1

Draft Conclusions for Discussion

Results of the survey of knowledge management practices for

ministries/departments/agencies of central government in OECD member

countries

Elsa Pilichowski

Administrator

Public governance and territorial development directorate (GOV) OECD

2

INTRODUCTION

• The increasing importance of better managing knowledge for ensuring the best fit of organisations with their environment

• Other tools used to improve organisational adaptivity have complex effects on the management of knowledge

75% of organisations have decentralised authority and created internal networks

2/3 have opened up bureaucratic divisions 2/3 encourage internal mobility and approximately 40% external

mobility 1/3 have increased the percentage of their staff on mobility and

those with flexible status

3

Percentage of temporary staff with flexible status

betw een 1 and 3%(34% of org.)

betw een 4 and 5%(10% of org.)

betw een 6 and 10%(19% of org.)

betw een 11 and 20%(12% of org.)

betw een 21 and 30%(9% of org.)

0% of temporary staff

(11% of organisations)

More than 30 %(5% of org.)

4

Percentage of staff who left on external mobility in 2001

0%(10%)

btwn 3 & 4%(15%)

btwn 5 & 6%(15%)

btwn 1 & 2%(25%)btwn 7 & 10%

(17%)

btwn 11 & 20%

(11%)

more than 20%(7%)

5

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT CREATES HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Very important/important factors motivating the establishment of KM practices

improving work efficiency and productivity

improving transparency, outward sharing of information and releasing information more rapidly

increasing horizontality and decentralisation of authority, promoting lifelong learning, improving relations and trust within ministries and with other ministries

improving the attractiveness of public organisations

6

KM HAS BEEN SIGNALLED AS A MANAGEMENT PRIORITY (1)KM as one of the top five internal management priorities

44.8

26.1

21.7

5.8

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Yes No, but it will certainlybecome a priority in the

next 2 ye

No, but it will probablybecome a priority in the

longer run

No

Good knowledge/information management is one of the top five internal priorities of yourorganisation

7

KM HAS BEEN SIGNALLED AS A MANAGEMENT PRIORITY (2)Responsibilities for KM practices

Graph 3: Overall responsibility for knowledge and information management and transfer practices

Information technology team

7%

Special knowledge and information

management unit

15%Top managers

36%

Other

7%

None

19%

Human resources management team

16%

8

KM HAS BEEN SIGNALLED AS A MANAGEMENT PRIORITY (3)

Overall KM strategies are being developed:

Half of all organisations have a KM strategy

Almost another half will have one in the next three years

The KM language is used broadly across organisations

9

MOST ARE MAKING CONCRETE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THEIR KM PRACTICES (1)

Personnel development

increased training opportunities

new personnel development practices have not been systematised

KM specific organisational arrangements

central coordination units, quality groups/communities of practices,

knowledge networks, CKO

filing mechanisms, electronic archiving, databases

More initiatives to promote the sharing of K. w/ outside

organisations

10

MOST ARE MAKING CONCRETE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THEIR KM PRACTICES (2)

Information technology/e-government

ICTs and internal knowledge sharing: internal access to basic e-

gvt technologies has been achieved

ICTs and external knowledge sharing

•Stage 1: Information

• Stage 2: Interactive information

•Stage 3: Transactions

•Stage 4: Data sharing

11

MOST ARE MAKING CONCRETE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THEIR KM PRACTICES (3)

The budget picture is more mixed

A minority of organisations have an overall view of how much

KM practices cost

The budget dedicated to KM practices is not going to increase tremendously in the next five years

12

13

THE LIMITS OF ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES (1)

Difficulties of implementation

Rewards for knowledge sharing remain limited

Difficulty in capturing staff undocumented knowledge

Internal resistance to changes

Difficult focus on people matters

Concerns with sensitive and confidential information

14

THE LIMITS OF ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES (2)

Negative side effects

Information overload

Wasted time in consultation

Difficulties in using new ICTs

Dilution of responsibilities

15

KM PRACTICES HAVE NOT FULFILLED ALL EXPECTATIONS

Perceived increase in efficiency, transpareny and outward focus

Structural changes related to the improved competitiveness of the public employer and the changes to the vertical and silo type of hierarchical structures have not been achieved yet

16

KM PRACTICES HAVE NOT FULFILLED ALL EXPECTATIONS

Because:

of the lack of KM practices? KM strategies are too recent?

of the difficulties in implementing KM practices?

of unrealistic expectations?

17

AT THE SAME TIME: CULTURAL CHANGES ARE

TAKING PLACE (1)

Staff attitudes have changed

staff now consider K sharing is good for their career

staff make documents available to others more spontaneously+

Managers’ attitudes have changed

spend more time disseminating info to their staff

devolve autority to lower levels

build project teams

Managing knowledge workers

18

AT THE SAME TIME: CULTURAL CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE (2) Increasing reliance on info coming from outside sources

98.4

83 .5

77 .3

59 .2 60 .8

45 .4

77 .2

54 .2

7 4

51.6

60 .1

40 .3

73

41.5

92 .1

71 .7

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

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S ystem atic o r o ccas io n a l re lian ce o n in fo rm atio n co m in g from o u ts id e o rg an isa tio n s to d ay and ten years ag o

T oday

10 years a go

19

MEASURING EFFORTS AND LEVEL AND QUALITY OF KM PRACTICES

Weak correlation between efforts made at improving KM and perception of results

Countries which rank high on both indicators:

large and relatively well functioning governments; and,

have provided a relatively stable organisational and cultural environment

Sectors which rank high on both indicators:

coordinating role

outward looking

20

MEASURING EFFORTS AND LEVEL AND QUALITY OF KM PRACTICES

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

8 10 12 14 16 18 20Perception of level and quality of KM practices, organisational and cultural change

(improving with higher score on the indicator)

Efforts made at improving KM

(increasing with higher score on the indicator)

Pol Bel

Por

Hun

Irl USNor

Kor

Swe

Slo

DenUK

Fin

GerGre

CanFra

Ice

Group 1Group 2

Group 3

21

MEASURING EFFORTS AND LEVEL AND QUALITY OF KM PRACTICES

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

13 14 15 16 17

Efforts made at improving KM

(increasing with higher score on the indicator)

Finance

Trade & IndustryJustice

LabourPrime Minister's

OfficeHealth /SocialAffairs Foreign

AffairsEconomy

EducationInterior

StateReform/Public Administration

Group 1Group 2

Group 3

Perception of level and quality of KM practices, organisational and cultural change

(improving with higher score on the indicator)

22

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

What have been countries experiences with the achievements of better KM practices? How have they changed organisations?

What can realistically be expected of specific KM organisational arrangements? Should KM be better linked to the broader issue of adaptivity?

What is the best supporting environment for improving KM practices?