Obstacles to knowledge sharing & KM

Knowledge results from humans interacting with their environment and upon each other. As human interaction is the source of knowledge, it is necessary to ask what factors may impede the effective generation of knowledge and the sharing of know-how. Knowledge sharing / creation can only occur in the context of a 'safe space' but unfortunately many organisations find it difficult to maintain those conditions of culture and lived values that make for a safe space. This represents a paradox and a challenge to all key role players in such institutions who profess to support KM to take an honest, objective look at themselves. There are a number of behavioural factors related to power politics which are known to impede KM activities. These behaviours are particularly important because they are emulated in a cultural context (Katz and Kahn). Behaviours that negatively impact knowledge sharing and the practice of KM include:

• Uninvolved, disinterested leadership

• Status seeking and social climbing
• Highly politicised environments
• Professional jealousy
• Corruption
• Power games
• Inconsistent behaviours
• Lack of follow-through / not keeping promises
• A history of organisational violence, punishment and reward (violence in organisational terms often means passive aggression, public humiliation, shooting down or ignoring ideas and suggestions etc.)
• Ineffectual participation or communication by those concerned within knowledge networks
• Lack of feedback or poor feedback
• Stalling, late payment of invoices, not returning emails or phone calls
• Poor support and reward of creators and holders of knowledge
• Role players who don't take ownership or responsibility
• The 'Invented in Africa' syndrome (one KMAfrica2007 conference paper suggested that while there was a useful model developed in Lesotho, it was rejected by role players simply because it came from Africa - some role players felt that models that come from the UK and America are 'better'.)

There are a number of writers (Walsh & Ungson (1991), Collison & Parcell (1998), Nonake & Takeuchi (1995)) who have emphasised the vital role cultural factors play in the creation and sharing of knowledge. The conclusion is that one of the main impediments to knowledge work are interpersonal behaviours and attitudes among organisational role players. This creates a challenge for any organisation which supports KM activities to demonstrate how they 'walk the talk' and how organisational values are lived on the ground. It also suggests that Knowledge Professionals need accept organisational politics as a reality of their work and should be prepared to keep themselves motivated with an own vision in mind.