Building On Knowledge: Developing Expertise, Creativity And Intellectual Capital In The Construction Professions
by David Bartholomew /
2008 / English / PDF
3.1 MB Download
This guide shows design practices and other construction
professionals how to manage knowledge successfully. It explains how
to develop and implement a knowledge management strategy, and how
to avoid the pitfalls, focusing on the techniques of learning and
knowledge sharing that are most relevant in professional practice.
Expensive IT-based ‘solutions’ bought off-the-shelf rarely succeed
in a practice context, so the emphasis here is on people-centred
techniques, which recognise and meet real business knowledge needs
and fit in with the organisational culture.
This guide shows design practices and other construction
professionals how to manage knowledge successfully. It explains how
to develop and implement a knowledge management strategy, and how
to avoid the pitfalls, focusing on the techniques of learning and
knowledge sharing that are most relevant in professional practice.
Expensive IT-based ‘solutions’ bought off-the-shelf rarely succeed
in a practice context, so the emphasis here is on people-centred
techniques, which recognise and meet real business knowledge needs
and fit in with the organisational culture.
Knowledge is supplanting physical assets as the dominant basis of
capital value and an understanding of how knowledge is acquired,
shared and used is increasingly crucial in organisational
success. Most business leaders recognise this, but few have yet
succeeded in making it the pervasive influence on management
practice that it needs to become; that has turned out to be
harder than it looks.
Knowledge is supplanting physical assets as the dominant basis of
capital value and an understanding of how knowledge is acquired,
shared and used is increasingly crucial in organisational
success. Most business leaders recognise this, but few have yet
succeeded in making it the pervasive influence on management
practice that it needs to become; that has turned out to be
harder than it looks.
Construction professionals are among those who have furthest to
go, and most to gain. Design is a knowledge-based activity, and
project managers, contractors and clients, as well as architects
and engineers, have always learned from experience and shared
their knowledge with immediate colleagues. But the intuitive
processes they have traditionally used break down alarmingly
quickly as organisations grow; even simply dividing the office
over two floors can noticeably reduce communication. At the same
time, increasingly sophisticated construction technology and more
demanding markets are making effective management of knowledge
ever more important. Other knowledge-intensive industries (such
as management consultancy, pharmaceuticals, and IT), are well
ahead in adopting a more systematic approach to learning and
sharing knowledge, and seeing the benefits in improved technical
capacity, efficiency, customer satisfaction and reduced risk.
Construction professionals are among those who have furthest to
go, and most to gain. Design is a knowledge-based activity, and
project managers, contractors and clients, as well as architects
and engineers, have always learned from experience and shared
their knowledge with immediate colleagues. But the intuitive
processes they have traditionally used break down alarmingly
quickly as organisations grow; even simply dividing the office
over two floors can noticeably reduce communication. At the same
time, increasingly sophisticated construction technology and more
demanding markets are making effective management of knowledge
ever more important. Other knowledge-intensive industries (such
as management consultancy, pharmaceuticals, and IT), are well
ahead in adopting a more systematic approach to learning and
sharing knowledge, and seeing the benefits in improved technical
capacity, efficiency, customer satisfaction and reduced risk.