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6 Chapter 1

advantage with its targeted customers. Knowledge management seeks to accumulate intellectual
capital that will create unique core competencies and lead to superior results. ( Rigby 2009 )

A defi nition from the cognitive science or knowledge science perspective:
Knowledge — the insights, understandings, and practical know-how that we all possess — is the
fundamental resource that allows us to function intelligently. Over time, considerable knowledge
is also transformed to other manifestations — such as books, technology, practices, and tradi-
tions — within organizations of all kinds and in society in general. These transformations result
in cumulated [sic] expertise and, when used appropriately, increased effectiveness. Knowledge is
one, if not THE, principal factor that makes personal, organizational, and societal intelligent
behavior possible. ( Wiig 1993 )
Two diametrically opposed schools of thought arise from the library and informa-
tion science perspective: the fi rst sees very little distinction between information
management and knowledge management, as shown by these two defi nitions:
KM is predominantly seen as information management by another name (semantic drift).
( Davenport and Cronin 2000 , 1)
Knowledge management is one of those concepts that librarians take time to assimilate, only to
refl ect ultimately “ on why other communities try to colonize our domains. ” ( Hobohm 2004 , 7)
The second school of thought, however, does make a distinction between the manage-
ment of information resources and the management of knowledge resources.

Knowledge management “ is understanding the organization ’ s information fl ows and implement-
ing organizational learning practices which make explicit key aspects of its knowledge base. . . .
It is about enhancing the use of organizational knowledge through sound practices of informa-
tion management and organizational learning. ” ( Broadbent 1997 , 8 – 9)
The process-technology perspective provides some sample defi nitions, as well:
Knowledge management is the concept under which information is turned into actionable
knowledge and made available effortlessly in a usable form to the people who can apply it. (Patel
and Harty, 1998)
Leveraging collective wisdom to increase responsiveness and innovation. (Carl Frappaolo, Delphi
Group, Boston, http://www.destinationkm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=949)

A systematic approach to manage the use of information in order to provide a continuous fl ow
of knowledge to the right people at the right time enabling effi cient and effective decision making
in their everyday business. (Steve Ward, Northrop Grumman, http://www.destinationkm.com/
articles/default.asp?ArticleID=949)
A knowledge management system is a virtual repository for relevant information that is
critical to tasks performed daily by organizational knowledge workers. (What is KM? http://www
.knowledgeshop.com)