denotes premium content | Dec 3 2008 Inside Knowledge Magazine /Knowledge Management Magazine Archive
Volume 9 Issue 7
There can be few industries more complex, risk-ridden and fraught than the aircraft industry. New designs can take a decade or more to develop, orders can be subject to the capricious whims of politicians and the companies therefore have to predict likely demand many years ahead – and plan and finance accordingly.
That is what makes Jerry Ash’s case report this month so intriguing. Israeli Aircraft Industries has faced all of those challenges and more, but by working out a carefully constructed knowledge management (KM) plan it has not only managed to smooth out the turbulence caused by the natural ups and downs of the aircraft-manufacturing industry, but helped to unite a once fragmented company.
It also demonstrates how KM has moved from the fringe to take centre stage in modern corporate strategy.
Jerry’s case report also highlights the fact that organisations, even those with no formal KM programme, often have one or more KM supporters often implementing projects underneath the corporate radar. Such people, of course, should not be squashed as renegades – like Jerry’s Brazilian correspondent in his KnowledgeWorks column of last month – but enlisted to the cause.
And that cause is growing all the time, as Naguib Chowdhury’s report from
This is reflected by the recognition bestowed on such diverse companies as car-maker
We will, no doubt, be hearing more about those and many other organisations based in the Asia/Pacific region in the coming years. IK readers, however, will be able to read about some of them in case studies in the coming months.
Features
Case study: DVLA
The third and final part in a series of case studies from the DVLA, this month examining its nascent efforts to create a more collaborative culture. By Alison Saunders.
Case study: Lafarge Roofing
Lafarge Roofing has adopted a range of tools and techniques to improve the exchange of both knowledge and best practice, says Griet Johannsen.
Country profile: Malaysia
Malaysia arguably trails behind regional rivals Japan, Singapore and India in the adoption of knowledge management – but it is catching up fast, says Naguib Chowdhury.
Case report: Israeli Aircraft Industries
Knowledge management has helped Israeli Aircraft Industries to make good use of its know-how – before it starts to go stale. Jerry Ash reports.
Regulars
KnowledgeWorks: KM maxims
Verna Allee recently moderated a STAR Series Dialogue for the Association of Knowledgework (AOK) with the aim of producing a list of fundamental maxims about knowledge management (KM), applicable regardless of players, time or place. Surely there have been some activities and lessons that have proved to be true, each and every time?
KM toolkit: Risk management
The discipline of risk management is as broad as business itself, which means that risk managers in different organisations need different tools to do their job.
Masterclass: Change management (part I)
The first in a two-part masterclass exploring KM-driven change-management strategies.
By Catherine Kelly.
The knowledge: Lee Bryant
Under the cover of business, Lee Bryant is bringing social networking and knowledge sharing to individuals within large organisations. Sandra Higgison hears his war stories about the value of authenticity in communications and learns how his company, Headshift, applies innovation to the real-world of business needs.
KM University: William P. Hall
William P. Hall selects the key books that he believes every knowledge management practitioner must read.
Book review: Stealth KM
In Stealth KM, Niall Sinclair issues his personal manifesto for approaching the adoption of KM within government, based on his experience within the Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), a large bureaucratic Canadian government department.
Trend tracker: Collaboration
A couple of months ago I wrote about the need for greater integration across the different collaboration tools that an organisation might implement today and focused on the improving level of integration between different components within individual suites. But an essential second level of integration is between collaboration suites from different vendors.
Letter from... Cairo
Scientific researchers tend to develop their skills in only one dimension – their particular discipline – and lack some of the other abilities that can help them complete the cycle of their scientific achievement.
Thought leader: Stan Garfield
I developed this list after a discussion led by Verna Allee and the Association of Knowledgework: “What, for you, are the tried and true ‘classics’... maxims that you find yourself relying on in your current conversations,” she asked. That question prompted me to write the following list.
