AUTONOMOUS AND DISTRIBUTED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT:A CASE STUDY OF JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY

摘要

Knowledge management basically requires following four components. They are SECT where new knowledge is created by knowledge conversion between tacit and explicit knowledge, "Ba" which is a shared context for knowledge creation, Knowledge assets as inputs and outputs in the knowledge creating process and Knowledge leadership which prepares enabling environment for knowledge creation. However, all organizations that intend to implement knowledge management cannot always satisfy above conditions. Can't they enjoy benefits of knowledge management, then? Here is a proposal of "Autonomous and Distributed Knowledge Management" for organizations which intend to introduce knowledge management with lack of knowledge leadership. In this model knowledge management is implemented by following two components in addition to SECT, "Ba" and Knowledge assets. They are group level leadership and "collaboration and competition" relationship between groups. Each group executes autonomous and distributed knowledge management activities under the leadership of each group leader. Groups are basically independent, but connected by the "collaboration and competition" relationship. This model was examined through a case of Japan International Cooperation Agency that recently introduced "issue-based network". There are nine "issue-based groups" for each of which there is a group leader. I found that under his or her leadership each group executes autonomous and distributed knowledge management activities. I also found that there were two functions which promote "collaboration and competition" relationship between the groups. They are information sharing between the groups and discloser of knowledge contents which "issue-based groups" create. "Autonomous and Distributed Knowledge Management" gives a chance to introduce their own knowledge management to the organizations who cannot satisfy the conditions which standard knowledge management requires.