Learning as a Part of Institutional Knowledge Management (IKM) in Knowledge Based Economy(KBE)

 Learning as a Part of Institutional Knowledge Management (IKM) in Knowledge Based Economy(KBE)

By
Dr. Abdelkarim Darwish
Learning as a part of Institutional Knowledge Management (IKM) in Knowledge Based Economy(KBE)can be fully expressed through different means as well as channels according to the kinds of knowledge which are targeted for acquisition.
According to the study of The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the distinctions can be made between different kinds of knowledge which are important in the knowledge-based economy: know-what, know-why, know- how and know-who. These four types of knowledge can be elaborated as the fowling:
1) Know-what refers to knowledge about “facts”. How many people live in New York? What are the ingredients in pancakes? And when was the battle of Waterloo? are examples of this kind of knowledge. Here, knowledge is close to what is normally called information – it can be broken down into bits. In some complex areas, experts must have a lot of this kind of knowledge in order to fulfil their jobs. Practitioners of law and medicine belong to this category.
2) Know-why refers to scientific knowledge of the principles and laws of nature. This kind of knowledge underlies technological development and product and process advances in most industries. The production and reproduction of know-why is often organized in specialized organizations, such as research laboratories and universities. To get access to this kind of knowledge, firms have to interact with these organizations either through recruiting scientifically-trained labor or directly through contacts and joint activities.
3) Know-how refers to skills or the capability to do something. Businessmen judging market prospects for a new product or a personnel manager selecting and training staff have to use their know-how. The same is true for the skilled worker operating complicated machine tools. Know-how is typically a kind of knowledge developed and kept within the border of an individual firm. One of the most important reasons for the formation of industrial networks is the need for firms to be able to share and combine elements of know-how.
4) Know-who involves information about who knows what and who knows how to do what. It involves the formation of special social relationships which make it possible to get access to experts and use their knowledge efficiently. It is significant in economies where skills are widely dispersed because of a highly developed division of labor among organizations and experts. For the modern manager and organization, it is important to use this kind of knowledge in response to the acceleration in the rate of change. The know-who kind of knowledge is internal to the organization to a higher degree than any other kind of knowledge.
The OECD study sees that learning to master the four kinds of knowledge takes place through different channels. While the first and second kinds of knowledge (know-what and know-why) can be acquired through reading books, attending lectures and accessing databases, the other two kinds of knowledge are rooted primarily in practical experience. Know-how will typically be learned in situations where an apprentice follows a master and relies upon him as the authority. Know-who is learned in social practice and sometimes in specialized educational environments. It also develops in day-to-day dealings with customers, sub-contractors and independent institutes. One reason why firms engage in basic research is to acquire access to networks of academic experts crucial for their innovative capability. Know-who is socially embedded knowledge which cannot easily be transferred through formal channels of information, therefore, it needs different social oriented approach(s).

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