Data, Information and Knowledge is the most confusing terms in Knowledge Management. In my view data and information go hand in hand. In simple words it takes the same meaning, but this can change from person to person and also depends on how they view it for a particular situation in an organisation.
Stenmark (2002) has clearly described data, information and knowledge are linear and one directed. In my observation data is a raw fact or figure which serves no purpose but when the fact is processed it is represented as information and when this is used in oneself it is known as knowledge.
Knowledge can be sub divided as external and internal or explicit and tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge is the knowledge that have been captured and stored in computer environments may be shared by applications and users. example: storing of employment information in the database for the future reference of the organisation (Richard C. Hicks; Ronald Dattero; Stuart D. Galup, 2007).Tacit knowledge is the knowledge needed to select an appropriate computer program, data set, sequence of functions to perform, output, and analysis within yourself (Richard C. Hicks; Ronald Dattero; Stuart D. Galup, 2007).Let us see below how the guru’s of Knowledge Management describes about the 3 terms:
REFLECTION FROM PRACTICEAccording to the research, there is no clear definition for the 3 terms. As I have stated in the earlier data, information and knowledge are more interactive with each other. In order to gain knowledge you are in need of data and information without which you cannot process it. This process can be explained well with an example: I had completed my under graduate in May, 2008 and I was placed in a top MNC company, suddenly when I saw a advertisement about Middlesex University, London in the newspaper it was like a data, then when I started searching about it and knowing what are the courses available and which will choose me it started to become information and then now it is changed to knowledge because this is not just the stepping stone of my career but I am learning a lot in a multicultural environment. The knowledge was shared with my friends and my undergrad university. These lead many students come to Middlesex University to pursue their masters. Thus the knowledge is used by everyone for good.
REFERENCE
[1] Beijerse R. P. (1999), “Questions in knowledge management: defining and conceptualising a phenomenon”, Journal of Knowledge Management Vol. 3 No. 2 1999. pp. 94-109 [accessed on 17th January, 2009]
[2] Nonaka, I. and Takeuchi, H. (1995), The Knowledge Creating Company, Oxford University Press, New York, NY [accessed on 18th January, 2009].
[3] Nereu F.Kock Jr, Robert J.Mc Queen, Megan Baker, "Learning and process Improvement in knowledge organisations: A critical analysis of four contemporary Myths", pp 1-10 [accessed on 21st January, 2009].
[4] Richard C.Hicks, Ronald Dattero and Stuart D.Galup (2007),"A Metaphor for knowledge management: explicit islands in a tacit sea", journal of knowledge management, vol.11, no.1, pp 5-16 [Accessed on 16th January, 2009].
[5] Stenmark D. (2002), “Information vs. Knowledge: The Role of Intranets in Knowledge Management”, Proceedings of the IEEE 35th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Systems Sciences [accessed on 20th January, 2009].
[6] Wiig, K. M (1993)., Knowledge Management Foundations: Thinking About Thinking – How People and Organization Create, Represent, and Use Knowledge, Schema Press, Arlington, TX.[accessed on 18th January, 2009].
[7] Wilson, T.D. (2002),”The nonsense of Knowledge Management”, Information Research, vol. 8, no. 1, [Available at: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0112&L=know-org&P=R224&I=-3, accessed on 20th January, 2009].
Please do not reproduce somebody else's table, especially as no reference provided.
ReplyDeleteReflection on personal experience is only useful up to a point. Please try to reflect on how the ideas work for organisation.
your views are good on data and knowledge and information
ReplyDeleteHI Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteI am not very clear about the storing knowledge. Does knowledge stored as infomation? could you please explain the third paragragh to me.please....
Yes I agree with you in order to have knowledge we have to have data and information. but I also think in order to collect data we have to have knowledge as well read my article for more detailed. As in your example why you interested on that data because you know middlesex is a university. That data was important to you because of your knowledge. It is a good posting Jasmine keep it up!!
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ReplyDeleteIt is not clear whether the table was put together yourself or if it is from an article. It needs to be stated otherwise it can be viewed upon as plagiarism. Also, it will be helpful to state how to access the table as my first impression was that it is not legible. A simple instruction for your readers will suffice e.g. "Please click on table to view details"
ReplyDeleteAnother point on the table is that you have not made any reference to it in your article i.e. is there a link between both (table and article) you want readers to see?
In reference to the statement: 'explicit knowledge is knowledge that has been captured and stored in a computer environment', this is only one form of recording explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge can be captured in any form i.e. with the use of non-IT or IT systems e.g. ‘could be written on paper, blackboard or a computer system.
HI Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteThis good short article that easy to read and understand. According to your reflection 'in order to gain knowledge you are in need of data' I agree this point but in order to collect data you must have some knowledge as well because we are collecting data to make use of it. So we have some knowledge about that data which is useful in decision making.