The recently introduced International Standards for Knowledge Management ISO 30401:2018 has been developed, which organizations may be certified against to assess how well knowledge is being managed. These standards revolve around specifying and consolidating effective management systems required for managing knowledge effectively based on best practices.

The recently launched standards herald a new beginning where a structured and systematic approach for knowledge management has been defined. It also specifies what needs attention to provide much needed guidance on how the overall concept may be integrated effectively within the overall management systems of the organization in question.

But why are the standards needed in the first place? The short answer to this question is to remove many misconceptions that presently abound regarding knowledge management. By defining clearly, the requirements for knowledge management, organizations can redirect knowledge management initiatives around creating value for the organization. This can only happen through a deep and accurate understanding of what knowledge management is and how one should approach it.

The key contents in the standard may be categorized in three main sections:

• Introduction
• Requirements
• Appendices

A brief indication of what these sections entail is indicated below

Introduction

This section covers issues surrounding the source of knowledge as well as the characteristics of knowledge. What is crucial for knowledge to be managed as well as how knowledge adds value and how this value may be gradually unlocked in practice is discussed in this section.

Requirements

This section is subdivided into ten subsections that define key requirements for successful implementation of knowledge management. These subsections cover issues such as importance of specifying scope of reference before attempting to “manage” knowledge. It lays particular emphasis on defining clearly normative references as well as terms and definitions so that a common understanding of the underlying issues is developed before wide scale initiative is launched within the context of the organization in question.

Once the stage is set, particular emphasis has to be placed on critical requirements such as having a supporting leadership that drives knowledge management initiatives and developing an integrated plan that integrates knowledge management initiatives into the overall management systems in place. For ensuring development and continuity of knowledge management, key support mechanisms required as well as operational issues that have to be considered are detailed. The standards also provide some indication of mechanisms needed for performance evaluation before and after knowledge management is undertaken and overall improvement efforts required to keep the momentum going.

Appendices

The section of appendix has three sub sections

• The knowledge Spectrum
• Boundaries between KM and other disciplines
• KM Culture

In the appendices, the subsections detailed include the knowledge spectrum within which knowledge should be managed. This is deemed necessary as knowledge takes many forms and the overall spectrum should encompass all associated forms of knowledge. Another subsection is the boundaries between Knowledge Management and other disciplines. Clearly defining and at the same time recognizing these boundaries is necessary to avoid being lulled into the misconception that knowledge management is just another form of information management. The third subsection covered in the appendix related to the need for developing a KM culture comprising a strong belief on the importance of collaboration, sharing, reflecting and learning. These beliefs are the hallmark of the development and sustenance of a knowledge management culture within an organization.

Based on the above, there appears to be a convergence in agreement from a broad spectrum of knowledge management practitioners that managing knowledge effectively to create value for the organization depends a great deal of adherence to fundamental requirements. From a systems standpoint, these requirements include having clarity of the purpose for knowledge management, being clear of the overall scope and context within which knowledge has to be managed.

On a more operational standpoint, leadership, planning, support, operations, performance evaluation as well as improvements should be factored into any attempt to manage knowledge better. As knowledge is fundamentally embedded in the minds of people, it is crucial that people do not maintain a mentality of being consumers of knowledge but actively seek out knowledge to learn for the purpose of adding value to the organization. For this to manifest, a knowledge culture needs to be nurtured within the organization.

Without a standard such as the ISO 30410:2018 in place, the preponderance of practices supposedly aimed at improving organizations to manage knowledge effectively will only stifle efforts to develop knowledge management as a discipline that encompasses a well-defined boundary and adopts an agreed upon approach that could be readily assessed and improvement upon with time.

Dr Rumesh Kumar

Sharma Management International

Malaysia