In many organizations, including school
districts, departments often become “siloed” or function in isolation of other
departments. This leads to a lack of communication, collaboration or exchange
of information about decisions and actions, and most importantly a lack of
innovation.[i]
While the research on a school
district’s knowledge management is sparse, other general research on knowledge
management points in the direction of some key characteristics that I frame here
in three questions:
How does a school district share its knowledge?
School districts share their knowledge
in different ways. Think about a school district that uses a “codification
strategy” verses a “personalization strategy” for transferring knowledge. [ii]
·
The codification strategy uses the
computer or other forms of technology to codify, store, and transfer knowledge.
·
The personalization strategy means
knowledge is tied closely to individuals developing knowledge and sharing it
with others on a one-on-one basis.
According to
Hansen, et al., an organization’s strategy for sharing its knowledge is
uniquely tied to things like its clients, hiring policies, and the economic
characteristics of the organization. [iii] For example, an urban school district
with families speaking various languages might need to do more one-on-one
communication of knowledge through translators. Districts with strict union contracts may have fewer options
for hiring personnel, leading to personnel with similar skill sets. Districts
may have restrictions on federal funding, and may not be free to spend money on
the infrastructure needed to support the codification strategy.
What structures exist in a school district for sharing knowledge?
The structures used for sharing
knowledge depend on whether a school district uses a codification or personalization
strategy.
·
If a school district
uses a codification strategy – the district will have a robust online platform
for sharing documents as well as various expected formats for meeting notes or
documentation of planning and implementation. Districts will need personnel
with high levels of technological expertise as well as skills for tracking of
information through writing and note-taking becomes very important. This type
of codification is seen in sales companies using Customer Relations Management
tools to document their interactions with clients.
·
If a school district uses
a personalization strategy – the district will have extensive structures for
their personnel to meet one-on-one or in teams. As a result, teams become an important component for sharing
knowledge and learning from one another. To promote the necessary innovation to
solve the complex problems addressed by school districts, personnel from
various departments or specialties will need to come together on teams to share
their knowledge and develop cross-disciplinary solutions. These ideas stems
from Edmondson’s research on teaming, and the importance of teams for promoting
innovation and learning in organizations.[iv]
What are the boundaries for sharing knowledge?
In most cases, the largest boundary for
district wanting to use the codification strategy is they have limited
resources to spend on the infrastructure necessary for that strategy. Most of
the boundaries for districts using the personalization strategy have to do with
the challenges of teaming. Edmondson describes three types of boundaries for
teams:
1. Physical distance – it is hard for teams to work together when they are physically
separated.
2. Status – team members with low status often find it hard to speak up and
have their ideas valued. Therefore, a superintendent has to be careful that
his/her ideas do not trump the ideas of his deputy or associate
superintendents’ ideas.
3. Knowledge – groups with diverse expertise have a hard time managing their disparate
knowledge as disciplines attach varying definitions and value to concepts.[v]
As school district examine their practices,
structures, and policies related to knowledge management, they should keep in
mind that Hansen, et al. suggest that successful organizations usually lean
towards one or the other knowledge management strategies. School districts trying to blend the
codification strategy and the personalization strategy may have a hard time. Instead,
districts need to strengthen the practices in their district associated with their
chosen knowledge management strategy. For example, school districts relying on
the personalization strategy for knowledge management should become VERY good
at teaming. School districts relying
on the codification strategy should develop capacity among its personnel for
writing and tracking in a systematic way.
[i] Kelley,
T. (2005). The Ten Faces of Innovation:
IDEO’s strategies for beating the devil’s advocate and driving creativity
throughout your organization. New York: Currency Doubleday. P. 123.
[ii] Hansen,
M.T., Nohria, N., Tierney, T. (March-April, 1999). “What’s your strategy for
managing knowledge?” Harvard Business
Review.
[iii] Hansen,
M.T., Nohria, N., Tierney, T. (March-April, 1999). “What’s your strategy for
managing knowledge?” Harvard Business
Review.
[iv] Edmondson,
A.C. (2012) Teaming: How organizations
learn, innovate, and compete in the knowledge economy. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
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