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Managing the Corporate Zoo: A Knowledge Management Perspective
Alexandra Durcikova1 and Andrea Everard2
1University
of Arizona, USA
2University
of Delaware, USA
everarda@lerner.udel.edu |
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ABSTRACT
There is a vast amount of literature that
has acknowledged that the management of knowledge is an important
strategic and tactical approach to improve organizational performance,
both in the long and short term. Knowledge sharing between individuals in
an organization has also been recognized as a sound strategy to increase
the value of the knowledge within a firm. This paper presents a 2x2 matrix
which focuses on individual knowledge and knowledge sharing and
categorizes individuals into one of the following four categories: ‘seeing
eye dogs’, ‘peacocks’, ‘foxes’, and ‘ants’. Seeing eye dogs and ants can
be mapped onto the two desirable strategies for firm survival, innovation
and knowledge reuse, respectively. Seeing eye dogs are very important to
the organization because they are the innovators and play a major part in
the long-term survival of the firm. Equally important are ants, without
whom routine tasks would not be performed and the everyday workings of the
firm would come to a standstill. Although foxes and peacocks are less
desirable to have in an organization, to simply fire them is not a viable.
Foxes have the basis for innovative behaviour as they possess much
knowledge and peacocks have the potential to reuse existing knowledge. The
model presented in this paper provides suggestions on how to aid
individuals adopt a more desirable behaviour that is conducive to firm
survival.
Keywords:
Knowledge, knowledge management, knowledge
sharing, employee classification |
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