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The Knowledge Management Cycle 53

3. Knowledge codifi cation
4. Knowledge refi nement
5. Knowledge sharing
6. Knowledge access
7. Knowledge learning
8. Knowledge application
9. Knowledge evaluation
10. Knowledge reuse/divestment
Next, an integrated KM cycle can be distilled from our preceding study of some
of the major approaches that have been undertaken to describe the key processes that
should make up the KM cycle. The integrated cycle subsumes most of the steps
involved in the KM cycles discussed in this chapter and classifi es them into three
major stages:
1. Knowledge capture and/or creation
2. Knowledge sharing and dissemination
3. Knowledge acquisition and application

In the transition from knowledge capture/creation to knowledge sharing and dis-
semination, knowledge content is assessed. Knowledge is then made contextual in
order to be understood (acquired) and used (application). This stage then feeds back
into the fi rst one in order to update the knowledge content. The integrated KM cycle
is outlined in fi gure 2.11 .
Knowledge capture refers to the identifi cation and subsequent codifi cation of exist-
ing (usually previously unnoticed) internal knowledge and know-how within the
organization and/or external knowledge from the environment. Knowledge creation
is the development of new knowledge and know-how — innovations that did not have
a previous existence within the company. When knowledge is inventoried in this
manner, the next critical step must be some form of assessment against selection
criteria that will closely follow the organizational goals. Is this content valid? Is it new
and better, in other words, is it of suffi cient value to the organization that it should
be added to the store of intellectual capital?
Once it has been decided that the new or newly identifi ed content is of suffi cient
value, the next step lies in contextualizing this content. This involves maintaining a
link between the knowledge and those knowledgeable about that content: the author
or originator of the idea, subject matter experts, and also those who have garnered