Multimedia Descriptor

Multimedia Descriptor

We produced a short video discussing two knowledge management related statements. The aim of the video was to convey what we had learnt about information management in the learning organisation. We wanted show our research but also our own opinions and thoughts. We decided in our first group meeting that this would be the key to producing a reliable and effective video. We believe we achieved this aim and also provided our own examples to demonstrate our understanding.

We roughly gave each statement half of the video. We decided neither one needed more time than the other. The first half of the video was about whether the conversion of tacit knowledge into explicit was at the heart of knowledge management practices. We firstly defined tacit and explicit knowledge. We used the iceberg metaphor that shows as little as 20% of knowledge is on the surface and is easily accessible. This is explicit knowledge and comes in the form of documents, records etc. The rest of the knowledge in an organisation is much harder to access and needs significant effort to be able to codify. This is tacit knowledge. This information comes in the form of experience and commitment.

We focused on the SECI model from Nonaka & Takeuchi. We agreed with the idea that information travels in a circular motion around an organisation. We demonstrated our understanding of the model by implementing our own examples for each stage of the SECI model. This would make it easier to understand for people who were unfamiliar with the model. As previously mentioned, we agreed with this model and that the transformation of tacit into explicit knowledge is at the heart of knowledge management practices. This is because it is the most difficult stage but also the most rewarding. If tacit knowledge can be converted into explicit knowledge, everyone in the organisation benefits. Following the SECI model allows knowledge to be recorded, stored, updated and distributed. Knowledge is power and this model, when followed effectively leaves no one in the organisation powerless.

We agreed with the statement to some extent. Although it is the most difficult stage of sharing knowledge and therefore requires more effort, if it is not distributed correctly explicit knowledge is useless. For this reason, the externalisation of tacit knowledge is equal to that of the internalisation of the knowledge.

The second section of the video was about how difficult it is to codify tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge; Some argue that such conversion is impossible, others argue that it is merely difficult or impractical" (Klein, 2008:42). This statement led us to look for examples of effective ways tacit knowledge has been converted into explicit knowledge.

We learnt to cook from a video we found online. Although this is converting explicit knowledge into tacit, it would only be effective if the original tacit