Product Description

The definitive overview of knowledge management, now available in paperback. This influential book establishes the enduring vocabulary and concepts in the burgeoning field of knowledge management. It serves as the hands-on resource of choice for companies that recognize knowledge as the only sustainable source of competitive advantage going forward. Drawing from their work with more than 30 knowledge-rich firms, Davenport and Prusak - experienced consultants with a track record of success - examine how all types of companies can effectively understand, analyze, measure, and manage their intellectual assets, turning corporate wisdom into market value.They categorize knowledge work into four sequential activities - accessing, generating, embedding, and transferring - and look at the key skills, techniques, and processes of each. While they present a practical approach to cataloging and storing knowledge so that employees can easily leverage it throughout the firm, the authors caution readers on the limits of communications and information technology in managing intellectual capital.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63518 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .62" h x 6.20" w x 9.11" l, .61 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Amazon.com Review
When new-car developers at Ford Motor Company wanted to learn why the original Taurus design team was so successful, no one could tell them. No one remembered or had recorded what made that effort so special; the knowledge gained in the Taurus project was lost forever. Indeed, the most valuable asset in any company is probably also its most elusive and difficult to manage: knowledge. Authors Thomas H. Davenport and Laurence Prusak assert that learning how to identify, manage, and foster knowledge is vital for companies who hope to compete in today's fast-moving global economy.

Working Knowledge examines how knowledge can be nurtured in organizations. Building trust throughout a company is the key to creating a knowledge-oriented corporate culture, a positive environment in which employees are encouraged to make decisions that are efficient, productive, and innovative. The book includes numerous examples of successful knowledge projects at companies such as British Petroleum, 3M, Mobil Oil, and Hewlett-Packard. Concise and clearly written, Working Knowledge is an excellent resource for managers who want to better harness the experience and wisdom within their organizations.

From Library Journal
Having consulted more than 30 companies involved in KM initiatives, the authors pack their book with information on successful projects and cover issues ranging from corporate culture and employee behavior, to the role of information technology in KM and how to measure a project's success. A practical and thorough approach makes this one of the best books for readers new to the topic.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Working Knowledge provides a strong, fundamental grounding in many of the concepts that are critical to understanding knowledge management."
-- PC Week

"Working Knowledge provides practical advice about implementing a knowledge-management system.... A solid dose of common sense for any company looking to acquire or maintain; a competitive edge."
-- Upside

"If you would like to spur the growth of knowledge in your organization, a copy of Working Knowledge will put you on the road."
-- Atlanta Business Chronicle

"Provides readers with a deeper understanding of how knowledge management can help organizations improve performance and enhance productivity."
-- Training & Development

"Thomas H. Davenport and Laurence Prusak provide much more than another treasure map to the knowledge-management fields....[They] offer impressive lodes of actions you can actually start on Monday morning."
— -- American Way