Box 2.2 Definitions of Knowledge Management
1. Knowledge management is the collection of processes that govern
the creation, dissemination, and utilization of knowledge. – Brian
Newman
2. Knowledge management is the management of the organization
towards the continuous renewal of the organizational knowledge
base – this means, for example, the creation of supportive
organizational structures, facilitation of organizational members,
putting IT-instruments with emphasis on teamwork and diffusion
of knowledge (e.g., groupware) into place. – Thomas Bertels
3. Knowledge management is an audit of “intellectual assets” that
highlights unique sources, critical functions and potential bottlenecks
which hinder knowledge flows to the point of use. – Denham Grey
4. Knowledge management consists of activities focused on the
organization gaining knowledge from its own experience and from
the experience of others, and on the judicious application of that
knowledge to fulfill the mission of the organization. – Gregory Wenig
5. Knowledge management is a business activity with two primary
aspects: (a) treating the knowledge component of business activities as
an explicit concern of business reflected in strategy, policy, and practice
at all levels of the organization; and (b) making a direct connection
between an organization’s intellectual assets – both explicit (recorded)
and tacit (personal know-how) – and positive business results. – Rebecca
O. Barclay and Philip C. Murray
6. Knowledge management is the process through which organizations
generate value from their intellectual and knowledge-based assets. –
Megan Santosus and Jon Surmacz
7. Knowledge management is the systematic process of finding, selecting,
organizing, distilling and presenting information in a way that improves
an employee’s comprehension in a specific area of interest. – University
of Texas
8. Knowledge management is a process with four parts that comprise
a loop: knowledge is created, knowledge is captured, knowledge is
classified and modified, and knowledge is shared. – Wally Bock