Explicit Knowledge for a HR Professional - Literature review Example

Running Head: Knowledge Management Your name Course name Professors’ name Date Assessment activity 1 Explicit knowledge for a HR professional Smith (2001) defined explicit knowledge as a form of academic knowledge, which is described and communicated formally in print or electronic media and has its basis on established work processes. Smith affirms that explicit knowledge requires high level of understanding that is gained through formal studies. HR professional should therefore be conversant with print media that support knowledge. The explicit knowledge is often codified and stored in a database, which is accessed by using systems that retrieves information. This calls for an explicit knowledge on the use of information technology and other systems. Codifications aids in connecting people with valuable resources hence the ability to reuse knowledge when solving related problems. To be an effective human resource professional, a person needs explicit knowledge on rules that guides on recruitment, training, job rotation, and termination. During recruitment, a HR professional should be guided by company rules and policies to attract, hire, and retain excellent labour force. Most organizations pay attention to prospective candidates by looking at aspects such as teamwork. After hiring new employees, a professional needs to be well versed with training needs as articulated in company policy. Availing training modules such as knowledge management systems and elaborating on how it is shared and implemented is an explicit knowledge critical to a HR professional. HR professional needs explicit knowledge on how to engage in human-talent exchange. This is a situation where people rent out their talents to other companies as opposed to working for a single company. Human resources can be linked to a worldwide structural capital, which then enables the company to tap high calibre employee. More so, a professional should be knowledgeable in employee appraisal. The appraisal reports are helpful when analysing work achievement and setting best practises. Tacit knowledge for a HR professional Skapinker (2002) discusses tacit knowledge as a personal knowledge employed when carrying out professional duties. Through experience while handling organizational tasks, HR professional develops tacit knowledge. This person will be able to make intuitive judgements that lead to successful execution of human resource functions. Generally, tacit knowledge is experiential and contextual. Furthermore, the knowledge cannot be easily codified or written. Tacit knowledge that a HR professional requires include mental models, values, beliefs, perceptions, insights, and assumptions. Besides, intuitions, skills and experiences, are necessary forms of tacit knowledge for a human resource practitioner. Mental models influence how people make sense of the world. To demonstrate effectiveness, a HR professional is required to deploy metaphors, analogies, and stories for the sake of conveying tacit knowledge to other people within an organization. Through the stories, listeners are able to evaluate the content and apply relevant tacit knowledge to their jobs. Common sense and diplomacy makes up tacit knowledge applicable when dealing with difficult employees. Acquisition of explicit and tacit knowledge Traditionally, knowledge is acquired by consulting human experts, databases, and reference materials. Printed material such as company policy manuals, reports, published books, and journal articles often acts as the source of explicit knowledge. On the other hand, tacit knowledge is sourced from human resources since it resides in the human minds (Boateng, 2011). The problem with tacit knowledge is that when people leave an organization, knowledge leaves with them. For that reason, it is significant to consider techniques of capturing both tacit and explicit knowledge. Printed materials should not be considered as an absolute source of explicit knowledge. Printed materials are only references. As a source of explicit knowledge acquisition, literature including reports, regulations, books, and procedures are reviewed by a human resource professional. These materials are useful in defining and clarifying terms and conditions. More so, they provide an insight into issues that needs redress. Manuals and regulations typically are in printed forms. They provide additional information about a problem area. The format and mode of organization of manuals and regulations agree with form and organization of a specific business. These documents must be available to a HR professional given that they guide on business operations. Explicit knowledge as well is acquired through reports, memos, and guidelines. These documents have no defined organizations thus will require more elaboration and clarification for a person to comprehend and extract knowledge. Published books and journal articles are sources of high-level information i.e. clarification of terms and summary description about a problem area. Explicit knowledge has the advantage of possible capture and storage of information in any form that eases retrieval. To add on this, knowledge is available all the time and to all people both inside and outside the organization. The possibility of discussing, testing, improving, and enhancing knowledge is identifiable with explicit knowledge. This type of knowledge can identify knowledge that contributes substantially to an organization and goes further to deduce knowledge deficiencies within the knowledge assets. An HR professional should possess knowledge on how to cultivate tacit knowledge. Socialization activities such as team building and other developmental assignments are critical in developing tacit knowledge. By encouraging socialization and applying apprentice-style learning, human resource professional will be able to reduce loss of tacit knowledge that occurs because of employee turnover. Instituting a policy that allows workers to work as a team opens the way for transfer of knowledge to several other individuals. Mentorships and job rotations supplement tacit knowledge acquisitions. Distinguishing knowledge based on truth from knowledge based on belief Information that is accumulated and stored in human brains, which forms a system of thoughts makes a belief. This is highly subjective and so based on personal behaviour. Conversely, truth is objective and independent of an individual person. Hislop (2007) presented the objectivist and practice-based perspective of conceptualising knowledge, which helps a human resource professional to distinguish knowledge based on truth and belief. The objectivist view knowledge in an explicit position i.e. knowledge is codified, objective and independent of the context, and easily shared. This means that knowledge is a unit made up of facts, thus the objectivity concept. In opposition, practice-based perspective views knowledge as a belief constructed from social and cultural context. The manifest of this knowledge is in what people do. Assessment Activity 2 Knowledge management In a study by Liss (1999, p.1), knowledge management is described as a systematic and organizationally specified procedure of determining the kind of information within a company and how it can benefit others. It entails the process of acquiring, organising, and communicating both tacit and explicit knowledge so that other people can utilise it productively. Processes that have been put in place by management to gather, organise, share, and analyse knowledge base falls under knowledge management. These processes take note of human, social, and cultural factors. The capacity of organizations to develop new knowledge depends on human socialization in a specific context, which provides an avenue for sharing and converting individual or rather tacit knowledge to company or explicit knowledge. Technology in Knowledge Management comes in handy to provide a social context where knowledge is captured and shared. Organisational learning A situation where an organization takes advantage of knowledge possessed by members to conduct its business is classified as organizational learning. A business establishment operating under organizational learning always value contributions made all members in decision-making process. This approach has been used by a range of businesses as a strategy to ensure continuous improvement. The first step in organizational learning is to encourage employees to embrace the spirit of continuous learning. This is followed by the second stage of team learning where people are motivated to work in teams and build a new mindset where knowledge is transferred throughout the organization. Thirdly is to use the newly gained knowledge to create market opportunities. Cummings and Worley (1993) reiterate that a learning organization has the ability to learn, adapt, and change. Learning processes in these organizations are usually analysed, developed, monitored, and aligned with organizational goals. The need for organizational learning is motivated by the constantly changing environment. Locke and Jain (1995) allude to the fact learning takes place within individuals. When new people are employed in an organization, there is possibility that new skills will be captured by the organization. Locke went ahead to state that learning take place in individual, group, and organizational levels. Importance of KM and OL in relation to individual and organizational performance The first benefit of organizational learning to an organization is noticeable during period of rapid change. To adapt to these changes, organizations must execute new work processes within a workplace environment. A learning organization often view change as an opportunity to learn by attempting to solve problems. At the same time, employees are able to expand their skills and experiences. This is made possible by executing action learning, workouts, and cross-functional teams. The second benefit of organizational learning is a shift in focus from ensuring compliance to serving customers. Through organizational learning, an organization is able to align various variables including customer needs, organizational goals, individual learning, and resource allocation. Benchmarks, strategic planning, and corporate score comprise of learning strategies needed to shift focus. As employee retires, there is a reduction in workforce consequently eroding organizational knowledge base. Through organizational learning and Knowledge management, it is possible to promote information exchange and further capture expertise from all levels. Technology plays a critical role in facilitating information exchange. Fourth benefit relates to the changing role of supervisors. The roles of supervisors have been evolving and are assuming human resource functions. Managers in a learning organization, for example, act as teachers and all people are required to be responsible for own learning. It is crucial to appreciate the fact that budgets constrains have made it hard for organizations to allocate funds for training purposes. Employees therefore have less time to go for formal training. As a substitute to this, organizational learning brings in integrative strategies that allow employees to work while learning. Alternatives such as job rotations, special assignments, coaching, and mentoring comprise of alternatives to formal training. Nonaka (1995) emphasises that a well-reasoned application of knowledge culminates to better decisions specifically at work levels. This is in recognition of the fact that decision made at strategic level of a company may not break an organization but those made on a daily basis at the front line. Informed decisions are made by spending more time on creative process as opposed to information gathering. Even though decision support systems aids in analysis, they also provide tools for increasing access to relevant information. Knowledge management system facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing in addition to retaining institutional knowledge. Individuals benefit by being able to access new knowledge from the knowledge base thus increasing worker productivity. Practices that promote OL and KS The first practice that aims to promote organizational learning and knowledge sharing is possession of inspiring vision for learning and learning strategies. Leaders are committed to learning and pass on information covering on benefits of learning in realising organizational success. In this case, communication systems facilitate lateral transfer consequently eliminating the possibility of concentrating knowledge in a single place. Organizational learning is further promoted by the practice of careful consideration of both planned and emergent learning. Existence of a shared memory where discoveries, inventions, and evaluations are entrenched confirms organizational learning and knowledge sharing. Information and communication technologies improve knowledge sharing. This is actualised by creative use of shared document drives, intranet pages, networks, blogs, and other collaborative workspaces. An organization practising knowledge sharing has a culture of trust, which motivates people to share information. Connecting knowledge seekers with knowledge sources is a move towards effective knowledge sharing. Potential reasons for underuse of existing organisational knowledge Lack of management commitment affects usage of organizational knowledge. Management is responsible for every facet of the organization i.e. developing organizational structure, technology, and other decisions that facilitate creation, sharing, and use of knowledge. It is therefore important for top management to support and remain committed to knowledge creation, sharing, and usage in a long-term basis. By identifying strengths and weaknesses and going further to analyse opportunities and strengths in the environment, management will be able to conceptualise type of knowledge needed to attain a specific vision. Deficiency of technological infrastructure influences usage of organizational knowledge. Technological infrastructure acts as a base for an organization to control its knowledge. Technology such as business intelligence, data mining, and workflow improves usage of organizational knowledge. Organization structure plays a role in usage of knowledge in an organization. The structure of organization, bureaucratic or task force specifies jobs to be done and their relationships. Bureaucratic approach is a hindrance to knowledge flow and usage thus should be discouraged. On the other hand, task force strategy exercises flexibility and adoptability consequently bringing together workforce to solve problems. The structure of the organization must therefore support knowledge transfer, creation, and reuse. Management actions that help remove barriers I. The management should create an environment where teams are motivated to share, challenge, create, and apply knowledge. II. There is need for management to allocate sufficient funds when building an information system that supports knowledge management. III. Management should move away from bureaucratic management style to empowering workforce. This improves knowledge sharing in an organization. Reference List Boateng, R., 2011. Knowledge Management and HR. [online] Available at: [Accessed 22 Feb 2012]. Cummings, T. G., and Worley, C. G., 1993. Strategic Interventions. Organizational Development and Change. Cinncinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing. Hislop, D., 2009. Knowledge Management in Organizations: a critical introduction. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Liss, K., 1999. “Do we know how to do that? Understanding knowledge management”, Harvard Management Update, February, pp. 1-4. Locke, E. A., and Jain, V. K., 1995. Organizational learning and continuous             improvement. The International Journal of Organizational Analysis..3(1): pp. 45-68. Nonaka, I. & Takeuchi, H., 1995. The Knowledge-creating Company. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Skapinker, M. (2002) Knowledge management: the change agenda. London: CIPD. Smith, E. A., 2001. The role of tacit and explicit knowledge in the workplace. Journal of Knowledge Management 5(4), pp. 311-321. Read More