scholarly journals A Back-Casting Knowledge Management Vision for a Digital Platform Ecosystem in Support of Thrivable Communities of Knowledge Workers

10.31355/67 ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 92-109
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Stage Design ◽  
Digital Platform ◽  
Individual Knowledge ◽  
New Perspective

Aim/Purpose This year marks the 75th anniversary of an article titled ‘As we may think’. It envisioned the ‘Memex’ as a personal device affording the productive use of the accumulated human knowledge. It also allowed for the integration of own augmentations able to be effectively shared with the ‘Memexes’ of others. This article follows up on Vannevar Bush’s still unfulfilled aspiration as well as on current unsustainable Knowledge Management (KM) states. What would be today’s impact and gestalt of such a digital innovation, and how can it be implemented to serve the well-being of humanity? Background To answer these questions, we are drafting a Vision for a ‘Memex’-inspired novel decentralized Knowledge Management System. Its aim is to strengthen the capabilities and autonomy of individual knowledge workers to become collaborative contributors to and beneficiaries of institutional and societal performances. Methodology The vision elements are rooted in an advanced-stage design science research project and its conceptualization and prototyping of a novel decentralized KM system. Findings The new perspective taken accounts for notions of entropy, generativity, trans-disciplinarity, and sustainability and aims for a digital platform ecosystem which affords clients with highly diverse skills and ambitions to gainfully utilize its resources and generative potential in their personal and local contexts. Impact on Society With its focus on a sustainable development path to benefit knowledge workers, the back-casting vision methodology applied demonstrates its potential to share the envisaged KM prospects with a wider critical mass of stakeholders as a prerequisite for creating the respective decentralized, more generative KM reality.

scholarly journals From Ignorance Map to Informing PKM4E Framework: Personal Knowledge Management for Empowerment

10.28945/3984 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Knowledge Bases ◽  
Personal Knowledge ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Development Platform ◽  
Personal Knowledge Management

Aim/Purpose: [This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the 2018 issue of the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, Volume 15] The proposed Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) for Empowerment (PKM4E) Framework expands on the notions of the Ignorance Map and Matrix for further supporting the educational concept of a PKM system-in-progress. Background: The accelerating information abundance is depleting the very attention our cognitive capabilities are able to master, one key cause of individual and collective opportunity divides. Support is urgently needed to benefit Knowledge Workers independent of space (developed/developing countries), time (study or career phase), discipline (natural or social science), or role (student, professional, leader). Methodology: The Design Science Research (DSR) project introducing the novel PKM System (PKMS) aims to support a scenario of a ‘Decentralizing KM Revolution’ giving more power and autonomy to individuals and self-organized groups. Contribution: The portrayal of potential better solutions cannot be accommodated by one-dimensional linear text alone but necessitates the utilization of visuals, charts, and blueprints for the concept as well as the use of colors, icons, and catchy acronyms to successfully inform a diverse portfolio of audiences and potential beneficiaries. Findings: see Recommendation for Researchers Recommendations for Practitioners: The PKM4E learning cycles and workflows apply ‘cumulative synthesis’, a concept which convincingly couples the activities of researchers and entrepreneurs, and assists users to advance their capability endowments via applied learning. Recommendation for Researchers: In substituting document-centric with meme-based knowledge bases, the PKMS approach merges distinctive voluntarily shared knowledge objects/assets of diverse disciplines into a single unified digital knowledge repository and provides the means for advancing current metrics and reputation systems. Impact on Society: The PKMS features provide the means to tackle the widening opportunity divides by affording knowledge workers with continuous life-long support from trainee, student, novice, or mentee towards professional, expert, mentor, or leader. Future Research: After completing the test phase of the PKMS prototype, its transformation into a viable PKM system and cloud-based server based on a rapid development platform and a noSQL-database is estimated to take 12 months.

scholarly journals (Neg)Entropic Scenarios Affecting the Wicked Design Spaces of Knowledge Management Systems

Entropy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 169
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Overload ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Science Research ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Knowledge Management Systems

The envisioned embracing of thriving knowledge societies is increasingly compromised by threatening perceptions of information overload, attention poverty, opportunity divides, and career fears. This paper traces the roots of these symptoms back to causes of information entropy and structural holes, invisible private and undiscoverable public knowledge which characterize the sad state of our current knowledge management and creation practices. As part of an ongoing design science research and prototyping project, the article’s (neg)entropic perspectives complement a succession of prior multi-disciplinary publications. Looking forward, it proposes a novel decentralized generative knowledge management approach that prioritizes the capacity development of autonomous individual knowledge workers not at the expense of traditional organizational knowledge management systems but as a viable means to foster their fruitful co-evolution. The article, thus, informs relevant stakeholders about the current unsustainable status quo inhibiting knowledge workers; it presents viable remedial options (as a prerequisite for creating the respective future generative Knowledge Management (KM) reality) to afford a sustainable solution with the generative potential to evolve into a prospective general-purpose technology.

scholarly journals Systems Dynamics and Activity-Based Modeling to Blueprint Generative Knowledge Management Systems

2020 ◽  
pp. 170-177
Author(s):  
U. Schmitt ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Overload ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Discrete Event ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Agent Based Modeling ◽  
Systems Dynamics ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Individual Knowledge

The predicted embracing of thriving knowledge societies is increasingly compromised by threatening perceptions of information overload and attention poverty, opportunity divides and career uncertainties. By integrating system dynamics, discrete-event, and agent-based modeling, this paper traces the roots of these symptoms back to their causes of information entropy and structural holes, invisible private and undiscoverable public knowledge which together characterize the sad state of our current knowledge management (KM) and creation practices. Looking forward, it proposes a decentralized generative KM approach that prioritizes the capacity development of autonomous individual knowledge workers not at the expense but as a viable means to foster a fruitful co-evolution with traditional organizational KM systems. As part of an ongoing design science research and prototyping project, this systems thinking and hybrid model perspective complements a succession of prior multidisciplinary publications on the subject.

scholarly journals Gifts, Contexts, Means, and Ends Differing: Informing Task Scenarios to Serve Knowledge Workers’ Needs in Dynamic Complex Settings

10.28945/4667 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 119-145
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schmitt ◽  
Grandon Gill
Keyword(s):  
Design Science ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Digital Platform ◽  
Means And Ends ◽  
Alternative Scenarios ◽  
Complex Settings ◽  
Viable System

Aim/Purpose: As traditional Knowledge Management (KM) struggles to support the personal needs of knowledge workers in a new era of accelerating information abundance, we examine the shortcomings and put forward alternative scenarios and architectures for developing a novel Personal KM System (PKMS). Background: While prior publications focused on the complementing features compared to conventional dynamic KM models, our emphasis shifts to instantiating a flourishing PKMS community supported by a Digital Platform Ecosystem. Methodology: Design science research focusing on conceptual analysis and prototyping. Contribution: The PKMS concept advances the understanding of how digital platform communities may serve members with highly diverse skills and ambitions better to gainfully utilize the platform’s resources and generative potential in their personal and local settings. Findings: We demonstrate how the needs to tackle attention-consuming rising entropy and to benefit from generative innovation potentials can be addressed. Future Research: As this article has iteratively co-evolved with the preparing of a PKMS implementation, business, and roll-out plan, the prototype’s testing, completion, and subsequent migration to a viable system is of primary concern.

scholarly journals Reframing a Novel Decentralized Knowledge Management Concept as a Desirable Vision: As We May Realize the Memex

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 4038
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Design Science Research ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Wide Scope ◽  
Invisible Work ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Management Concept

Proposing a major (though envisaged synergetic) shift in the knowledge management (KM) paradigm needs to convince a skeptical audience. This article attempts such a feat and motivates its conceptual considerations by fusing a wide scope of theoretical KM-related foundations in response to current KM unsustainabilities and emerging enabling technologies. The envisioned workflows, infrastructure, affordances, and impact resulting from the progressing design science research and prototyping efforts are consolidated and reframed, guided by a five-step visioneering process and twelve triple-criteria-clusters combining innovative, technological, and vision-related qualities. Inspired by Bush’s “Memex”, a desirable vision never realized since its suggestion three quarters of a century ago, the novel KM system (KMS) pursues the scenario of a mutually beneficial co-evolution between individual and institutional KM activities. This article follows up on the unsatisfactory and unsustainable state of current KM affairs suffering from accelerating information abundance, invisible work, structural interdisciplinary holes, lacking personal tools, and widening opportunity divides. By portraying a potentially transformative and game-changing technology, the crafting and drafting of a desirable, sustainable, and viable KMS vision assures transparency and can be more easily shared with a critical mass of stakeholders as a prerequisite for creating the respective future KM reality. The drafting of the “Desirable Sustainability Vision” is envisaged to assist a currently accepted KMS start-up project and investment.

scholarly journals From Ignorance Map to Informing PKM4E Framework: Personal Knowledge Management for Empowerment

10.28945/4017 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 125-144
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Knowledge Bases ◽  
Personal Knowledge ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Development Platform ◽  
Personal Knowledge Management

Aim/Purpose: The proposed Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) for Empowerment (PKM4E) Framework expands on the notions of the Ignorance Map and Matrix to support the educational and informing concept of a PKM system-in-progress. Background: The accelerating information abundance is depleting the very attention our cognitive capabilities are able to master, contributing to widening individual and collective opportunity divides. Support is urgently needed to benefit Knowledge Workers irrespective of space (developed/developing countries), time (study or career phase), discipline (natural or social science), or role (student, professional, leader). Methodology: The Design Science Research (DSR) project conceptualizing the PKM System (PKMS) aims to support a scenario of a ‘Decentralizing KM Revolution’ giving more power and autonomy to individuals and self-organized groups. Contribution: The informing-science-related approach synthesizes and visualizes concepts related to ignorance and entropy, learning and innovation, chance discovery and abduction to inform diverse audiences and potential beneficiaries. Findings: see Recommendation for Researchers Recommendations for Practitioners: The PKM4E learning cycles and workflows apply ‘cumulative synthesis’, a concept which convincingly couples the activities of researchers and entrepreneurs and assists users to advance their capability endowments via applied learning. Recommendation for Researchers: In substituting document-centric with meme-based knowledge bases, the PKMS approach merges distinctive voluntarily shared knowledge objects/assets of diverse disciplines into a single unified digital knowledge repository and provides the means for advancing current metrics and reputation systems. Impact on Society: The PKMS features provide the means to tackle the widening opportunity divides by affording knowledge workers with continuous life-long support from trainee, student, novice, or mentee towards professional, expert, mentor, or leader. Future Research: After completing the test phase of the PKMS prototype, its transformation into a viable PKM system and cloud-based server based on a rapid development platform and a noSQL-database is estimated to take 12 months.

scholarly journals Devising Enabling Spaces and Affordances for Personal Knowledge Management System Design

10.28945/3744 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Personal Knowledge ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Development Platform ◽  
Personal Knowledge Management ◽  
Nosql Database

[This Proceedings paper was revised and published in Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline (InfoSci)] Aim/Purpose: Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) has been envisaged as a crucial tool for the growing creative class of knowledge workers, but adequate technological solutions have not been forthcoming. Background: Based on former affordance-related publications (primarily concerned with communication, community-building, collaboration, and social knowledge sharing), the common and differing narratives in relation to PKM are investigated in order to suggest further PKM capabilities and affordances in need to be conferred. Methodology: The paper follows up on a series of the author’s PKM-related publications, firmly rooted in design science research (DSR) methods and aimed at creating an innovative PKM concept and prototype system. Contribution: The affordances presented offer PKM system users the means to retain and build upon knowledge acquired in order to sustain personal growth and facilitate productive collaborations between fellow learners and/or professional acquaintances. Findings: The results call for an extension of Nonaka’s SECI model and ‘ba’ concept and provide arguments for and evidence supporting the claims that the PKM concept and system is able to facilitate better knowledge traceability and KM practices. Recommendations and Impact on Society: Together with the prior publications, the paper points to current KM shortcomings and presents a novel trans-disciplinary approach offering appealing opportunities for stakeholders engaged in the context of curation, education, research, development, business, and entrepreneurship. Its potential to tackle opportunity divides has been addressed via a PKM for Development (PKM4D) Framework. Future: DSR Activities After completing the test phase of the prototype, its transformation into a viable PKM system and cloud-based server based on a rapid development platform and a noSQL-database is estimated to take 12 months.

Optimizing Knowledge-Work Through Personal Knowledge Management

2019 ◽  
pp. 21-48
Author(s):  
Rezvan Hosseingholizadeh ◽  
Hadi El-Farr ◽  
Somayyeh Ebrahimi Koushk Mahdi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Knowledge Work ◽  
Personal Knowledge ◽  
Work Activities ◽  
Personal Knowledge Management ◽  
Individual Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Discretionary Behavior

Knowledge-work is a discretionary behavior, and knowledge-workers should be viewed as investors of their intellectual capital. That said, effective knowledge-work is mostly dependent on the performance of individual knowledge-workers who drive the success of knowledge-intensive organizations. Therefore, the study takes the perspective of personal knowledge management in enforcing the effectiveness of knowledge-work activities. This study empirically demonstrates that knowledge-workers' behaviors are dependent on their motivation, ability and opportunity to perform knowledge-work activities. This study provides insights and future directions for research on knowledge-work as a discretionary behavior in organization and the factors influencing it. Scholars can investigate the effect of empowerment of individuals on their tendency to knowledge-creation, knowledge-sharing and knowledge-application. Since personal-knowledge often raise the issue of knowledge ownership, further attention to ethical issues may bring valuable insights for KM in organizations.

Personal knowledge management and enactment of personal knowledge infrastructures as shadow IT

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hossein Jarrahi ◽  
Rebecca Reynolds ◽  
Ali Eshraghi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Personal Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Personal Knowledge Management ◽  
Consulting Firms ◽  
Individual Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose Personal knowledge management (KM) lends new emphasis to ways through which individual knowledge workers engage with knowledge in organizational contexts. This paper aims to go beyond an organizational approach to KM to examine key personal KM and knowledge building (KB) practices among adult professionals. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a summary of the findings from interviews with 58 consultants from 17 managing consulting firms. Participants were selected based on their knowledge-intensive roles and their willingness to share information about their knowledge practices. Data analysis was inductive and revealed multiple personal KM activities common among research participants, and the way these are supported by informal ties and various technologies. Findings This work highlights ways in which “shadow information technology” undergirds personal knowledge infrastructures and supports KM and KB practices in the context of management consulting firms. The results uncover how personal knowledge infrastructures emerge from personal KM and KB practices, and the role of informal social networks as well as social media in supporting personal KM and KB. Research limitations/implications This study contributes an overall conceptual model of factors that help knowledge workers build a personal knowledge infrastructure. By affording an understanding of socially embedded personal KM activities, this work helps organizations create a balance between KM strategies at the organizational level and personal knowledge goals of individual workers. Originality/value Much of the previous research on KM adopts organizational approaches to KM, accentuating how organizations can effectively capture, organize and distribute organizational knowledge (primarily through KM systems).

scholarly journals Projectability and Heritage Management of Design Knowledge: A Grass-Roots Artefact Perspective of a Longitudinal Research Project for Knowledge Management System Innovation

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13033
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Knowledge Worker ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Heritage Management ◽  
Possible World

This article expands on design science-research (DSR) publications which—based on current knowledge management systems (KM/KMS) and practices—are conceptualizing and prototyping a novel more generative and knowledge-worker-centric approach just presented as a desirable sustainable KMS vision. The perspective taken follows up on recent systematic literature reviews and content analysis studies reporting on the poor knowledge accumulation and evolution in the design, information science, and KM disciplines. Proposed remedies and initiatives are pitched against the novel KMS development case with its longitudinal stream of research output. As the design and creation of complex innovative artefacts facing ‘wicked’ challenges are seldom complemented by concurrent research papers, rare insights are offered of how similar longitudinal DSR or KMS projects may be structured and of how the related domain’s heritage knowledge base and its fitness-for-use-and-evolution may be strengthened. Due to the cycles and progression of its prior publications, this case study is particularly suited to contribute to cumulative research synthesis and, hence, further focusses on the recently proposed notions of projecting and projectability for evaluating distances between actual real-world environments and future possible-world application-ecosystems—a perspective which may become essential acceptance criteria for publishing in DSR-related conferences and journal publishing outlets.

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