What
is Knowledge Management ? |
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Many
definitions exist on knowledge management. The UNSSC bases its
work on the following definition:
"Knowledge Management is an integrated, systematic approach
to identifying, managing and sharing an organization's knowledge,
and enabling groups of people to create new knowledge collectively
in order to achieve the objectives of the organization."
The knowledge of an organization includes data bases, documents,
project-reports, policies and procedures, as well as previously
unarticulated expertise and experience held by individuals.
Fundamentally, it is about making the collective knowledge and
experience of an organization available to the individual
knowledge worker who uses it wisely and replenishes the stock.
This ongoing cycle encourages learning at work, stimulates
collaboration, and empowers people to continually enhance their
performance.
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Why Knowledge Management ? |
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Organizations report that when they better utilize knowledge, they can:
- make decisions faster and closer to the point of action
- overcome internal and external barriers
- provide more opportunities to innovate
- reduce time taken for projects
- enhance stakeholder relationships through involvement
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Knowledge Management in the UN |
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Global operations, a widely dispersed staff, the continuing need for immediate access to information before action can be taken, and a turbulent world environment make it imperative for the UN to manage its knowledge better.
Knowledge Management in the UN should enable individuals and teams across the system to identify, share and create knowledge, to achieve a system-wide and integrated approach to addressing global issues.
It means the following:
- knowing what the UN knows - understanding its knowledge-assets, both tacit and explicit, documenting its knowledge and making that information available to those who need it; also knowing what it does not know and creating strategies for acquiring that knowledge.
- implementing systems through which knowledge can be used, shared, re-used and replenished for better performance.
- involving individuals and teams in creating "communities of practice" around areas of critical importance for the UN for the purposes of sharing existing knowledge and creating new knowledge
- generating a culture of learning from past mistakes and from best practice, and of valuing knowledge thereby drastically reducing duplication and costs
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Initiatives across the UN: |
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The World Bank Survey on Knowledge Management
In September 1999, the Consultative Committee on Programme and Operational Questions (CCPOQ) decided to carry out a survey, with the support of the World Bank, to solicit information on UN agency initiatives on knowledge management.
This Survey (Survey on Initiatives in Knowledge Management in UN Agencies; Office of the Program Director, 2000) was undertaken by the World Bank, and discussed at the September 2000 session of the CCPOQ (ACC/2000/POQ/CRP14, New York, 20-22 September 2000).
The key findings of the World Bank survey are as follows:
- That Knowledge Management is perceived as substantially important by the UN, considering the important portions of budget that has been allocated for it;
- That it is still at a relatively early stage and much needs to be done to institutionalise KM strategically for it to be effective;
- Much of the knowledge-sharing aspect of KM is still internal to agencies;
- Managing knowledge is to a large extent perceived as synonymous with IT.
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Knowledge Sharing across the system: |
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The role of the Staff College
What the CCPOQ/World Bank report reveals is the relative absence of cross-agency knowledge-sharing networks and the continued fragmentation in the system. KM has a key role in not only enabling these networks but in the process creating the cohesive culture that is at the heart of the UN Reforms. The Staff College, with a system-wide mandate and a position of “neutrality” is ideally placed to create and sustain cross-agency knowledge sharing networks in the system by:
- Creating and sustaining Communities of Practice across the system;
- Designing and facilitating knowledge-sharing forums around important subject-matter areas;
- Designing and promoting the use of virtual forums for key target groups;
- Facilitating the identification and documentation of Best-Practice in specific areas;
- Provide learning programs in KM across the system.
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UNSSC Knowledge
Services |
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We are offering services in knowledge management to UN System organisations. The services focus on a holistic approach that deals with three key elements:
These elements involve the human beings with ownership of the knowledge resource; the processes by which this knowledge can be shared and utilised by the organisation; and the technology that enables both the people and the process, particularly in globally distributed organisations. Fundamentally, UNSSC services enable senior management to take a knowledge-centric view of their organisation and to Learn to Lead with Knowledge, thereby facilitating organisational learning and change towards more effective and efficient use of the knowledge resource.
UNSSC knowledge services are focussed on:
- Raising awareness and disseminating information on good practice in knowledge sharing/management
- Facilitating change through consultation and engagement within an organisation
- Developing the capacity of an organisation to better manage its knowledge resource and adapt to change through learning
- Participatory design and implementation of knowledge management systems within organisations
- Developing tools that facilitate organisational learning and knowledge retention
The UNSSC is non-prescriptive in its approach to knowledge management. Working within the UN System we recognise that different structures, processes and cultures require different knowledge solutions. A knowledge management system must be designed-to-custom and address all three of the key elements: People, Process, and Technology.
The UNSSC can facilitate the development of a knowledge strategy within your organisation while simultaneously developing your capacity to lead the change initiative. This is achieved primarily through research, consultative engagement and learning workshops - by bringing the expertise and experience directly to you.
In addition to engagement within individual UN System organisations, the UNSSC is focussed on the promotion and facilitation of system-wide knowledge management. Through multi-agency fora and communities of practice, knowledge creation, sharing and utilisation, is being fostered for a more cohesive and collaborative System of United Nations Organisations.
For further information contact
us.
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UN Knowledge
Networks and Communities of Practice |
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This page will catalogue inter-organisational knowlege networks and communities of practice in support of the UN's mission.
The creation and cultivation of Knowledge Networks and Communities of Practice, is central to the effective sharing and accessibility of knowledge across the UN system. These entities enable the effective and timely delivery of knowledge and information to wherever in the world it is needed; either by human to human or database to human mechanisms.
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About Knowledge
Networks |
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A Knowledge Network is a framework for the exchange of knowledge. It consists of both human expertise and documented resources concerning a specific field of knowledge. The human dimension often consists of Communities of Practice focused on various aspects of the wider knowledge domain, while the documented resources exist in databases and libraries, both real and virtual. A single knowledge network may contain any number of Communities of Practice and any number of information databases or libraries.
The Knowledge Network generally exists to allow accessibility to knowledge in the form of expert advice, best practices, lessons learned, and peer review.
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About Communities of
Practice (CoPs) |
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A community of Practice is a group of people who communicate with each other because they share common work practices, interests, and aims. Generally they will have a regular system of interchange that allows the sharing of knowledge concerning their field of expertise.
CoPs generally operate at an informal level although they can be stimulated and encouraged to grow by providing space and resources in which they may flourish.
The value of CoPs is evident in this example from a WorldBank Thematic Group:
The Transport sector thematic group is a community of practice that promotes team building, compiles a knowledge base of good practices, and supports staff learning through brown bag lunches, forums, seminars, and other events. When someone in DC sent an email to the group seeking best practice examples for a National Transport Sector Strategy the first response came back a mere 20 minutes after the initial enquiry was sent. It was a useful contribution from a Bank staff member working in Beirut. Within 24 hours four other relevant contributions were made by colleagues, including letters and notes on Transport Sector Reform strategies, Terms of Reference (ToRs) for carrying out transport sector reviews, as well as reference to a recent Working Paper by the Operations Evaluation Department. Eleven country examples were obtained in response to the query and two were selected as best practice, given their applicability to the current need. By focusing on these examples it is expected that significant savings on technical assistance costs and the timeliness of the project will be forthcoming.
For more information about Knowledge Networks and CoPs visit the
KM
library.
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UN Knowledge Networks and CoPs |
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This page seeks to catalogue knowledge networks and communities of practice operating across the UN System.
If you are aware of one that is not listed here please contact us so that we can inform other potential members and help to identify and distribute knowledge across the System.
UN Knowledge Networks and CoPs in support of system-wide collaboration and knowledge sharing
DevLink: The main online resource of the UN Development Group. Managed by the UNDG to provide information on the substantive work of the UNDG. It's main community infrastructure is MDGNet, in support of the MDGs, but it also provides a wealth of information based around five key topics related to the MDGs: Human Rights, Poverty, Gender, Girls' Education, and HIV/AIDS. It also links to RCNET, the web resource managed by UNDGO to provide management and administrative support to UN coordination.
MDGNet: The primary knowledge network designed to further the work of the Millennium Development Goals. It is managed through DevLink by UNDP on behalf of the UNDG and allows the circulation of draft reports for comment by experienced colleagues, the raising of issues of interest, and the distribution and access to good practices and Lessons Learned. Membership is limited to UN staff and their partners.
UN Learning
Network: An informal alliance of Learning Managers and those that work in the Learning and Staff Development function consisting of the staff development and training sections of the United Nations agencies, Bretton Woods Institutions, Red Cross and Red Crescent agencies, and some other International Organisations.
UNDP SURF System: One of the primary goals of the SURF system is to foster knowledge networking, information sharing and learning. There are 9 SURFs, delineated by sub-region. The SURFs "are geared to engage in global advocacy and analysis to generate knowledge, alliance building and promotion of enabling frameworks on key issues, policy advice and support for national capacity building, and knowledge networking and sharing of good practices."
UNGIWG: The UN Geographic Information Working Group exists as a network of professionals in the fields of cartography and geographic information science within the United Nations System. The overarching objective is to promote the use of Geographic Information within the United Nations System and Member States for better decision-making.
UN Interagency Working Group on
Evaluation: Is a general forum for the exchange of ideas and information by the evaluators within the UN System. The mandate, as conceived in 1984, is " to provide a forum for the discussion of evaluation issues within the UN System organisations and to promote simplification and harmonization of evaluation reporting and practices....."
UN System Gender Discussion
Forum: A virtual space to share perspectives, experiences, and opinions on women's situation and gender equality, and contribute to building an understanding of the situation of women in India.
WorldBank Development
Forum: An electronic venue for dialogue and knowledge-sharing among members of the development community. It currently consists of four CoPs: Poverty Analysis Community; Anti-Corruption Strategies; Partnering with Civil Society; Education des filles et santé de la reproduction.
External Knowledge Networks and CoPs within the scope of the UN's mission
- Aid Workers Network: A forum to link relief and development staff to share support, ideas, and best practice.
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| Knowledge Sharing in the ILO |
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UNSSC, in collaboration with the International Labour Office (ILO) held a two-day workshop for Geneva based International Organisations entitled ‘Making Knowledge Sharing Effective in International Organisations’.
The first day involved participants from three other Geneva-based international organizations (WHO, UNHCR, and IFRC), as well as four resource persons from each of four different international organizations with existing knowledge-sharing initiatives (UNDP, World Bank, UNFPA, and BP/UNITAR-UNAIDS). The focus was on sharing between organizations on how knowledge sharing has been put into practice and the lessons that have been learnt.
The second day consisted of participants from the ILO only and focused on knowledge sharing in the ILO and in particular three KS case studies from three different organizational units.
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