Building the Knowledge Management Network: Best Practices, Tools, and Techniques for Putting Conversation to Work

This is a good book on knowledge management. It provides an adequate historical reference and a succinct framework for the opportunities and incentives for KM but it is as of 2002. This book needs updating. It's not bad but is pre-wiki and web images are dated. Buy used...don't spend $40.00.

Review of Building the Knowledge Network: Best Practices, Tools, and Techniques for Putting Conversation to WorkI thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was written in a conversational tone, and pulled together all the different pieces I've been reading in many sources. It starts with a brief history of knowledge sharing/conversation/communications which I found fascinating (and I am not a history buff!). Nancy & Cliff compared the anti-conversational attitudes of the Scientific Management during the Industrial Age, showed how the Hawthorne Studies caused the shift from the organization to the worker, and information systems. With the emergence of computer networks, the knowledge explosion has shown no sign of abating.They discussed how the lessons of the pioneers of early communities such as the WELL assisted communities of today to flourish. Trust became communities' foundation with open communications offering challenges to community managers/moderators/facilitators.The authors' inclusion of quotes from the ideas of the "greats" in community building/managing and knowledge management (KM) such as Stephen Denning, Thomas Davenport, Etienne Wenger, Tom Peters, Michael Hammer and Howard Rheingold, among others offered powerful evidence to their premises. Throughout the book are helpful charts, checklists and other graphics.A whole chapter was devoted to culture and the tools that enable differing cultures. They discussed the three relationships between people and content and the three dimensions of collaboration (the cornerstone of communities).Another chapter was devoted to external stakeholders and customer relationship management (CRM). They touch on what new skills will be required to operate within online learning and knowledge sharing communities And they touch on what paths our technical future may take and how to integrate all these new technologies.They see a "collaborative future" from within and without organizations, as globalization becomes more widespread. The day of hoarding knowledge towards power are over, long live the new king of collaboration! This book is for anyone who wants to start an online community and for those who want to reminisce about "the good ole days," for those who want to read about what the big companies are doing, and all in context. "Context" is a word near and dear to my heart-for so often we forget to put information in context, whether in conversation or training. Nancy and Cliff have completed a truly delightful read in their book. I highly recommend it!