Step 4: Mapping Internal and External Knowledge Flows

Knowledge networks and flows (also called social networks) are the informal networks that form for sharing and transferring knowledge in a certain area. They are formed in all organizations independent of the formal struc­ture's lines of command (organizational charts) and workflows. Maps of internal knowledge flows show "who contacts whom for their knowledge" and the frequency of this contact. Map­ping external knowledge flows reveals flow patterns with external parties in the value chain (e.g., distributors, suppliers, contractors, and customers). Knowledge flow (exchange) maps include maps showing knowledge flows and exchanges inside a particular department or business unit (departmental flows), and those between the various departments in an organization in regard to the performance of a particular business process (interdepartmental flows), and finally flows between departments and outside parties (external flows).

In a knowledge flows map, each person is denoted by a node, and a knowledge flow (both ways) is denoted by a line connecting two nodes. The boldness of a line denotes density of exchange. There are a number of software programs available in which the data can be entered to create knowledge flow maps showing flow activity and blocks. All these maps aim to uncover and depict the following :

• Knowledge exchanges that support a particular business process inside a certain depart­ment, as illustrated in Exhibit 11.3, and with other departments, as illustrated in Exhibit 11.4 (see also about safe investments).

EXHIBIT 11.3    Knowledge Flows and Networks

Department B Department A

EXHIBIT 11.4    Interdepartmental Knowledge Flows

•   Sources of tacit knowledge resources (experts) in a department and across the organiza­tion detected by finding nodes (people) where there is intense activity and centrality. Net­work centrality is represented by the node, which is the center of a knowledge network (e.g., employee 1 in Exhibits 11.3 and 11.4). Those with network centrality can be approached for CoPs leadership in that area of knowledge.

•   Places where knowledge sharing is disabled shown by lack of knowledge flows between departments (e.g., departments A and B in Exhibit 11.4). This is alarming, as cross-pollination of ideas and knowledge among various departments is one of the goals of KM. In addition, it shows weak knowledge sharing and collaboration, which may hinder replication of best practices. Weak or missing flows between two or more departments or business units that can benefit from each other's knowledge in performing critical busi­ness processes reveal serious knowledge flow bottlenecks.

•   How knowledge resources are accessed from outside the organization (external knowl­edge flows). Exhibit 11.5 is an example of the flow of knowledge between the sales rep-

Representatives                                   Customers

---      Knowledge flow

EXHIBIT 11.5    Knowledge Flows with Customers

resentative of a division with its customers. Mapping such flows enables gap analysis of the social or relational capital or, in other words, the interaction between the human and customer capitals in producing knowledge. This enables detection of gaps in the contact points. For example, if customer 1 is a valued customer in terms of knowledge resources then more contact points should be established to build the knowledge base in that area. Another example is representative 8 whose extensive number of contacts shows experi­ence and thus richness in tacit knowledge in a certain area of knowledge. These maps are critical for organizations in the service industry where a lot of learning takes place from contact with major, or what Sveiby calls image-enhancing, customers.

Following the audit exercise, top management should use the audit report to devise the appropri­ate knowledge strategies to fill the identified gaps and create new knowledge.