Knowledge Management and its Advantages in Business Research Paper

Knowledge Management and its Advantages in Business - Research Paper Example Knowledge management can either contribute to the corporation or harm it in the attainment of the corporate goals. Thus, in order to assess its effect upon the organization, knowledge management must be considered as one of the business processes of the organization. This way, it can be determined whether the organization is moving closer or farther from the goals and objectives. Measuring KM effectiveness can be attained by measuring its impact upon the other business processes, the goals and benefits. Knowledge is an intangible asset and therefore cannot be observed. In recent times, management of knowledge has gained a lot of focus in organization management. Essentially, it has become one of the most important assets in business today. Knowledge management can be defined as the continual and persistent interaction among players in a system that leads to enhancement and maintenance of the systems knowledge base. The system or organization produces knowledge by gathering and organizing information and integrating the information in its strategies, goals and objectives to ensure adaptability and sustainable growth. In other words, an organization utilizing knowledge management continually compares existing knowledge with new information and adds up its knowledge base to improve on its method of production, strategies in an attempt to ensure that its targets and goals are attained. (Firestone, 1998). In a business setting, knowledge has three main building blocks, namely: a) data wh ich is raw, and without context; b) data is then transformed into information which is usable; and c) lastly, information is interpreted and combined to beget knowledge. There are two main types of knowledge, tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is derived from experience, and refers to expertise or knowledge that is difficult to transfer orally or through writing. For example, mechanical expertise can, to an extent be classified as tacit because it is acquired in time through experience and practice. On the other hand, explicit knowledge can be documented and taught through classroom learning. Explicit knowledge can easily be shared without necessarily having to practice or train (Marquard, 1996). Statement of the problem In the corporate environment, multiple factors that have emerged in the recent past have continually changed the approach and way of conducting profitable and sustainable businesses globally. Increased competition due to global economic developm ent, liberalization of international markets, advancement in technology and global integration has significantly changed the competitive landscape. Moreover, increased information access and globalization has not only increased consumer choice but also shifted power from producers to consumers. Traditionally, critical success factors such as product leadership, capital