Question

Knowledge disclosure is a key way of identifying the organizational culture. Knowledge disclosure techniques such as storytelling allow us to uncover knowledge in the context of its use.IBM views stories as a powerful means of knowledge discovery and knowledge transfer. They are very good for conveying complex messages simply. Storytelling is a unifying and defining component of all organizations, managed and purposeful storytelling provides a powerful mechanism for the disclosure of intellectual or knowledge assets in companies. It can also provide a nonintrusive, organic means of providing sustainable cultural change. Storytelling is an excellent means of conveying values and other complex tacit knowledge Stories are endemic within each and every organization. They should be fostered, leveraged and managed. We all tell stories in our daily work to share our experience and knowledge and this knowledge is usually shared through informal networks. Organizations need to accept the fact that stories exist in their organization, identify the stories that persist, leverage these stories to effect cultural change and foster and environment conducive to sharing knowledge and learning through stories. The best teachers, presenters and knowledge sharers tell stories naturally in order to convey learning points and share their experience. Stories put the knowledge in context and then make the learning memorable and the learning experience more compelling. Failure stories, or lessons learnt, help a community to learn from its mistakes. IBM has four stage storytelling approach 1) Anecdotal elicitation through interviews, observation and story circles 2) Anecdotal deconstruction to analysecultural issues, ways of working, values, rules and beliefs to yield the story’s key messages 3) Intervention / communication design with a story constructed or enhanced and 4) Story deployment Story telling workshops can be run to elicit the knowledge and cultural values of an organization as well as both its best and worst practices. Capturing anecdotal or tacit knowledge builds an accurate picture of the existing culture, disclosure enablers and inhibitor to sharing and identifies business issues. Values –moral principles or standard are identified. Rules –the code of discipline that dives or conforms behavior are also identified. Finally, beliefs – the collection of ideas that a community regards as true or shares faith in are elicited. Storytelling is a cathartic process through which employees can share experiences and build social capital and networks. Perhaps most important of all, it achieves agreement among the participants. Once anecdotes are captured, they can be stored in a repository and aligned with communities, processes and subject areas. The can then be used to trigger and support discussing forums (e. g competency / skill profiling). Ultimately, it is the people who make communities and effective communities have valuable stories. In order to help support effective communities, you need to understand what their issues are, what they need and what facilities and solutions would best suit them QUESTION ONE a) What is an anecdote? (5 marks) b) What is tacit knowledge (5 marks) c) Identify and explain the four stage storytelling approach at IBM (10 marks) d) Using the case study pick up knowledge sources (10 marks) e) Basing on the case study demonstrate the relevance of storytelling in knowledge management (10 marks)

Answer 1

a) What is an anecdote?

An anecdote is a short brief about an incident in the form of a story and by emphasizing a particular point, that the storyteller wants to convey. It just provides a rough idea about the message the person wants to convey to the others. It is done in the format of a story so that the listeners get interested in the message the storyteller wants to convey. It may involve humor but that is not the main motto. The humor is involved to make the matter interesting about a particular subject. It is not always real, it can be created or fictional also.

b) What is tacit knowledge?

Tactic knowledge is the knowledge that is stored ina an individual's brain and individuals gain this type of knowledge from their surroundings and experiences. This knowledge belongs to the people and is stored in them and cannot be transferred to others. This type of knowledge cannot be written and given to somebody or verbally expressed in words, It is more of a sort of caliber that a human being possessed. It can be acquired by continuously focusing on learning something.

c)  Identify and explain the four-stage storytelling approach at IBM?

The four-stage storytelling approach at IBM are as follows-

i) Anecdotal elicitation through interviews, observation and story circles- It is a type of knowledge sharing by the way of storytelling like some incidents related to past happenings, maybe a failure or success story or some lessons learned, which when shared with the employees will help them to excel and avoid such kind of mistakes. The sharing of these experiences among the employees helps them to build their morale, become cautious, and also to understand the organizational culture. The employees are observed while performing their jobs, interviewed from time to time to discuss their problems, or for knowledge sharing.

ii)  Anecdotal deconstruction to analyze cultural issues, ways of working, values, rules, and beliefs to yield the story’s key messages - In this type, the knowledge is shared in the form of stories related with work ethics and values, rules and practices that are supposed to be followed in the organization e.t.c.

iii) Intervention/communication design with a story constructed or enhanced- The story told to the employees may not always be true but it can be fictional also depending on the message to be conveyed.

iv)Story Deployment- This step means to put the story in action. This step means implementing the key message whether it is implemented in the right way.

d)Using the case study pick up knowledge sources

The knowledge sources are as follows-

The stories of the employees prevailing in the organization. ie. The story of the employees related to success, failures, grievances, satisfaction e.t.c.

Storytelling workshops also facilitate the process of knowledge sharing

The employees are asked about their success, failures, some lessons they might have learned through experiences.

The people and the communities also added valuable stories.

e)Basing on the case study demonstrate the relevance of storytelling in knowledge management

Storytelling is a very important way of communicating with the employees in the organization. The employees listen to the stories as they are conveyed interestingly and can understand the main theme that is conveyed through them in that way. It is a very simple way by which management can communicate their wants in front of the employees. If the organization uses a serious method, the employees may feel as it is imposed on them, but conveying their message in an interesting way also make them feel relax and that theytry to implement it.