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Efficiency vs. Innovation
In the early days of KM, there was a fair amount of controversy about the nomenclature. What is Knowledge (with
a capital "K") anyway, and is it really something that can be managed? It's certainly not something you can put it in a box, but on the other hand, it's something you can give to others while
still keeping it yourself. Like the flu.
Some organizations have managed to establish a corporate culture that encourages the free flow of ideas, which in turn leads to a more innovative
environment. Google is a high-profile example, and in its day, so was 3M. But there's a creative tension between efficiency and innovation, and
what's good for one is often bad for the other.
A recent Business Week article detailed the changes that James McNerney brought to 3M when he was named CEO in late 2000. McNerney came from GE, and was a strong supporter of the Six Sigma approach to process improvement, which had helped it become a more efficient manufacturer. But 3M's current CEO, George Buckley, is ramping back a lot of McNerney's changes. Creativity is by nature a disorderly and unpredictable process, and an emphasis on doing the same thing better is the wrong mindset for a firm that wants to drive business with new ideas. The danger is that sometimes, programs such as Six Sigma become ends in themselves, leading you to do perfectly something you shouldn't be doing at all.
The War in Iraq (the second World War, that is)
Last month, we heard an interview on public radio with US Army Lt. Col. John Nagl. He's written the introduction for a facsimile edition of a military handbook from 1943, entitled Instructions
for American Servicemen in Iraq During World War II. It's a pocket guide of do-and-don't tips, and in Nagl's opinion would have been very useful during his own deployment in 2003. The book's overview
of Iraqi history and society is still relevant, as are its guidelines for understanding local culture and customs. It says, for example, that handshakes are always appropriate, but slaps on the back are
not. The overall message? Treat an Iraqi and his family with honor, and you will have a strong ally; treat him with disrespect, and you will create an unyielding enemy. In his current training programs,
Nagl emphasizes the important of social rituals as a way to build bridges. If the war is to be won, he thinks, it's more likely to be won by drinking tea than dropping bombs.
The rediscovery of
this text is a cautionary tale that speaks to the volatility of understanding. It's also worth considering in light of the looming baby boomer retirement. It's not just tacit knowledge that can disappear
- the existence of explicit knowledge can also be forgotten. Sixty years ago, the Army apparently knew quite a bit about Arabic culture and customs. But that knowledge went onto a shelf in the archives
and the memory of it faded away.
If you want to add this little book to your library, it's available at Amazon.
Free Tools!
A few months ago, we wrote about the proliferation of Web-based software, and the fact that so many Web tools are available for free. We were speaking about Google Docs & Spreadsheets and Box.net, among other things, and saw the trend as something that could help empower individuals and small businesses, if they were willing to put in the time to explore the possibilities.
Lucas McDonnell is a blogger who writes about developments in knowledge sharing in a crisp and thoughtful way, and we'd recommend adding him to your RSS feed list. He's pointed us at a collection of 100 free tools posted by Bootstrapper, under the heading of "The Poor Entrepreneur's Toolset." There are productivity
tools like Backpack and Stickkit, Office tools like OpenOffice and Zoho Office Suite, as well as accounting tools, print and Web design tools, marketing and sales tools, CRM tools,
networking tools. You name it, there's a tool for it.
A willingness to experiment is the key to getting something out of tools like these. So check 'em out. Maybe there's a tool there for you!
A Follow-Up: One Laptop Per Child
We've been following the work of the One Laptop Per Child project since it began in 2005. For those unfamiliar with OLPC, it's a nonprofit group that's been working to develop an inexpensive laptop which could be used by children in developing nations. The laptops are now in production, and while they may be cheap, they aren't underpowered.
They come with video cameras and microphones, a game controller, an innovative rotating screen, a full suite of open-source software (including office tools, a Web browser, an RSS reader, and
multimedia software) as well as built in mesh networking. Since they've been designed to be "green" and
power-efficient, battery life is much longer than a conventional laptop, with up to 24 hours on a charge. And, they're rain proof! They're really pretty cool, as you can see for yourself.
What's news is that to help jump start large-scale production, OLPC is making them available for sale in the US and Canada. After November 12th, and for a limited time, you can buy two for $400. You get one to keep, and the other one will be donated to a child in the developing world. The laptops will ship in time for the holidays, and one of these little green gizmos could make a unique (and tax-deductible) gift. If you don't want one of your very own, though, you can still donate the cash and buy one for a child who needs it.
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