I agree with Michael's comments on knowledge databases. Such an approach
to thinking about knowledge seems to me to be the antithesis of systems
thinking.
Given the nature of 'knowledge' as explained by Michael, a more productive
approach might be to consider the processes by which knowledge becomes
contextualised ( and also RE-contextualised - that is transferred between
contexts by the possessor of the knowledge), situated and distributed in
an organisation, and to seek to enhance and nurture those processes which
encourage such processes; and to identify and seek to eliminate practices
and processes which act as barriers to the expansion and distribution of
knowledge.
However, none of this says that it is not a good idea to use such tools as
skills matrices to assist individuals and teams to identify personal and
collective skills deficiencies and developmental targets. Knowledge
resides in the appropriate disposition of skills (ie - contextual
application), not in the skills themselves.
-- Phillip Capper Centre for Research on Work, Education and Business PO Box 2855 Wellington New ZealandPh: 64+ 4 4998140 Fx: 64+ 4 4733087
EMail: pcapper@actrix.gen.nz