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of the organization, so that managers and staff can see that knowledge sharing is one
of the principal behaviors that the organization encourages and rewards.
Knowledge sharing should be designated as one of a small number of core behaviors
that are rewarded in the performance review system. Getting agreement across a large
organization to focus on knowledge sharing as one of a small number of core behav-
iors is not easy, and even when accomplished, does not have any instant effect. In
the short run, there is often cynicism and posturing, but the experience of organiza-
tions, particularly the large consulting fi rms, is that over time such a change sends an
unmistakable signal throughout the organization, which does accelerate the intended
behavioral change.
In practice, informal incentives in the form of recognition by management and
visibility within the organization can often be more powerful incentives than the
formal incentive system. While the establishment of formal incentives is important
for the long-run sustainability of a knowledge management program, it is easy to
over-estimate the value of incentives. The absence of formal incentives in the early
days of knowledge sharing can become a pretext for not implementing the program.
The establishment of rewards for individual knowledge-sharing activities can signal
the importance of knowledge sharing but also runs the risk of creating expectations
of rewards for behavior that should be part of the normal way of conducting the busi-
ness of the organization.
In the long term however, the establishment of incentives through the regular
personnel and reward system of the organization can establish a clear value framework
that confi rms that knowledge sharing is not a mere management fad, but rather part
of the permanent fabric of the organization.
Stevens (2000) discusses how organizations use a variety of incentives to show that
they ’ re serious about sharing knowledge. For example, some have rewards and recogni-
tion programs for knowledge sharers; these range from kudos in the company newslet-
ter to substantial pay bonuses. Other companies evaluate employees for raises,
advancement, and even extra vacation time partly on how much they participate in
knowledge-sharing activities. Government departments are beginning to focus on
social or group incentives over individual incentives by rewarding team projects or
exemplary success in mentoring or otherwise sharing valuable knowledge. Buckman
Labs invites top knowledge sharers to visit the headquarters to personally receive a
state-of-the-art laptop as recognition. This incentive was chosen by surveying employ-
ees to ascertain what they felt a good reward for being a good knowledge sharer should
be. Given that value is in the eye of the beholder, asking employees to suggest rewards