November 27th, 2007 14:05 PM By WCG Staff
The essence of knowledge and knowledge management lies within the assumption that the most appropriate knowledge and insight enables the frontline workers and managers to systematically achieve better results. Such assumptions lead to extensive research and implementation which is ultimately geared toward greater profitability of a given organization. However, the mere existence of knowledge and implementation does not necessarily translate into greater effectiveness and efficiency. It is important to point out that knowledge and knowledge management have to be strategically designed and implemented in order to achieve the greatest possible effectiveness and efficiency. Hence leading to the issue of pragmatism.
Pragmatism essentially refers to the initiatives that enforce the most vital aspect of knowledge management; practicality. Pragmatism which is originally a philosophical concept was basically referring to logic and its applications in philosophy as well as in other disciplines. In terms of business and its respective sub categories, pragmatism is a rather fundamental concept which refers to application of practical measures that are geared toward actual real life implementation and benefits to the given organization. Though it appears that such explanation is a simplification of pragmatism, the real world applications are rather simple. In its most basic form, pragmatism is the process of finding the best solution to real world problems in business by means of research, implementation and testing to achieve a practical solution. Though research and implementation has been used for a long time, the real difference in pragmatism is the testing to find the most viable solution. However, one has to diffrentiate between the most obvious forms of knowldge.
Insight knowledge refers to the personal experimental learning which occurs by trial and error. In this particular approach the knowledge creation occurs because of stakeholders’ personal or professional interest to improve upon most pressing weaknesses that are noticed. Insight knowledge is abstract because it depends on individuals’ interest. On the other hand, the outside knowledge is created and maintained by external units such as educational institutions and training organization. This particular branch of knowledge is more easily associated with the academic aspects such as theories and established norms.
The ultimate goal of either one of those knowledge concepts is to understand that knowledge and learning can be subjective as well as objective, yet independent from its form or origin it can contribute to organizational standing. Similarly such understanding of knowledge creation or the desire thereof, may enable creative input not only based on traditional wisdom but also in non – traditional and abstract ways that may be beneficial and address untraditional concerns.
Independent from any previously discussed sub topic, it is important to emphasize that every and all phases of knowledge creation, maintenance and sharing requires constant monitoring and quality assurance. Though many facets of business require quality assurance, knowledge management and distribution requires a particular rigid approach due to it’s dynamic and ever changing nature of knowledge and its respective sub categories.
Ultimately, pragmatism and its respective application in business depend on one major factor i.e. testing. The assumption is that unlike other theories and methodology, testing will allow the stakeholders to measure results and adjust their respective strategic measure and implementation to improve final results.
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November 21st, 2007 09:02 AM By WCG Staff
Knowledge and innovation are categorically among the concerns of human capital managers. Many issues such as innovation and pragmatism take their respective roots from organizational desire and needs to address the intellectual requirement and needs. Nevertheless, knowledge and knowledge management have to be fine tuned to avoid unintended consequences.
Knowledge and all its all respective impact on organizational operation illustrate a great deal of opportunity as well as uncertainty. The impact of knowledge and knowledge management though mostly positive can be accompanied by uncontrolled effects that may have unforeseen and devastating impact. Such unintended consequences may include hindering or reducing the speed of innovation. Hence the task of human capital managers and knowledge workers will have to include proper standard operating procedures that guard against such adverse effects.
Nevertheless, those SOPs’ cannot assure complete protection from abstract interferences that knowledge and knowledge management may cause. Interferences may include dynamic forms of knowledge competition, in-fighting, unnecessary and ineffective utilization of resources as well as hindrance of organizational vision and organizational coherence.
The question of countering those uncontrollable external or internal factors is equally problematic. Since every individual organization differs in its methodology, it is virtually impossible to devise uniform guidelines to counter those influential factors; however, some general steps in terms of review and quality control may enable the stakeholders to identify problems in early stages and minimize potential impact.
Ultimately, the duties and obligation of human capital managers are extremely dynamic and at times subjective. The organizational requirements to balance the most appropriate course of action falls on the shoulder of human capital managers that have to adapt to the ever changing internal and external factors.
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November 14th, 2007 08:24 AM By WCG Staff
Integration of Organizational Learning
The business world and its individual actors are no different than any other grouping of individuals that need clear and unfettered communication to organize and execute plans and strategies. However, the practical aspects of clear, effective and efficient method of communication will differ because of factors that may include cultural and social issues, organizational vision, internal and external leadership as well as industry specific methodology.
Though it is obvious that effective communication may be the key to proper implementation of internal procedures, the real question is about execution. The mere communication of available and mandatory tools that are designed to achieve organizational vision will not necessarily translate into effective and efficient execution. Hence, in order to ensure proper implementation, proper safe guards have to be in place.
Nevertheless, communication and safe guards are not the only available tools. The particular practices of human resource divisions have also a great deal of impact. Assuming that in a well ran organization which mandates cross divisional co-operation; the HR division can design and implement procedures that are in line with organizational vision and strategy.
Another additional tool to achieve the greatest effective integration of all internal measure can include financial and non financial incentives that may assist in motivating front line employees to take advantage of internal tools. Similarly, punitive measures may achieve comparable results.
Ultimately, depending on internal and external factors, each individual organization may design and implement a varying strategy and methodology to create the most effective implementation of its internal tools. The greatest challenge, however, will be within the degrees of effectiveness and efficiency which may ultimately be reflected by profitability as well as longevity of the given organization. Nevertheless, the most fundamentals will virtually never differ; communication and safe guards are the fundamental of conveying the message of tool availability and the respective impact on overall organizational standing.
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November 08th, 2007 07:42 AM By WCG Staff
Turnaround strategies refer to standard or customized measures that are intended to assist in change of direction in order to rescue a given organization. Such measures could include a wide range of actions including re-evaluation and composition of new strategy in every and all divisions and units including human resources, budgeting, consolidation, vendor and customer contracts, as well as seeking external funding .
Nevertheless, as the concept implies, the given organization is in need of improvement. Yet it is hard to generalize what particular measure can and will be the solution. Further, it is unlikely that one single measure or solution will rectify the current situation. Hence, each given situation and organization can and should be examined on the individual cases.
The first important question of course is the evaluation of overall efforts for the particular organization. It has to be determined if the given organization is worth reviving. Such determinations can be both objective and subject. The objectivity can be achieved by examining past performance and profitability, market penetration, competition, industry health, public relations , as well as local, cultural, social and economic well being of the geographic location.
The most obvious first step would be to bring in a neutral third party that can evaluate the overall organizational dynamics and interactions that may result in determining the most viable actions. The deployment of third party may appear too premature at first; the simple fact that an organization which is encountering difficulties should be financially solvent may create doubt about this step. However, considering that a neutral third party may be able to assist in unbiased and impartial general and specific diagnostics maybe even more important than short term financial solvency that can be countered by external funding.
The deployment of third party will certainly create an environment that enables all stakeholders to have confident in final findings and recommendations and the respective neutrality of those findings. The implementation of those recommendations certainly create additional issues such as effectiveness and efficiency as well as accuracy and adjustments during the implementation period.
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November 06th, 2007 10:31 AM By WCG Staff
Pragmatism in its most basic term refers to practicality. Translating such an abstract concept as to who and how someone can be pragmatic is one of those typical academic propositions that is limited in terms of real life application. However, there is a real issue with pragmatism with employees and management.
The issue of pragmatism may be essentially a symbiotic relationship among several factors which may include logic, common sense, standard operating procedures as well as external societal and cultural impact. The relationships and the respective impact of any of the above named factors can be constant as well as dynamic. Hence it is vital to point out that though planning and execution of organizational culture may be all what can be done to encounter external influencing factors.
Going back to the basic issue of pragmatism, it is obvious that virtually all organizations that rely on human capital will in one way or the other also rely on the effectiveness and efficiency of those individual members. Hence, the most important factor will be the control and change of behavior that can be achieved by formulating and executing organizational vision. Similarly, it has to be assumed that in order to eliminate guess work or uncertainties, the organizational vision and mission should be translated in a methodology which does not leave much guess work.
This brings us to the concept of Standard Operating Procedures or as widely known SOP. Any SOP which has been compiled to include organizational procedures to maximize effectiveness and efficiency and subject to constant review and evaluation result in internal organizational coherence which may in turn eliminate the guess work by employees and managers. Certainly there are exceptions that may require a different approach. Particular industries may require creativity and out of box thinking that may prove to be vital to industries that involve abstracts such as art.
Yet ultimately, pragmatism and its respective impacts can have a great deal of impact on organizational success or failure. The human capital which is the driving force behind organizational effectiveness and efficiency has to be molded and shaped to adhere to organizational and institutional prospective and goals. Nevertheless it is very important to point to societal and cultural factors that embrace individuality and creativity. Such particular setting can add more factors that need to be included into preparations and composition of SOP.
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