Integrating Knowledge Management Practices Through a Problem Solving Framework

Organizations are increasingly focusing their efforts on knowledge management practices to foster the creation, sharing and integration of knowledge. This chapter proposes a framework for classifying such knowledge management practices based on their roles in solving problems and exploring opportunities. By integrating these practices through three value-added processes (identification, preservation and distribution), organizations improve their ability to learn and adapt to changing environments. Innovative business models that include these knowledge management processes will help organizations prosper in the face of rapid, complex change. 3 INTRODUCTION A new conceptualization of firms as collections of resources (Wernerfelt, 1984) and competencies (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990) has emerged in the past two decades. Managers have increasingly turned their attention towards management models that place people and intellectual capital at the centre of the organization (Stewart, 1997). Academia and industry both consider culture, learning, competence, innovation and creativity as important contributors to competitiveness and long-term organizational success. This reflects in no small part the rapid pace of change in many industries, which forces firms to react, adapt and innovate rapidly (D'Aveni, 1994). The challenges managers face in such an environment are complex and multifaceted.