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Entered 28/09/04

HR ARGUES BETTER BUSINESS ANALYSIS FIRST
Horibe,F. (2004) Step Lightly Before Jumping On the Knowledge Management Bandwagon. Canadian HR Reporter. May 17 p.19

A Canadian HR expert warns that new business tools adoption should only proceed when old methods have proven ineffective. Otherwise, the costs can far outweigh the benefits, bringing disrepute to management and to the new tools like KM.

Horibe's experience has shown that management still fails to be strategy focused by not being obsessed with the critical success factors of the organisation. Neither are the big challenges to the organisation clearly targeted nor have historical interventions to those been closely evaluated.

'In particular, executives tend not to consider whether the challenges the organization is facing can be handled using previously successful approaches. If they can be, why does the organization need KM ? The company must be sure its challenges are substantial and that they cannot be addressed using the methods of the past.'

KM as a new business tool is relatively costly. A half-hearted implementation of KM 'is worse than not having undertaken it at all.'

1. It is RESOURCE-INTENSIVE. Returns happen only after an extensive period of adoption. Organisations have to be extra patient in seeing good returns from this tool.

2. It is CULTURE-SHIFTING. Reliance on just new technology has not shifted employees behaviours.

'The shift to a sharing culture usually entails large change-management challenges and, therefore, disruption. KM should not be undertaken lightly.'

Thus the author emphasises first finding cheaper alternatives to KM to achieve the strategic objectives. That is where management should actively involve astute HR people in this challenge and not be simply seduced by new tools like KM or Balanced Scorecard and such.

- DEBRIEF -

We all must be business people first and functional specialists second.

At Boeing USA, all employees right down to the janitor of the buildings were taught financial management skills. They were also taught how to make financial decsions towards their set of work objectives. They wanted their people to be true business owners, not just craftsmen. Likewise, all support services, like HR, Training, IT and KM must have this mindset and requisite skills.

This article reminds us that, profit or not-for-profit, we must all work to achieve the strategic objectives. We must learn better business analysis skills. We must learn to be more versatile with interventions and methods.

Why should I look to a new Wilson Pro Staff tennis racquet when my serving technique... my backhand...my forehand... are still average ? I can get much greater returns in putting that money into more coaching and practice than buying a newer tool... agreed ?

Company-wide KM is an EXPENSIVE alternative. It may well be the right alternative. But our business cases to CEOs must show why other interventions are inferior. KM strategies must be solid...not half-baked. KM is multi-dimensional, more so than nearly all other 'management tools.'

This has been a timely article to remind us that we must all continually be adding value to our organisations. Why do you think your current KM initiatives are adding value to your organisation's strategic objectives ? Can you prove it for me ?

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