How knowledge remains available in the company in the long term

What is Knowledge Management?

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When implemented correctly, knowledge management makes hidden expertise visible, networks teams and creates the basis for innovation – a strategic lever that increases efficiency and keeps your company fit for the future.

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Max Mustermann

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Knowledge management encompasses all the strategic and operational activities within a company that are aimed at capturing, structuring, sharing and developing knowledge in a systematic way.

The objective is to make knowledge available where it is needed, both internally and externally. It involves technological and cultural processes, and is playing an increasingly important role in modern business management.

A key distinction is made between explicit and implicit knowledge. While explicit knowledge is documented and easily accessible, implicit knowledge is experience-based, often hidden, and difficult to codify. Michael Polanyi first described this distinction in 1966.

Together, explicit and implicit knowledge form the foundation of knowledge management and are essential for creating new knowledge.

Effective knowledge management can strengthen innovation, optimise processes and protect key knowledge holders from the loss of expertise. An increasing number of companies are recognising knowledge management as a strategic success factor.

Why is knowledge management important?

In today’s working world, knowledge is the most valuable resource. While most companies have a wealth of internal expertise, it often remains unused.

Effective knowledge management provides clarity. It ensures that knowledge is preserved, organised, and utilised by different departments, individuals, and systems. This is what knowledge management enables:

Access to information: Retrieve information whenever needed, regardless of location or time.

Knowledge transfer: It enables internal knowledge transfer, fostering a learning culture and reducing dependencies.

Fostering innovation: New knowledge emerges by connecting and evolving existing information.

Protecting resources: It ensures that a company’s most valuable resource — its internal knowledge — is preserved in the long term.

Knowledge management adds real value across all departments, from sales and HR to product development.

Knowledge Management Concepts: SECI and the Building Block Model

The SECI Model by Nonaka and Takeuchi

The SECI model, developed by Japanese researchers Ikujirō Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi, describes the cycle of organisational knowledge in four phases:

  • Socialisation: Implicit knowledge is shared through shared experiences.
  • Externalisation: Implicit knowledge is transformed into explicit knowledge (codification).
  • Combination: Explicit content is systematically linked.
  • Internalisation: New knowledge is internalised through use, for example in training or onboarding.

 

Applying this model enables successful knowledge management, regardless of department or company size.

The Building Block Model by Probst

The Building Block Model by Probst, Raub, and Romhardt is one of the most well-known concepts in knowledge management. It includes eight core elements:

  1. Defining knowledge goals

  2. Knowledge identification

  3. Knowledge acquisition (internal and external)

  4. Knowledge development

  5. Knowledge distribution

  6. Knowledge use

  7. Knowledge preservation

  8. Knowledge evaluation

These elements clearly outline how to establish functional and sustainable knowledge management.

Fun fact: although the term ‘knowledge management’ only became popular in the 1990s, the concept dates back to Aristotle, who distinguished between practical and theoretical knowledge.

How can knowledge management be implemented in practice?

Effective knowledge management can only be established when the technological, organisational and cultural aspects are aligned.

Technological level

  • Use of digital tools (e.g., LMS, intranet, wikis)
  • Development of a centralized knowledge database
  • Implementation of knowledge management tools

Organizational level

  • Integration into corporate governance
  • Involvement of all departments and hierarchical levels
  • Designating roles such as Chief Information Officers to manage processes

Cultural level

  • Promote personalization: direct knowledge transfer rather than just documentation
  • Encourage everyday knowledge sharing practices
  • Embed an open knowledge-sharing culture at all levels

Knowledge management is not just about providing employees with information; it is also about developing sustainable organisational knowledge.

The future importance of knowledge management

The true value of knowledge management lies in its ability to treat knowledge as an actively shapeable resource. The aim is to make knowledge available wherever and whenever it is needed.

Knowledge is created through everyday interactions within teams, across locations and during customer interactions. Therefore, establishing centralised knowledge management is an investment in sustainable organisational development.

Implementing knowledge management is no longer optional, but essential for greater efficiency, better decision-making and long-term competitiveness.

Manage knowledge. Secure the future.

Effective knowledge management is not just about storing information—it creates structure, facilitates knowledge transfer, and drives innovation.

Knowledge in your organization becomes usable, shareable, and future-proof. Strategies such as personalization and codification ensure that both implicit and explicit knowledge receive the attention they deserve.

Thus, knowledge management becomes the foundation of modern business leadership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Knowledge management encompasses all processes involved in capturing, structuring, storing and sharing knowledge, both within and outside the company.

The goal is to manage knowledge strategically in order to increase efficiency, protect expertise, and encourage innovation.

Converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge is crucial for retaining and transferring knowledge sustainably.

Implementation in daily business is supported by solutions such as LMS platforms, wikis, digital tools and knowledge databases.

It makes existing knowledge more accessible, boosts productivity and enhances competitiveness.

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