Managing knowledge in the era of globalization	Many Western companies assimilate knowledge management with the deployment of formal mechanisms to foster the dissemination and use of knowledge. A decade ago, Nonaka and Takeuchi made great strides in this area by emphasizing the benefits of the Japanese conception, which lends greater importance to the tacit knowledge possessed by each individual. Today, they are reviewing the key issues involved in knowledge management in the era of globalization. In particular, they suggest useful ways to organize the creation of knowledge in a context of geographical dispersion.
Hitotsubashi on Knowledge Management, Ikujiro Nonaka, Hirotaka Takeuchi et al, John Wiley & Sons (Asia), 2004.
Leveraging Communities of Practice for Strategic Advantage	Over half of decisions do not produce the expected outcome, according to a recent study. Why Decisions Fail shows that although blame is often placed on external factors, poor decision-making practices are often the real reason. Using examples of famous fiascoes, such as the commercial flop of the London Millenium Dome and Eurodisney’s initial problems, the author analyzes the key factors that cause poor decisions, e.g. making premature commitments, failing to consider the interests of all stakeholders, etc. His abundantly illustrated look at these striking examples invites managers to challenge many accepted habits.
Hubert Saint-Onge and Debra Wallace Butterworth-Heinemann, 2003.
Continuity Management	Continuity Management alerts managers to an increasingly critical imperative. In an era where turnover has risen dramatically, and great numbers of employees are reaching retirement, companies must ensure that the organization does not lose knowledge when employees leave. The authors propose a systematic program for harvesting strategic knowledge and describe the prerequisites for implementing such a program successfully.
Hamilton Beazley, Jeremiah Boenisch and David Harden John Wiley & Sons, 2002.
Information Ecology	This work emphasizes the dangers of managing information with excessively technical approaches. Executives are all too often disappointed in the results of their IT investments because information technology alone is nowhere near sufficient to manage the entire body of corporate knowledge. The author recommends an approach acknowledging all of the critical components of information management, requiring that companies: define an information management strategy; manage the political context; adapt the corporate culture; build a network of information management professionals; map information access gateways.
Thomas H. Davenport, Oxford University Press, 1997.
The Leadership Triad	In the course of recent decades, leadership conditions have changed significantly; knowledge has become a key component of competitive advantage, and leaders are no longer expected to guide those who execute their orders, but utilize all of the collective and individual knowledge and intelligence that exists within the company. This book draws conclusions on the practical implications for on leadership behavior.
Dale E. Zand, Oxford University Press, 1997.
Learning in Action	The merits of the learning organization are now widely recognized. Every manager knows that acquiring knowledge and experience and transferring them to the entire organization is a key to competitive success. Yet few companies are able to turn this model into action. Learning in Action shows that the principal obstacle is formed by managers’ lack of practical instruction on how to put the theory into practice. The author then provides many relevant tools and methods, as well as valuable tips on how to make learning a core part of the organization.
David A. Garvin, Harvard Business School Press, 2000.
The Knowledge Creating Company	After extensive analysis, the author identifies the six key things that companies must do to create and support knowledge development and dissemination: direct innovation efforts by having executives define 'fields of knowledge'; encourage individual autonomy to leave room for knowledge development; maintain a constant sense of urgency to avoid or eliminate ingrained habits; ensure continuous information feedback; involve as many people as possible in the thinking process; involve a widely diverse population in thinking; implement 'middle-up-down management,' which sees middle managers as the best positioned to form a realistic synthesis of executive aspirations and operational realities.
Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi, Oxford University Press, 1995.
Wellsprings of Knowledge	This book identifies four key creativity drivers inherent to every organization: know-how of personnel; know-how embodied in physical systems; management systems that support knowledge development; organizational values that direct and channel knowledge development. The author recommends that managers use all three of these drivers to foster creativity, and particularly emphasizes the importance of teamwork, testing, and openness.
Dorothy Leonard-Barton, Harvard Business School Press, 1995.