Knowledge Dispersion and Convergence

There are many knowledge generators in company that transform information shaped streams under predetermined circumstances to knowledge. For example, any Information Reporting System or Predictive Analytics solution is a kind of knowledge generator, because it provides to analysts shaped and formed information in information environment, in certain conditions. Information in context is a knowledge.  Analysts process information and create knowledge, corporate knowledge. It is internal fountain of competitive information.

That is great. So, we have many knowledge generators since we have many departments and information analysts that consume information and create beneficial and applied information, let’s call it corporate knowledge. Where is the problem, what’s the fuss?

Problem is that knowledge is generated by different subjects for different purposes with different aims. This are strong influences that make individual knowledge islands, but this knowledge is not focused, converged to aim. This knowledge’s have many aims like cost efficiency, product life cycle, customer acquisition costs, average revenue per customer and etc.

Knowledge islands are not directed to one target, strategic vision, like laser beam. They are directed to corporate strategic goal by declaration since they can not be easily (with mathematical method) joined and summed to main goal. Data Mining will provide new customer segmentation insight giving hidden profit niches or golden customer segments but transformation from this knowledge to corporate strategy defined and monitored with method like Balance Scorecard is totally different story. Information from data mining will suffer many modifications and transformations through processes and systems. At the end this information deviations will be so significant that at the end starting connectivity and knowledge trace is totally lost. Knowledge will be totally distorted before it will appear in strategic goal. It cannot be considered any more as knowledge with direct influence on corporate goal.

This is only one example, and this is a representation of work and knowledge of many other participants, analysts and operative decision makers working on individual knowledge islands created on Information Reporting Systems. Company knowledge is widely spread in company, meaning it is widely dispersed. Not only it is already dispersed but tends to be even more dispersed in future. Data Mining knowledge gives great information to marketers but not to finance, Business Performance Solutions give more knowledge to Finance and Top Management but not to business analysts, because it does not provide enough detailed information.

It is a knowledge noise and there is no methodical knowledge convergence process. Can Knowledge Management help? No, it can’t since it provides knowledge delivery and maintenance processes, not knowledge meaning… Knowledge meaning and understanding, knowledge about knowledge is something different.

Power of Knowledge Convergence

What is the benefit of converged knowledge? Every knowledge stream targeted to corporate goal will contribute to more powerful and efficient way to fulfill strategic vision. In other words company will:

• not loose internal resources in translating individual knowledge generated in certain departments, processes, analysis, and etc.;
• have better overview about contributions of different business aspects in quantities;
• have better knowledge transparency;
• have better competitive intelligence process generation.  

Is there a solution for appliance of knowledge convergence?

Of course. One efficient method is Total Controlling Concept (TCC) that provides mechanism to apply knowledge convergence and direct it to corporate strategic vision.