Advanced
search

Prelims

Professor (Full) Jon-Arild Johannessen Ph.D. (Kristiania University College, Norway) (Nord University, Norway)

Knowledge Management Philosophy: Communication as a Strategic Asset in Knowledge Management

ISBN: 978-1-83909-637-2, eISBN: 978-1-83909-634-1

Publication date: 8 January 2020

pdf (1007 KB) ePub (292 KB) Article view Figure view Cited (5) cite article

Citation

Johannessen, J.-A. (2020), "Prelims", Knowledge Management Philosophy: Communication as a Strategic Asset in Knowledge Management, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. i-xi. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83909-634-120191001

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020 Emerald Publishing Limited

Half Title

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

Title Page

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY: COMMUNICATION AS A STRATEGIC ASSET IN KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

JON-ARILD JOHANNESSEN, PH.D., PROFESSOR (FULL)

Kristiania University College, Norway and Nord University, Norway

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright

Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2020

Copyright © 2020 Emerald Publishing Limited

Reprints and permissions service

Contact: permissions@emeraldinsight.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the text, illustrations or advertisements. The opinions expressed in these chapters are not necessarily those of the Author or the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83909-637-2 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83909-634-1 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83909-636-5 (Epub)

CONTENTS

Preface ix
PART I: PHILOSOPHY FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
1. A Systemic Perspective on Knowledge Management 3
Introduction 3
 Feed-pre 5
 Pre-understanding 7
 The Described System 9
Reflections about Philosophy of Science for Knowledge Management 12
Main Conclusion 14
References 16
2. Developing Aspects of Qualitative Criteria in Philosophy of Science for Knowledge Management 19
Introduction 19
Criterion 1: Be Explicit about Your Premises, Suppositions, Prerequisites and Motives 21
 Description 22
 Analysis and Discussion 24
Sub-conclusion 30
Criterion 2: Be Explicit about the Moral and Ethical Consequences of Decisions 31
 Description 31
 Analysis and Discussion 33
 Rationality and Ethics 33
 Science Is a Morals/Ethics Project 36
 Robot Ethics 37
 Formal Logic and Ethics 39
Sub-Conclusion 42
Main Conclusion 42
References 45
PART II: The Philosophy of Knowledge Management Aimed at Theory
3. In Search of Social Laws for Knowledge Management 53
Introduction 53
Description: Social Mechanisms and Social Laws 56
Analysis and Discussion 58
 Aspects of Social Laws behind the Knowledge Management Variable: The Information System 59
 The Law of Requisite Variety 59
 The Self-organising Principle 60
 The Principle of Information Redundancy 61
 The Model Principle 63
Aspects of Social Laws Behind the Knowledge Management Variable: Communication System 64
 The Law of Complementarity 65
 The Darkness Principle 66
 The Law of Communication 69
Aspects of Social Laws in Relation to the Knowledge Management Variable: Knowledge Management Training for All Employees in the Organisation 73
 The Systemic Principle 73
 The Redundancy of Potential Command Principle 76
Aspects of Social Laws in Relation to the Knowledge Management Variable: Considerations Concerning Moral/Ethical and Ecological Consequences 80
 The Consistency Principle 81
Conclusion 82
References 84
4. Concepts 91
Action 91
Butterfly Effects 93
Calibration 93
Causal Analysis 94
Circular Causality 94
Communicative Consciousness 95
Complementary Relationship 97
Epistemology 98
Feed-Pre 99
Information 101
Intention Structure 102
Message 104
Non-Knowledge 105
Pre-Comprehension 105
Pre-Structures 105
Sensitising Concepts 106
Spontaneous Intuition 109
Symmetrical Relationship 116
‘The Context of Solution’ 116
The Epistemological Hierarchy 117
The Naturalist Erroneous Inference 117
The Objectivist Position 117
The Ontological Questioning Process 118
The Paradox of Objectivity 118
The Theory of Science 119
Zappfe’s Paradox 120
References 121
Appendix 1 Epistemological Supposition for Knowledge Management and Systemic Thinking 127
Appendix 2 Distinctions 139
Index 143

Preface

The book is divided in two parts. Part I deals with the philosophy of science for Knowledge Management. In Part I, there are two chapters. Both chapters conceptualise at an abstract level the philosophy for Knowledge Management.

Part II is named the philosophy for Knowledge Management aimed at theory development

Part I Philosophy for Knowledge Management

The problem we investigate in Chapter 1 is that we lack a language for a systemic philosophy for Knowledge Management. Without a language communication is impossible. The question asked in Chapter 1 is: what constitutes a philosophy for Knowledge Management? The purpose is to elaborate on a philosophy for Knowledge Management based on systemic thinking.

The finding in Chapter 1 is a postulate system for the philosophy for Knowledge Management, that is, a system of premises from which all the propositions in a theory follow.

The problem discussed in Chapter 2 is quality criteria for a philosophy for Knowledge Management? The question discussed is: what quality criteria are relevant in the philosophy for Knowledge Management? The purpose of the chapter is to develop quality criteria for the philosophy for Knowledge Management. The contribution in Chapter 2 is two frameworks that show an understanding of quality criteria for the philosophy for Knowledge Management.

Part II The Philosophy for Knowledge Management Aimed at Theory Development

The problem discussed in Chapter 3 is that social laws are criticised and are not used in the social sciences, but what with regularities becoming stable patterns?

The question asked is: how can social laws be used to explain Knowledge Management behaviour?

The purpose of Chapter 4 is to apply system-theoretical meta-design principles in the study of Knowledge Management processes and to relate this to social laws. The meta-design principles used here are linked to four selected Knowledge Management variables. These are:

  1. Information system.

  2. Communication system.

  3. Knowledge Management training for all employees in the organisation.

  4. Considerations concerning moral/ethical and ecological consequences.

The Contribution in Chapter 4 is a system of 10 Knowledge Management propositions based on the 10 ‘social laws’ that we have discussed and analysed in this chapter. These Knowledge Management propositions constitute a mini-theory of Knowledge Management, because in systemic thinking, theory is defined as a system of propositions. The novel aspect of this contribution lies both in the meta-design principle being presented, and our application of the 10 principles (social laws) set in a Knowledge Management context.

The book is based on a systemic perspective.

Manage cookies

We’re listening — tell us what you think

Join us on our journey