Bill Hill (PhD) is a local academic for whom my respect grows every time I read one of his ActKM posts.
Yesterday during a conversation with Neil Olonoff about whether or not KM is a Science, Bill had a go a defining Knowledge Management. He wrote:
"At best, we are several different kinds of science converging on a common problem area. Which suggests that we should work to identify those various threads and understand how the associated theoretical backgrounds affects the language we use to discuss knowledge."
I think that sums it up very nicely. For several years now I have called Knowledge Management a shoe-string. It doesn't protect the foot, it doesn't assist in grip, it simply holds the shoe together so it works properly and can be adjusted when the requirements change. The issue of the language we use is becoming more and more important.
I need to read more of this thread which has been passing under the bridge the last week because of overtime at work. I contacted Neil Olonoff by email a few weeks ago and he responded to me earlier this week saying he would love to talk. He is a consultant to the US Army in the Pentagon so his world-view and insight in KM in the wild and how culture impacts it's implementation could be very useful. Especially given the excellent contribution the Bennett's made with their work in the US Navy. More on this to come, I am sure.
Bill's details are:
William P. (Bill) Hall, PhD
Documentation and Knowledge Management Systems Analyst
PO Box 94
Riddells Creek, Vic. 3431
Tel: +61 3 5428 6246
Email: william-hall@bigpond.com
Evolutionary Biology of Species and Organizations
URL: http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net
National Fellow
Australian Centre for Science, Innovation and Society
History and Philosophy of Science
University of Melbourne
ICT 5.59, 111 Barry St., Carlton
Tel: +61 3 8344 1530 (Mon, Tue, Thurs only)
Email: whall@unimelb.edu.au
URL: http://www.acsis.unimelb.edu.au/
0 Comments