"Rapid Knowledge Transfer: The Key to Success"

Michael English and William Baker

Quality Progress

February 2006, pp. 41-48

The authors of this article argue that companies should combine Knowledge Management and systematic improvement into a framework that consists of a knowledge-enabled culture and four phases: "A knowledge enabled culture is created when an organization employs a system of aligned human resource policies, tactics, processes and practices that ensure knowledge is created, captured, used and reused to achieve superior organizational results as a sustainable advantage."

The four phases are:

1. Search for and Import Best Practices—A framework for classifying processes to investigate includes:
   • Develop business and strategy
   • Design and develop products and services
   • Market and sell products and services
   • Deliver products and services
   • Manage customer service
   • Develop and manage human capital
   • Manage information technology and knowledge
   • Manage financial resources
   • Acquire, construct, and manage property
   • Manage environmental health and safety
   • Manage external relationships
   • Manage improvement and change
2. Learn, Understand and Share—Organizations need to encourage knowledge acquisition and provide a systematic way of digesting and sharing that knowledge;
3. Create Intellectual Capital—Intellectual capital is knowledge that can be converted into value and profits. It includes human capital (knowledge inside people's minds and abilities), intellectual assets (programs, inventions, processes, designs, methodologies, documents, databases, and drawings), and intellectual property (patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and trademarks);
4. Convert Intellectual Capital into Value and Profits—This phase involves reusing proven breakthroughs or best practices in new or different situations. Some examples are software reuse, database management systems, utility patent reuse, franchise business models, surveys, and engineering designs.

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