KM in three levels

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We can look at three levels of Knowledge Management Implementation

1 The lowest is the level of activity, and of application of individual KM tools. This level can support the routine job of the common staff , it is visible at low levels, and easy to do. You can introduce KM by stealth at this level (but only at this level). However it lacks management support, and can have a very short lived effect. Like a shallow-rooted plant, it can wither away quickly.

 2 The middle level is to change the process of the organisation in one area of work. we can introduce a Knowledge Management framework and embed KM into the business, to make KM an organizational activity. This is the level at which real value can be delivered, but Knowledge Management can still find itself at war with corporate policies, such as internal competition, reward mechanisms, inadequate technical career paths, lack of accountability for knowledge, and so on.

 3 The highest level involved the senior managers. It requires them to change the vision they that they had about KM, and to see it as a strategic tool. In the longer term, the support of senior managers is needed, to develop the conditions that support a Knowledge-focused culture, and to deliver a truly learning organisation.

A strategic implementation will take Knowledge Management through these steps in a progressive way

 Level 1 would be addressed during the Definition stage, where you would trial various elements of KM at a low level in the organisation. The purpose of level 1 activity would be to define the framework you would use in the piloting.

 Level 2 would be addressed during the Piloting stage – to introduce a knowledge management framework framework on  a large scale scope

 Level 3 would be addressed after the pilot, and would be the change management program that accompanies the roll-out of Knowledge management to the organisation.

 For level 1, we need the support of lower to middle level managers
For level 2, we need the support of middle level to high level managers
For level 3, we need the support of the highest managers

At each level, we demonstrate enough value to gain the support of the managers at the next level.