When we talk about knowledge management, we tend to think of systems whose objective is focused on capturing, organizing and distributing the information and knowledge of the organization. We rarely think that knowledge management also serves to generate new knowledge, that is, to innovate.
This article explains that both concepts pursue the same goal and that, therefore, they must go hand in hand at the organizational level. Some practical keys are given on how to take advantage of knowledge management and the possibilities of the internet as vehicles to generate innovation. The 3M case is analyzed.
When we talk about knowledge management, we tend to think of systems whose objective is focused on capturing, organizing and distributing the information and knowledge of the organization. We rarely think that knowledge management also serves to generate new knowledge, that is, to innovate.
Normally we understand innovation as costly research, development, acquisition and technology transfer processes applied to product development or the production process. But innovating also consists of doing what we already do but in a different, more effective way, applying creativity and learning.
Therefore, there is much more that unites knowledge management with innovation than that separates them. Innovating consists of obtaining benefits using the resources of knowledge. Materialize the advances that derive from the accumulated knowledge, which is specified in the creation, introduction or sale and dissemination of new and improved processes, products in society.
Managing knowledge consists of formalizing the processes, policies and tools aimed at the management and development of the organization's intellectual assets, with the aim of transforming the accumulated knowledge into value and tangible benefits for the organization and its stakeholders.
It is thus understood that both concepts pursue the same goal: the generation of benefits for the organization and / or society through improvements in processes, products and services generated thanks to knowledge.
Innovation is like an adventure, an idea that evolves and develops in people's minds, that grows through communication and teamwork until it becomes a tangible reality.
Innovation management implies being able to identify those ideas, make them flow, transfer and develop until they become new products, new processes, new services. This power to identify ideas, make them flow and transfer is precisely one of the objectives of knowledge management.
Knowledge management is usually considered to refer to "thinking", while innovation is oriented to "doing". However, the creation and management of knowledge and innovation are different processes but related to a clear reciprocity. (See table 1).
Some facilitating elements of both concepts are clearly coincident:
The organization's ability to recognize the value of information and external knowledge as a critical element to improve its innovation capabilities.
An organizational culture that places importance on face-to-face encounters and practices that favor formal and informal interpersonal communication.
The will to use information technologies as a facilitator of efficiency and communication.
A recognition policy that favors the involvement of all professionals in the generation and dissemination of new ideas and knowledge.
Case study
In a globalized world with increasingly undifferentiated services, innovation is presented as value and a clear competitive advantage. The ability to innovate is the real advantage due to its difficulty in being imitated. An example of this capability is the 3M company.
3M is one of the most respected companies for its ability to innovate. The cases of Post-it, sandpaper, masking tape or Scoth-Brite pad are well known. But innovation at 3M is far from being the product of chance or the creativity of a few people.
On the contrary, 3M has developed an entire infrastructure (structure, policies, processes, tools) around innovation. Some of the best-known innovation tools at 3M have a lot (or everything) to do with knowledge management. Let's see some:
- 3M Labs employees have the ability to dedicate up to 15% of their time to personal research projects.
This rule encourages unplanned experimentation. It is also relevant that innovation is not only the responsibility of researchers or laboratories, but is part of the objectives of each and every one of the business units. (Knowledge development. Involvement policies).
- Likewise, the establishment of networks and opportunities for interpersonal communication is considered strategic, for which various virtual and real meeting environments are designed, such as the Tech Forum.
This is a program of periodic meetings, supported by virtual forums and an information repository in which new discoveries can be discussed, ideas exchanged, as well as R&D projects managed. (Transfer of tacit knowledge. Management of explicit knowledge. Development of knowledge).
- There is a similar program geared towards the development of new products (New Product Forum) and in which people from all divisions participate. (Knowledge transfer and development). At 3M they have also designed “transfer awards” for those who develop a new technology and share it successfully with other divisions. This program pursues the dissemination and testing of new ideas. (Knowledge transfer and development. Recognition policies). Another interesting practice is the “Problem Solving Missions”, or problem solving teams that work together with certain clients to develop new solutions for specific problems, which stimulates innovation and product development. (Knowledge development).
Role of the Internet as an element of change
In this, as in almost everything, the network has produced a fundamental change. The Internet has led to an exponential speed in the creation of new knowledge, which is well known and which we will not discuss here.
But the network has also brought about a change in how organizations protect / publish what they know. We have several examples of this change, for example in free software (Linux effect) or in tools such as wikis and blogs, whose potential for transfer of knowledge and innovation is still being discovered.
Today there are two options: protect or spread our knowledge. It is worth analyzing the effort that the recording industry is making to adapt to the new reality created by the internet.
Many artists today post their works directly on the net for free, which has produced hitherto unknown worldwide success stories.
A well-known musician commented a few days ago in an interview about the change that the network had produced in his work. Before, he tried to protect his work so that it was not copied or imitated, while now some of his songs can be downloaded from the Internet before even being released on disk.
He said that he did this precisely so that others could "build new things on my ideas." New works that he in turn analyzed and helped him to continue creating.
This approach falls far short of what many organizations consider logical or appropriate. It seems sensible that I have to protect my innovations with patents and any other instrument at my disposal. But some organizations have already identified that their competitive advantage is not in the final product (which in the medium term can always be imitated), but in the process to reach that product. In other words, the difference is not so much in innovation as in innovative potential.
You just have to look at the practices of companies like Google that publish “beta” versions, have totally free services in their portfolio, and are among the most valuable and valued in the world.
conclusion
In a globalized context, knowledge management can be considered as the organizational structure and culture that facilitates working together, sharing knowledge and information, physically and virtually, so that we are able to develop innovative products and services, new solutions and be more effective and effective. Without adequate knowledge management promoted by senior management and with the appropriate instruments of motivation and involvement, innovation becomes an even more difficult process, more distant and, therefore, much more expensive.
Properly managing knowledge does not necessarily mean being more innovative, but doing so implies a solid foundation (in terms of culture, processes, policies and technologies) that can and should be used by the organization as a lever for innovation and change.
Table 1. Critical factors for innovation and knowledge management
| Critical factors for innovation and knowledge management | |
| Consider its strategic importance | § Include it in the strategic base of the organization. In top management speeches and messages. § It is a top-down process. Include senior management as a sponsor and champion. Involve those above. |
| Manage it as a project and a process | § Manage it as a systematic process. § Set ambitious goals and combine them with small, achievable steps.
§ Focus on results and learn from the process itself to provide feedback. § Measure the results and communicate them. Identify stakeholders and personalize communication. |
| Do not underestimate the importance of culture as a facilitator or barrier | § Create a climate for collaboration and the exchange of ideas. And for creativity. § Promote values that encourage and facilitate innovation and continuous improvement.
§ Break schemes. Abandon the accepted truth. Think out-of-the box. |
| Focus on people as a basic instrument | § We must find instruments to motivate people to take responsibility for the process. § Put mechanisms in place so that ideas can also circulate from the bottom up.
§ Delegate responsibility to each and every one of the members of the organization. Hold everyone accountable. § Take as critical the selection process as a tool for the acquisition of talent. |
| Look outside. Give to receive. | § Include clients, suppliers and even competitors in our knowledge and innovation network. § Actively participate in forums, associations, transfer networks, R&D projects, etc.
§ Be humble but ambitious. Run away from the "not done here" approach. Look for reuse as a value. § Use the network as a tool for the dissemination and feedback of knowledge. |
Phrases to remember
- Innovating is about making a profit using knowledge resources. Knowledge is the indispensable fuel for innovation. The advantage is not so much in innovation as in innovative potential.
