This guide seeks to provide ‘informed clarity’ for practitioners and senior management around the potential and actual scope of activity and benefits of Knowledge Management in the public sector. It is intended for a range of groups within that sector including politicians and policy-makers, employees and managers, as well as wider stakeholders and the general public.
It is an evidence-based Guide to Good Practice, based on the results of a comprehensive research programme carried out during 2004 on behalf of the British Standards Institution by the ’Knowledge and Innovation Network’ (part of Warwick Business School, University of Warwick) and RSM Robson Rhodes LLP.
This guide will enable readers to:
- Gain an effective overview on different KM approaches as practised in different public sector organizations
- Develop insights into various purposes of public sector KM interventions and their usefulness for resolving organizational challenges
- Learn how to categorize different public sector approaches to KM
- Establish which KM approaches are appropriate in which situations
- Understand the implications in terms of resources, competencies and organizational set-ups required for successful public sector KM interventions
- Learn how KM can contribute to achieving the organizational objectives of public sector organizations.
The Guide has the following structure:
- Chapter 1 explains the rationale and context for the Guide and summarizes its key proposals and findings
- Chapter 2 outlines the relevance of KM to the public sector
- Chapter 3 analyses and categorizes the range of approaches to KM adopted in the public sector
- Chapter 4 contains case studies, outlining the real-life experience of a range of public sector organizations in seeking to develop and implement KM
- Chapter 5 draws out a number of high level conclusions from the study.
Throughout the Guide appear a series of ‘evidence boxes’, highlighting primary research findings gathered during the authors’ programme of research. These are:
- “Our survey said” - findings from the online survey
- “KM Participant view” - comments gleaned during interviews
- “The Community said” - comments made during Community Brainstorm Day and via a discussion portal
- “Case Study Insight” - information gleaned from Case Studies
- “Literature Insight”- information gleaned from a Literature review.
Detailed annexes are also included describing research methodology, analysis of survey findings, write-up of the Community Brainstorm Day as well as references and suggestions for further reading.
Notes and references guide the interested reader towards the primary and secondary sources used in the preparation of this guide.