Myers-Briggs test would reflect, the Protagonist is well suited for Mintzberg's the...

Reflection on Week 2 + Nothing really negative to say about week 2 + I found the self reflection from the MBTI a nice reminder of my style - it was re-focusing + Focusing on what my strengths are and how to enhance them and what my weaknesses are and how to solve for them. -/+ Didn't find the reading on "Choosing Your Knowledge Management Strategy particularly helpful in that it seemed like they were just summarizing the different types of strategies and not really giving any guidance on how to choose a strategy. + Loved the readings and video around helping. It really spoke to my common strategy.

What is KM Strategy KM strategy is different for all and depends greatly on the circumstances. KM strategy is defined by the organization or group that is seeking it out by asking questions first about how they would like to utilize KM. For some, KM might be storage and accessibility of information. For others, it may be the development of knowledge into more innovative products or information. For still others, it may be the sustainability of knowledge through practice and development of people. The KM strategy is how those goals are specifically reached through KM. Often, there are several goals that must be considered in a KM strategy and may employ several different methods, techniques and technologies.