Week 7 : Knowledge Management Organisational Culture

On 19 of July 2013 . We had our the seventh lecture of TKM 1291 Introduction to Knowledge Management. The topic of this lecture is Knowledge Management Organizational Culture. So Basically the learning Outcome for this lecture as follows :

 

1- Develop better understanding of organizational culture and key dimensions of different cultures.

2- Identify cultural enablers and obstacles of knowledge sharing.

3- Discuss relationship between organizational change and KM.

4- Identify major phases involved in initiating organizational change to attain KM goals.

So first of all we learned what is Organizational culture, which is:-
* Shared assumptions, beliefs and values.
* Powerful unifying force.
* Embedded in lager social environment.

Then we came cross some points of culture as an enabler of transfer , which is : -
* KM begins with self knowledge.
* KM deals people.
* The tacit and explicit spiral and SECI model (Nonaka and Takeuchi).

 

Next we have discussed the Typology of cultures which is :-

( High Sociability + High Solidarity) = Communal Cultural.

( Low Sociability + High Solidarity)= Mercenary Cultural.

( High Sociability + Low Solidarity)= Networked Cultural.

( Low Sociability + Low Solidarity)= Fragmented Cultural.

 

* Sociability : measure for friendliness - high sociability - people orientation, team orientation and process focus.

* Solidarity : measure for task orientation - high solidarity - people work well together toward common goals despite personal conflicts.

Then we have discussed the analysis of organizational culture : the levels which are : -

1- Artifacts : Visible structures and processes.

2- Espoused Values : Conscious or stated strategies, goals and assumptions.

3- Basic assumptions and values : Unconscious, taken for granted beliefs, thoughts and feelings.

So we have moved on and realize that there are several factors have been identified as cultural influences include : Past patterns and history , Teamwork, Climate and morale, Information flows across the community, supervision quality, leadership and Workplace interactions .

 

Then we have learned some of the ways that culture may operate in workplace such as :
1- Exchange - regulator.

2- Compass.

3- Social glue.

4- Sacred cow.

Next we went through Knowledge Cultural Enablers which are Influences that con tribute to the creation of an effective and positive knowledge community such as Core values , Structural support , Enacted values and Interaction with Colleagues.

  

Then we studied Effective Knowledge Cultures which is value-driven process , Shared knowledge , Collaboration , trust and long integrated approach.

 

 

Then Madam have showed us a video of the women culture in Microsoft Corporation as an example of Enablers and Obstacles that may Woman face within the workplace environment.

 

In summary this lecture aims to show that since culture penetrates to the essence of an organization , it is considered acute sense of what an organization is its mission , core values seems to have become a necessary asset of the modern company. Beside that Organisational culture consists of the set of norms, routines and unspoken rules of how things are done in that organization. Finally showed us that the development of an effective knowledge community requires dedicated and ongoing support.