Knowledge sharing for performance and growth

Knowledge sharing matters more than ever in today's rapidly changing, globalised world where knowledge is the key resource for twenty-first century organisations. Knowledge sharing is about creating the conditions in order for knowledge to be accessed, developed and shared effectively, both internally and externally. Knowledge sharing is a pre-requisite for current optimum performance and future growth.

Improved knowledge sharing means:

• learning from successes and mistakes… to improve today's performance.
• learning how to be more successful… by creating new knowledge that will improve tomorrow's performance.
• improving the capacity of the organisation to collaborate … "joining things up".
• having the right knowledge in the right place at the right time…. to be able to make better decisions.

Knowledge sharing therefore necessitates a focus on:

• Learning
• Change management
• Collaboration
• Culture
• Strategy
• Technologies
• Knowledge sharing behaviour
• Business performance
• Alliances and partnerships

Knowledge management trends

Improving knowledge sharing by focusing on collaboration is an increasing priority for many organisations. This was shown in a survey of member organisations of the Henley KM Forum that asked about knowledge management trends:

• Initiatives to improve collaboration continue to receive considerable attention: both using technologies such as new social software tools such as wikis and blogs, but also network and community building initiatives.
• There is increasing attention to knowledge sharing through improving collaboration with external organisations: partners, suppliers and customers.
• The greatest areas of increasing activity were demonstrating the value of KM and embedding KM in business processes and systems.
• Relationships with human resources management colleagues are being developed to establish knowledge sharing as a key aspect of competency frameworks.
• Over half the respondents said that KM sits within a function or activity that is responsible for organisational development, capability building or effectiveness, or a strategy or policy function, or directly to the CEO/Board.
• Public sector organisations in the UK are increasingly committing to knowledge management.