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Knowledge criteria for organization design

Kavi Mahesh (Principal KM Consultant at Infosys Technologies Ltd, Bangalore, India and also Professor of Computer Science, PES Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India)
J.K. Suresh (Associate Vice President and Principal Knowledge Manager at Infosys Technologies Ltd, Bangalore, India)

Journal of Knowledge Management

ISSN: 1367-3270

Article publication date: 17 July 2009

3880

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual and practical basis for developing new organization structures by augmenting the old through virtual knowledge based structures. While organization structure has a major impact on knowledge exchange, its design nevertheless continues to be governed by criteria that are often in conflict with the needs of knowledge management. In an era where knowledge is increasingly acknowledged to be a central factor of production in the modern enterprise, the resulting deficiencies in the design often lead to sub‐optimal capability for organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Borrowing from Drucker's elucidation of the characteristics and determinants of a successful organization in the new economy, the consequences of the transition from an economy of goods to that of knowledge are analyzed briefly in the background of KM. The study highlights an enduring deficiency in present day organizations, wherein structure is relatively uninfluenced by knowledge considerations even as organizational functions have come to depend more on knowledge exchange. A design approach that addresses this lacuna is elaborated and illustrated through a case study.

Findings

This paper explores knowledge criteria for designing organization structure, proposes a hybrid solution with knowledge units (KUs) superimposed on a conventional structure and illustrates its practical application in developing KUs to create sustainable drivers for organizational value, performance and growth.

Originality/value

Provides knowledge criteria for the design of organization structure to aid organizational growth, responsiveness and performance. For theorists, provides a conceptual base for efficient organizational design; for practitioners in the areas of planning, knowledge management and organizational effectiveness, provides design criteria for optimal performance.

Keywords

Citation

Mahesh, K. and Suresh, J.K. (2009), "Knowledge criteria for organization design", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 41-51. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270910971815

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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