Module overview
As organisations have become more knowledge intensive, the ability to manage knowledge has become a matter of competitive survival. This module is intended to provide students with a blend of theory and current practice in knowledge management in organisations. After introducing the contemporary importance of knowledge and knowledge management, information and communication technologies that play a prominent role in knowledge management processes are examined. The module examines the importance of knowledge for organisational learning, as well as knowledge creation and organisational unlearning. Socio-cultural issues related to managing and sharing knowledge will also be considered. The role of leadership and how it can support and facilitate knowledge management activities is also examined.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- confidently understand the knowledge needs of organisations, and the managerial mechanisms available to accommodate such needs;
- produce an integrated written report at an appropriate intellectual and practical level.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- appreciation of the role and importance of knowledge in 21st Century organisations;
- recognising the challenges facing those responsible for the creation, transfer and storage of organisational knowledge.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- understand the complexity of the knowledge management tasks facing organisations;
- present convincing and well-argued cases for managerial action plans;
- evaluate appropriate courses of managerial action from a range of alternatives;
- be aware of, and understand, the appropriate relevant research literature.
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- appreciate the knowledge needs of organisations in commercial and public sectors;
- understand and reflect upon the difficulties of implementing knowledge management systems in organisational settings.
Syllabus
- Knowledge management - Key concepts
- Knowledge creation and loss
- Knowledge transfer
- Knowledge storage
- Information technology (IT) in knowledge management
- Organisational learning and the learning organisation
- Organisational culture and knowledge sharing
- Knowledge, power and knowledge-intensive firms
- Social issues relating to managing and sharing knowledge
- Communities of practice
- Leadership and Knowledge Management
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include:
- lecture-based
- with supporting classes where appropriate.
Learning activities include:
- You will be expected to actively participate in the learning process
- using Blackboard or other facilitative media.
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Completion of assessment task | 20 |
Wider reading or practice | 30 |
Revision | 36 |
Preparation for scheduled sessions | 20 |
Follow-up work | 10 |
Seminar | 10 |
Lecture | 24 |
Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Hislop, D. (2013). Knowledge Management in Organisations: A Critical Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Becerra-Fernandez, I (2008). Knowledge Management: An evolutionary view [electronic resource available via WebCat]. M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Questions and answers
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: - In-lecture review questions/problems. - Solutions to class questions/case study will be uploaded to Blackboard. - Response to students’ questions during lectures, classes or through other means (e.g. email and Blackboard-Discussion Board).
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Individual assignment | 100% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Written assessment | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Individual assignment | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External