Newsletter No. 186
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FreePint
"Helping 73,000 people use the Web for their work"
http://www.freepint.com/
ISSN 1460-7239 14th July 2005 No.186
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Fully formatted full-colour edition available at:
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/140705.htm>
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IN THIS ISSUE
-------------
EDITORIAL
By William Hann
MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Ann-Marie Ashby
FREEPINT BAR
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
JINFO :: JOBS IN INFORMATION
Centre and Portal Administrator
Information Services Co-ordinator
Researcher
Research Analyst
Sector Researchers - Global Investment Banking
TIPS ARTICLE
"Free Public Domain and Copyrighted e-Books Online"
By Sam Vaknin
BOOKSHELF
"Accessibility for Everybody: Understanding the Section 508
Accessibility Requirements"
Reviewed by Bill Raschen
Written by John Paul Mueller
FEATURE ARTICLE
"Knowledge Management Does Not Grow on Bonsai Trees"
By Sheena Thompson
EVENTS, GOLD AND FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
CONTACT INFORMATION
ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/140705.htm>
FULLY FORMATTED VERSION
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/140705.pdf>
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*Join us at Internet Librarian International, London, October 10 & 11*
Information technologies and strategies for the 21st century
Collaboration tools, e-learning and training, taxonomies,
folksonomies, e-content, blogs, wikis, new search interfaces
25 % discount for CILIP members
How many more reasons do you need?
For full programme and to register:
<http://www.internet-librarian.com>
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*** VIP scoops OneSource products ***
The July issue of VIP contains the first ever reviews of OneSource's
new products for the UK and US SME sectors. A further review examines
the data in Global Business Browser: Europe, following OneSource's new
partnerships with European information providers.
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*** ABOUT FREEPINT ***
FreePint is an online network of information searchers. Members
receive this free newsletter twice a month: it is packed with tips
on finding quality and reliable business information on the Internet.
Joining is free at <http://www.freepint.com/> and provides access to
a substantial archive of articles, reviews, jobs and events, with
answers to research questions and networking at the FreePint Bar.
Please circulate this newsletter, which is best read when printed out.
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EDITORIAL
By William Hann
What an emotional roller-coaster it's been since the last issue of
FreePint. One day there's celebration and the next there's cause for
commiseration.
Last week's Olympic celebrations here in London were overshadowed
the following day by the bombings. Thankfully we were unaffected, but
it did demonstrate how closely the Internet connects professionals
globally in ways that simply weren't possible before the Internet.
As soon as news of the events in London reached colleagues around the
world, there were messages of concern on all the information
discussion lists. International information groups like the SLA
<http://www.sla.org> checked we were OK here in the UK. Within the UK
there were regional well-wishing comments from members of CILIP
<http://www.cilip.org.uk>. People we only see once a year, but who we
talk to regularly over the Internet (such as members of AIIP
<http://www.aiip.org/> or the Factiva Advisory Board
<http://www.factiva.com/>) wrote immediately to make sure everyone was
alright and to tell us their thoughts were with those who were
affected. Communication is so greatly enhanced by the Internet that
colleagues around the world can become close friends.
An emotional roller-coaster closer to home, and on a much less
significant scale: no sooner do we enjoy a minor celebration with the
publication of the 100th edition of the Jinfo Newsletter
<http://www.jinfo.com/> than I hear last night at SLA Europe's very
enjoyable summer soiree <http://www.sla-europe.org/> that a number of
respected information professionals are soon to be made redundant.
This is not good news and we wish them well over the coming weeks. On
a positive note, congratulations to Steve Borley for winning the SLA
Europe Information Professional Award.
Today's FreePint is as diffuse as ever, with articles about eBooks,
Knowledge Management and 'Section 508'. Thankfully it's not a
roller-coaster of an issue -- I'm not sure our nerves could take it.
Finally, welcome to all new members who've signed up recently. Please
do to tell your colleagues about FreePint, and we hope you find the
latest 'FreePint Index' useful as a handy guide to all FreePint's
articles since 1997 <http://www.freepint.com/issues/>.
William Hann
Managing Editor and Founder, FreePint
e: william.hann@freepint.com
t: 0870 141 7474
i: +44 870 141 7474
FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2005
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** Gain access to the most comprehensive and authoritative online
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After consultation with our customers we have now launched our new
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Check out <http://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/newsandbusiness> for further
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*** Jinfo :: Search and advertise information jobs ***
The 100th edition of the Jinfo Newsletter provides CV writing tips
and you can subscribe to receive it twice-monthly by email:
<http://www.Jinfo.com/>
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MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Ann-Marie Ashby
* Office for National Statistics <http://www.statistics.gov.uk/> -
lots of free economic and social statistics and access to official
UK statistical publications.
* Northcote <http://www.northcote.co.uk/> - free access to current
and archive copies of UK company annual reports. Registration
required but this is free!
* BAILLI <http://www.bailii.org/> - easy access to British and Irish
public legal information, plus links to WorldLII (worldwide law).
* ESRC Society <http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk> - free access to
all ESRC (Economic & Social Research Council) funded research, and a
host of other useful services (email alerts, discussion fora, etc.)
* Chess Cafe <http://www.chesscafe.com/> - outside of work time, this
is my favourite chess site, including news, studies, and articles
from the best Grandmasters.
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Ann-Marie Ashby is Academic Support Team Manager (Business, Law and
Social Sciences) for Information Services at the University of
Birmingham. She is also Membership Secretary for the British Business
School Librarians' Group <http://www.bbslg.org>.
Submit your top five favourite Web sites. See the guidelines at
<http://www.freepint.com/author.htm>.
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FREEPINT BAR
<http://www.freepint.com/bar>
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
I am often surprised at some of the questions that crop up at the
FreePint Bar - the last two weeks are no exception. The strangest
posting I have come across to date has to be this one:
"I am trying to find out if there is a company that sells artificial
perspiration" <http://www.freepint.com/go/b32507>.
There has been a debate about whether to include a photo on your CV
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b32509> - what do you think?
After reading Jela Webb's article in the FreePint Newsletter
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/160605.htm>, a FreePinter would like
more detailed information on the legal/financial aspects of setting up
as an independent consultant <http://www.freepint.com/go/b32495>. Do
you know if there are any training grants or sponsorship for training
programmes to self employed people?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b32535>
Do you know of an online source that details all future conferences,
events and exhibitions? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b32568>. Or
perhaps just specifically for agricultural shows in Europe?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b32497>. FreePint Events has numerous
upcoming events specifically for the information industry
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b32569>.
Research on passenger profiles of people using London mainline
stations has been requested <http://www.freepint.com/go/b32520>,
and information is needed on the usage of adhesives in the
automotive industry <http://www.freepint.com/go/b32534>.
Are you aware of any market research on the information industry?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b32523>. Perhaps you know where to
store digital photos for free on the web
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b32540> or of an alternative to
Windows Explorer? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b32547>.
Lastly, can you suggest possible database solutions for assessment
tools in a medical education environment?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b32555>.
I can't wait to see what turns up in the next couple of weeks.
See you next time.
Penny Hann <penny.hann@freepint.com>
FreePint
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The FreePint Bar is where you can get free help with your tricky
research questions <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
Help with study for information-related courses is available at the
FreePint Student Bar <http://www.freepint.com/student>.
Twice-weekly email digests of the latest postings can be requested
at <http://www.freepint.com/subs/>.
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*** Reward good customer service :: Nominate today ***
This is your chance to reward excellence by nominating
the online information vendor who, in your opinion, has
provided you with outstanding customer service.
Cast your vote for this year's "Online Information /
FreePint Award for Best Customer Service Team":
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JINFO :: JOBS IN INFORMATION
<http://www.jinfo.com/>
The Jinfo service enables you to search for and advertise
information-related job vacancies.
The Jinfo Newsletter is published free every two weeks, and contains
a list of the latest vacancies along with job seeking advice. The
latest editorial is entitled "CV Writing Tips".
To read the latest Jinfo Newsletter and to subscribe to receive it
twice-monthly by email, visit <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/>.
Here are some of the latest featured jobs:
Centre and Portal Administrator
Responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective administration
of the Centre's activities and updating & care of the website.
Recruiter: Sheffield Hallam University
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4114>
Information Services Co-ordinator
Interesting & challenging OMB role at US law firm, potential to
develop services, suit qual + 3yrs experience.
Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4212>
Researcher
An international business law firm based in the City of London is
seeking a Researcher to join the library research team.
Recruiter: D A Solutions Ltd
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4218>
Research Analyst
Top management consultancy requires a Research Analyst to provide
client service support and knowledge development.
Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4219>
Sector Researchers - Global Investment Banking
You will work in a team of bankers providing added value research
to support strategic decisions.
Recruiter: City Professionals
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4220>
NB: There are 50 other jobs in the current edition of the Jinfo
Newsletter <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/> and over 80 in the
Jinfo database <http://www.jinfo.com/>.
[The above jobs are paid listings]
Jinfo -- the best place for information-related job vacancies.
* JOB SEARCHING -- Free search and sign up to the Jinfo Newsletter.
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only GBP195 <http://www.jinfo.com/recruit/>.
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What is ResourceShelf?
<http://www.resourceshelf.com>
ResourceShelf is a free daily update containing news of interest
to information professionals around the world.
Topics include the latest news with web search engines, research
tips, new web resources, and much more.
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TIPS ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/140705.htm#tips>
"Free Public Domain and Copyrighted e-Books Online"
By Sam Vaknin
All books are either public domain - free to reproduce and download -
or copyrighted. Increasingly, many copyrighted works are put online by
authors and publishers either in the form of a Web site or as e-books
(electronic files).
Another useful distinction is between indices - lists of links to
online books - and repositories, where the books themselves (i.e. the
downloadable files) reside.
Finally, it is imperative to distinguish between legal copies of
books, whether copyrighted or not - and illegal copies of copyrighted
books (such as, famously, the Harry Potter series). The latter are
exchanged in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, made available to members of
online discussion groups, and served from FTP servers and Web sites.
These are ignored in this article for obvious reasons.
Unusually for FreePint, I start with my own resource, not (only) due
to my considerable immodesty - but also because it is an index of
indices. The Links and Factoids list
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linknfactoid> contains direct and
indirect links to well over 40,000 individual books and 300 indices
and collections of public domain and copyrighted books available
online.
The archives of the Free Online Scholarship -
<http://www.topica.com/lists/suber-fos/read> - (and its blog -
<http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/fosblog.html>) are equally
impressive.
There is no way to cover even an infinitesimal fraction of the riches
offered by the Internet. Which to choose out of 7,000 bookmarks in my
"e-texts online" folder? I am, therefore, forced to confine myself to
the leaders and ignore thousands of worthy - even exciting -
alternatives.
By far the largest and best maintained index is John Ockerbloom's
Online Books page, with well over 20,000 individual items listed
<http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/>. It offers links to new books
almost daily <http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/new.html>. Browsing
through this index is bound to get you virtually everywhere. There is
rarely a (legal) book online that is not listed here (including my
tomes), offered for free download here:
<http://www.narcissistic-abuse.com/freebooks.html>.
Athena Books and Literature
<http://un2sg4.unige.ch/athena/html/authors.html> is another rich
guide to virtual bookworms. Here is a useful list of online resources
maintained by an Australian:
<http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozlit/index.html>.
The biggest repository of books is the veteran Project Gutenberg, the
1971 brainchild of Michael Hart <http://gutenberg.net/>. It adds
books daily to its 16,000 strong collection
<http://gutenberg.net/browse/recent/last1>. Files are released in
various formats and are proofread repeatedly.
A comparable, treasure is Blackmask <http://www.blackmask.com/>. It
makes available over 12,000 books in six different file formats and
compressed "packagings" (with a considerable collection of pulp
fiction not extant through Project Gutenberg). Blackmask is updated a
few times weekly
<http://www.blackmask.com/cgi-bin/newlinks/page.cgi?g=New&d=1>.
Another impressive repository is the University of Virginia Electronic
Texts Center <http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/>.
Works still copyrighted under the interminable copyright laws of the
USA are public domain elsewhere. Two Australian troves of such books
are the University of Adelaide's Electronic Texts
<http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/> and Project Gutenberg Australia
<http://www.gutenberg.net.au/>. Emphasis on Australian texts is
provided by the SETIS project
<http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/oztexts/>.
More limited access to copyrighted works is offered by Amazon's
"Search Inside the Book" <http://digbig.com/4dxde>,
<http://digbig.com/4dxdd> and Google Print <http://print.google.com>.
Regrettably, there are at least 20 e-book readers. Each developer
offers free online books to demonstrate the technological superiority
of their product. By far the largest such library (with close to 2000
books, many of them exclusive) is, who else, Microsoft's LIT Format
Directory <http://www.mslit.com/>. The authors of the DjVu file
format are constructing their own shrine of learning here
<http://djvued.libs.uga.edu/>.
A notable collection of reference works (including current ones) and
fiction is Bartleby Great Books online <http://bartleby.com/>.
Many universities and academic bodies offer free online books
published by their presses: CalTech
<http://caltechbook.library.caltech.edu/view/>, the (US) National
Academy <http://www.nap.edu/about/availpdf.phtml>, Oxford
<http://www.oup.co.uk/readingroom/>, Princeton
<http://www.pupress.princeton.edu/books/>, Harvard
<http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/> and the University of Illinois
<http://www.press.uillinois.edu/epub/books.html> are a few examples.
But no one comes close to the University of California Digital
Repository <http://repositories.cdlib.org/>.
As I said, there is no end to specialized collections: children's
literature <http://www.allfreeonlinechildrensbooks.com/> , or
<http://www.mainlesson.com/showbooksbytitle.php>; books about Islam
<http://www.iidl.net/> or <http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/>;
about specific countries such as Canada <http://collection.nlc-bnc.ca/>
or <http://www.umanitoba.ca/canlit/>; specific periods, like the 19th
century <http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/19thcentury.html> or
<http://digital.library.pitt.edu/nietz/>; authors such as Zane Gray
<http://www.genordell.com/stores/western/ZaneGrey.htm> or Jules Verne
<http://jv.gilead.org.il/works.html>; topics from Astronomy
<http://ads.harvard.edu/books/hsaa/toc.html> through Physics
<http://www.lightandmatter.com/> to Zoology
<http://www.herper.com/ebooks/>.
The head spins. With a modem and a rudimentary PC one gains access
today to collections which put to shame the physical libraries of many
a university. I know of no better definition of "paradise".
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Sam Vaknin <http://samvak.tripod.com> is the author of 'Malignant Self
Love - Narcissism Revisited' and 'After the Rain - How the West Lost
the East'. He served as a columnist for Central Europe Review,
PopMatters, Bellaonline, and eBookWeb, a United Press International
(UPI) Senior Business Correspondent, and the editor of mental health
and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.
Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government of
Macedonia. Visit Sam's Web site at <http://samvak.tripod.com>.
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Related FreePint links:
* 'Publishing' articles in the FreePint Portal
<http://www.freepint.com/go/p185>
* Post a message to the author, Sam Vaknin, or suggest further
resources at the FreePint Bar <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
* Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/140705.htm#tips>
* Access the entire archive of FreePint content
<http://www.freepint.com/portal/content/>
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*** In-depth information management reports from FreePint ***
Topics include: Freedom of Information; Information Auditing;
Publishing eNewsletters; Acquiring Skills; Info-Entrepreneur Marketing
Read about the full range of reports from FreePint at:
<http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>
Would you like to write a report?
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FREEPINT BOOKSHELF
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf>
"Accessibility for Everybody: Understanding the Section 508
Accessibility Requirements"
Reviewed by Bill Raschen
Written by John Paul Mueller
As regular FreePint readers will be aware, 'Section 508' refers to the
section of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that was amended in
1998 to include a set of standards for accessible electronic and
information technology. In this context, accessibility is defined as
the art of making IT applications easy to use. In particular this is
designed to benefit users with special needs (for example, those with
physical disabilities).
<http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/index.htm>
The Section 508 regulations affect not just web-based applications,
but IT applications in general. The regulations are complex: although
primarily for a U.S. audience, they could also have implications for
foreign businesses and contractors that intend to do business within
the United States.
In this context, John Paul Mueller's excellent guide to Section 508
provides a weighty (528 pages, 2.8 pounds on the bathroom scales)
overview of the main issues created by the legislation. Although
primarily targeted at developers, the book, in the words of the
author, was written 'with the idea that anyone could read it anywhere
and still get something from it'. Despite its bulk, 'Accessibility for
Everybody' is very readable, and there is a benign, late '60s tone
throughout (borne out by the photo of Mr Mueller on the back cover).
After an initial discussion of the law itself, the book describes the
hardware issues that developers will need to know about in order to
develop accessible applications. These are accompanied by guidelines
on how to create such applications, as well as details of a range of
tools to aid accessible development (such as a colour blindness
simulator). Mueller also provides a detailed description of Microsoft
accessibility features, describing them as 'the best-kept secret of
Windows', and showing how they may be used to test the performance of
one's applications.
It is not until the second half of the book that web applications are
specifically discussed, with a range of tips on how to design and test
accessible sites. These chapters provide quite a detailed description
of 'usage cues', ranging from simplistic tagging mechanisms (use of the
'alt' tag, for example) through to more complex guidance on the use of
style sheets in developing accessible sites.
As well as appendices detailing useful sources of information for
further advice, there is a handy checklist printed on the book's inner
covers: 'John's top 20 tips for creating accessible applications'. Tip
7 points out that 'fun is a three-letter word that all developers
should include in their vocabulary'. It is a tribute to the author
that he practices what he preaches: although weighty, 'Accessibility
for Everyone' is an informative and surprisingly entertaining account
of the main issues relating to Section 508.
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Bill Raschen is an Information Professional and Web designer whose
experience has included project managing and managing intranets for
large organizations. He has also acted as a consultant and
troubleshooter on matters including the redesign of intranets and the
rollout of Content Management Systems. His professional interests
include the usability and accessibility of large web resources, and
the design of taxonomies. Outside of work, he is a keen amateur
astronomer and runner, with a large collection of CDs made by hoodlums
from Detroit and Ladbroke Grove.
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Related FreePint links:
* Find out more about this book online at the FreePint Bookshelf
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf/acceve.htm>
* Read customer comments and buy this book at Amazon.co.uk
<http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590590864/freepint0c>
or Amazon.com
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590590864/freepint00>
* "Accessibility for Everybody: Understanding the Section 508
Accessibility Requirements" ISBN 1590590864, published
by Apress.
* Search for and purchase any book from Amazon via the FreePint
Bookshelf at <http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf>
* Read about other Internet Strategy books on the FreePint Bookshelf
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf/strategy.htm>
To propose an information-related book for review, send details
to <support@freepint.com>.
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*** Free current-awareness tool: VIP Wire and Digest ***
Post and search information-related press releases at the VIP Wire.
Sign-up for the free weekly Wire Digest and have the
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FEATURE ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/140705.htm#feature>
"Knowledge Management Does Not Grow On Bonsai Trees"
By Sheena Thompson
The term 'knowledge management' (KM) has followed the life cycle of
many management 'fads' and although today its status as a buzz word
may have fallen from the cover titles, this should not be thought
analogous with its value. Within what is widely termed the 'knowledge
economy', KM is now embroiled in the strategic plans of most large
enterprises (LEs), recognised for its importance in creating a
sustainable competitive advantage.
There is also considerable support for the benefits to SMEs of
undertaking KM. Increased productivity and efficiency, sustaining a
competitive advantage, preventing loss of knowledge when key personnel
leave, organisation growth and increased business awareness are
frequently cited. However, while successful KM is widely
acclaimed in large organisations, its roll-out into the SME sector is
not so.
With 19 million SMEs within Europe, representing 99.8% of all
registered businesses, the economy is dependent upon their
contribution to wealth creation and employment. Despite this, 36% of
all SMEs perish within 3 years of incorporation (Egbu et al, 1999). To
survive in the 21st century, SMEs must look up and recognise that it
is as important to have the mechanisms in place to manage their
knowledge assets strategically, as it is to fight today's fire.
This article examines the uptake of knowledge management within the
SME sector, their unique characteristics in relation to KM and, given
these considerations, a selection of KM strategies suitable for SMEs.
Defining Knowledge Management
-----------------------------
Knowledge, while often used interchangeably with information, is
distinguished by its unique characteristics. The distinction is made
clearer where knowledge is defined as tacit or explicit. Tacit
knowledge is the 'know how' and wisdom mainly located within
individuals' minds that is difficult to extract and articulate
(Nonaka, 1991). Explicit knowledge is formal and systematic; it can be
easily communicated, codified and shared and is thus synonymous with
the term information. Within the context of this article, where
knowledge is considered to be contained within the heads of employees
(tacit knowledge), knowledge management is defined as the process of
extracting, representing, and acquiring that knowledge (Nunes et al,
2004).
The prevalence of KM in SMEs
----------------------------
The lack of successful uptake of KM within SMEs is demonstrated by Koh
et al (2004) where 90% of SMEs studied did not use knowledge
management. Where KM was demonstrable it lacked a formal, systematic
approach; most SMEs failed to have an explicit KM strategy.
Why would this be when the opposite is true of large enterprises?
According to McAdam et al (2001), KM is still in its emerging stages
within the SME sector. There is a lack of proven techniques available
to SMEs and consequently the limited attempts to manage tacit
knowledge have been largely unsuccessful. SME principals have also
demonstrated a lack of understanding of the value of knowledge in
competition, innovation and survival.
It should not thus be inferred that KM is of no value to SMEs. In a
study of 108 Finnish SMEs, Salojarvi et al (2005) found an empirical
correlation between organisational growth and KM awareness
<http://www.sveiby.com/articles/GrowthandKM.pdf>.
Characteristics of an SME in relation to KM
-------------------------------------------
Understanding the characteristics of SMEs in relation to KM
demonstrates why they cannot be viewed in the same manner as LEs. As
Hans-Werner Muller, secretary general of UEAPME stresses, small
businesses are not simply 'Bonsai versions' of LEs, they have special
needs. This review builds on the framework provided by Wong et al
(2004), analysing the characteristics of SMEs which must be considered
when designing and implementing KM systems.
Ownership and management
------------------------
The owner/manager is pivotal to the launch and success of the SME's KM
initiative. Their commitment is fundamental to drive KM as a business
objective. Being close to the point of delivery they understand key
knowledge related issues and have the opportunity to become a role
model, steer the change effort and create a culture that promotes
knowledge sharing. Allowing employees' autonomy within the workplace
is essential for the creation and sharing of tacit knowledge.
However, the owner/manager is often consumed by the running of
day-to-day operations and has insufficient time to commit to perceived
non-business-critical activities such as KM. Specifically, Nunes et
al (2004) found that CEOs focus on "what is going to generate business
for me in 18 months time". Their attention is concentrated on short
term return on investment, often lacking the long-term view required
for successful KM implementation.
Structure
---------
The organisational chart is rarely formalised in SMEs; simple, flatter
and less complex structures provide shorter communication channels
allowing a faster discourse of KM issues. However, individuals often
perform many tasks, which can result in lower specialisation and a
lack of thorough understanding of specific roles.
Culture
-------
It is widely believed that the biggest challenge for KM is developing
a collaborative culture conducive to knowledge sharing. With their
smaller size, SMEs are likely to have a unified culture, with fewer
interest groups, where it is easier to achieve a cultural change.
However, fear of exploitation and intolerance of mistakes may induce
hoarding behaviours where employees refuse to share knowledge.
Systems, processes and procedures
---------------------------------
With less 'red tape', small businesses are often more adaptable to
implementing new procedures and don't suffer from 'lock in' to
routines and processes. However, a lack of formalisation in
procedures, specifically with relation to knowledge sharing and
dissemination, can inhibit the implementation of a formal and
systematic KM system.
Human resources
---------------
With fewer employees, SMEs often know each other more intimately and
have more face-to-face contact, which facilitates the implementation
of a KM initiative. However, staffing and skills constraints may limit
the implementation of a KM strategy. More specifically, a lack of
proper understanding of the key concepts of KM by both employees and
managers can inhibit uptake.
Financial resources
-------------------
The lack of investment capital within SMEs is viewed consistently as
their major limitation. Not only does this render the set-up and
maintenance of ongoing KM systems prohibitive but it often constrains
their ability to acquire information from external sources. When
considerable investment is required or when business is going badly,
owners are usually reluctant to support a KM effort. Thus KM solutions
that do not require significant financial commitment must be explored.
Tacit KM strategies and techniques in SMEs
------------------------------------------
Understanding the unique characteristic of SMEs, it is logical that
the KM strategies observed in larger organisations will not be
transferable.
Below, techniques suitable for SMEs are identified in relation to the
stages of the KM cycle.
Knowledge identification
------------------------
McAdam et al (2001) found that the SME sector was less advanced in
this area of KM, having a more mechanistic approach. While it is
widely felt that SMEs could benefit from identifying best practice,
McAdam et al (2001) suggest that this approach requires a large
project environment, more prevalent in larger organisations. Suitable
activities identified include project reviews, audits, interviews with
customers to determine satisfaction and recording learning histories.
Knowledge capture
-----------------
While SMEs are thought to create tacit knowledge more often than large
enterprises, methods to capture knowledge are less frequently observed
(Koh et al, 2004). McAdam et al (2001) found cross-functional
training, job rotation and apprenticeships to be among the most
effective methods of capturing knowledge. Informal processes were
found to be the most popular (Refer to The Journal of Knowledge
Management 5(3)). With limited geographical dispersion and few people
with which to interact, tacit knowledge can be passed person to person
through informal interaction.
Knowledge storage
-----------------
At its most basic level knowledge storage could occur using a simple
document repository although SMEs are traditionally weak in the use
and exploitation of IT. Limited take-up is thought to be due to the
lack of immediate benefits compared to the time spent providing data
to the system and a lack of resources to maintain a knowledge
repository. Subsequently, SMEs are encouraged to take a scaled down
approach to implementing a KM system.
A number of technologies appropriate for SMEs across the tacit
knowledge management cycle are proposed by Jashapara (2004) "Knowledge
Management: An integrated approach"
Knowledge dissemination
-----------------------
While McAdam et al (2001) found SMEs less advanced in most areas of
knowledge sharing -- in particular the people-oriented method -- the
nature of SMEs, with their flat structure and low levels of
bureaucracy, would suggest that this is an area in which SMEs should
excel.
Workshops, forums and training needs analysis are among the most
common methods of knowledge dissemination in SMEs. Brainstorming,
mentoring schemes and newsletters are also simple methods for sharing
knowledge.
The importance of linking appropriate reward structures to KM
objectives should not be neglected. Non financial incentives offer the
more feasible solution for SMEs, include recognising employees'
contributions, giving freedom to explore ideas, providing work
challenges and opportunities for personal development and career
advancement.
Knowledge creation
------------------
Many SMEs lack the resources to conduct research or try out new
processes in order to create new knowledge and continue to repeat
tried and tested methods, especially in the face of adversity.
Ironically, the ability to reflect on knowledge creation can be
critical to survival, especially during times of crisis or breakdown
when a company's traditional categories of knowledge no longer work
(Nonaka, 1991).
Knowledge mapping is one technique for creating knowledge that can be
used to identify relevant expertise and knowledge resources. Examples
include competence maps, strategy maps and cognitive maps.
Strategic alliances and partnerships are also gaining popularity
between SMEs with a number of researchers demonstrating the ability to
exploit new sources of knowledge, increase innovation performance and
create a competitive advantage (Tamer et al, 2003; Chaston et al,
1999).
Conclusion
----------
While the features of SMEs deliver challenges to the KM norm, they
also offer advantages and should not be viewed as barriers to
effectively managing knowledge. The lack of understanding of the
benefits of KM however is thought to be a major barrier.
The importance of the owner/manager in this respect recurs across the
literature. Commitment to a KM initiative hinges on their ability to
recognise the benefits of KM and view their business strategically,
taking a long-term focus on achieving a competitive advantage rather
than a short-term focus on the generation of profits.
Although, links between KM and organisational growth have been
demonstrated more recently, KMs perceived ability to deliver tangible
benefits in the short term is likely to have a greater impact on its
prevalence within SMEs. Finding methods of linking KM to financial
results, specifically profit, would benefit significantly from further
research.
With the benefits of KM in SMEs widely considered to be not just the
achievement of a competitive advantage but long-term survival, it
would seem that ignorance around the discipline in this sector cannot
remain. The Government and trade bodies have a role to play in
increasing awareness of KM issues to the most important contributors
to the national economy. However, it will be the pro-active
owner/managers who recognise the need to develop their understanding
of KM and take advantage of the guidance available that will prosper
in the long term.
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Sheena's interest in KM within SMEs has developed through her role as
Information Manager at MSC Business Innovation which delivers business
growth programmes to SMEs within high tech sectors. Her role involves
generating new knowledge through sector specific research while
managing the sharing of company knowledge developed over 13 years of
experience in this industry. This process is fundamental in building a
knowledge bank from which MSC facilitates innovation and stimulates
growth within the European Research Area. Undertaking a part-time MSc
at Sheffield University has enabled her to further research this
discipline. Sheena can be reached at:
<sheenathompson-at-mscbdg-dot-co-dot-uk>
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