Ellen Enkel - Böcker

Theoretical approaches to the management of organizational knowledge abound. Yet there are few guidelines as to how to implement a systematic approach to the management of organizational knowledge. This drawback seems all the more surprising given that organizations are moving from the hierarchical, integrated, discrete corporate entities of the past to multidimensional, interwoven network structures with blurred boundaries. This book redresses the balances and provides a practical manual for the systematic management and measurement of knowledge networks, with case studies from companies such as Unilever, Hewlett Packard, Daimler-Chrysler and Lotus.

The first part of the book contains three case studis which illustrate the idea of knowledge networks for growth. The templates in the last part of the book ease the adaptation of networks for the reader's own company or his or her specific business needs.

The concepts and theories of knowledge management and networks are meanwhile well documented. Yet there are few, if any, guidelines on how to implement knowledge management within an organization, especially focusing on how to manage knowledge in a network environment. This shows that managing knowledge in networks is a rather new and unexplored field. This book visualizes paths that allow one to make connections between theories, concepts and concrete actions. Knowledge networks are organizational forms within companies that connect key experts to share knowledge and therefore fulfil strategic goals. Managing knowledge in network environments is a fast-moving field attempting to integrate various disciplines such as human resources, organizational development, change management, strategy, information technology, sociology and network theory. This book shows how to integrate these different roots into a holistic view on managing knowledge in networks. It develops a methodology which will support the reader to move concrete steps forward towards building and maintaining knowledge networks in his organization.

The first part of the book contains three case studis which illustrate the idea of knowledge networks for growth. The templates in the last part of the book ease the adaptation of networks for the reader's own company or his or her specific business needs.