336 Dwivedi, Bali, and Naguib
Copyright © 2005, Idea Group Inc. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written
an organization’s intranet. The cornerstone of any KM project is to transform tacit
knowledge to explicit knowledge so as to allow its effective dissemination (Gupta et al.,
2000). This can be best met by developing a KM framework. Authors such as Blackler
(1995) have reiterated that the concept of knowledge is complex and, in an organizational
context, its relevance to organization theory has not yet been sufficiently understood
and documented. This is one of the fundamental reasons why KM does not have a widely
accepted framework that can enable HIs in creating KM systems and a culture conducive
to KM practices.
Figure 1 illustrates how the KM process revolves around a cycle. As illustrated, KM
is underpinned by information technology paradigms such as computer-supported
cooperative work (CSCW), work flow, intelligent agents, and data mining. According to
Manchester (1999), a common point about software technologies such as (1) information
retrieval, (2) document management, and (3) work flow processing is that they blend well
with the Internet and related technologies (i.e., technologies that focus on dissemination
of information).
Deveau (2000, p. 14) submits that “KM is about mapping processes and exploiting
the knowledge database. It’s taking people’s minds and applying technology.” Deveau
(2000) also noted that information technology puts the organization in a position to state
the currently available information in the organizational knowledge base. At this point,
the role of ICT ends and the role of KM commences. As KM deals with the tacit and
contextual aspects of information, it allows an organization to know what is important
for it in particular circumstances, in the process maximizing the value of that information
and creating competitive advantages and wealth.
A KM solution would allow healthcare institutions to give clinical data context, so
as to allow knowledge derivation for more effective clinical diagnoses. In the future,
healthcare systems would see increased interest in knowledge recycling of the collabo-
rative learning process acquired from previous healthcare industry practices. The report
put forward the notion that the healthcare sector has been exclusively focused on ICT
Figure 1. The KM cycle (Dwivedi et al., 2002b) (modified from Skyrme, 1999)