We are now in the information age, because we are seeing the rapid growth of information and knowledge around us, globally the amount of information is doubling every five years, and the power of computers is doubling at least every two years.
The problem facing us is not the same as in the past, the problem of lack of information, but the problem now is to deal intelligently not only with the huge amount of information available but also with the great variety of means and methods of transportation, storage, and exchange of information.
Information technology has emerged to impose itself as a multi-faceted industry and an indispensable means for a person at various stages of his life and in performing his various functions from decision-making, research, and implementation to even in his daily life.
Knowledge management
In light of the above, the concept of knowledge management appeared in the late twentieth century, which means the process of managing data, information, and knowledge in organizations in order to collect, organize, classify, schedule, analyze, store, add to, and retrieve data and information and provide them in appropriate and understandable forms for employees in organizations to benefit from them.
Therefore, we find knowledge management is the responsibility of managers and employees together, who should benefit from and be guided by knowledge, data, and information when making decisions, analyzing and solving problems, developing policies, designing programs, and defining strategies, and when analyzing the internal and external environment of the organization to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (quadruple analysis model SWOT analysis).
The computer revolution
Contemporary organizations, of all kinds, are facing a wave of rapid transformations and changes sweeping the world today, foremost of which is the computer revolution, the communications revolution, and the information revolution.
The information revolution depends on advanced scientific knowledge and the optimal use of the information flow resulting from the tremendous progress in the scientific research movement, computer technologies, and the internet.
Also, many modern organizations have become aware that the competitive advantage that they get as a result of relying only on technology is not a real advantage, as the real advantage depends on the adoption of the organization’s employees themselves with their experience and knowledge. Management has become one of the vital roles of the manager through the systematic use of data, information, knowledge, and the information and experience of the organization’s employees.
Knowledge management
Looking at the reality of organizations in the Arab countries in general, and in Egypt in particular, we will find that interest in the application or practice of knowledge management is limited so far, and this applies more to government institutions than the private sector.
Companies that apply knowledge management aim to obtain many benefits from it: providing better customer service, reducing working time and production, reducing expenses, developing a product, whether it is a commodity or a service, delivering higher quality products, enhancing flexibility, and increasing the process of adaptation and compatibility with the work environment.
We can determine the importance of knowledge management in the following points:
1. Helping organizations to benefit and learn from previous experiences and mistakes.
2. Contribute to the development of the organization’s ability to creativity and innovation.
3. Enhancing the ability of the organization to save the knowledge and competencies it possesses for fear of copying or loss.
4. Enhancing the organization’s ability to replace old knowledge.
5. Develop the right competencies and skills in the long term.
6. Take advantage of the available knowledge efficiently and redeploy it to benefit the organization in more than one area and in more than one job.
Knowledge management and knowledge management
We may find ourselves facing an important and urgent question: What is the difference between knowledge management and knowledge management?
Knowledge management is concerned with the processes of collecting, classifying, analyzing, storing, adding to, modifying, retrieving, and providing data and information to the employees of the organization to benefit from them.
While knowledge management, it raises the slogan of no decision without the availability of the required data and information, no plan without the availability of the required data and information, and so on. That is, knowledge management is applied or practiced based on knowledge management that provides the data, information, and knowledge required for knowledge management.
Effective use of knowledge
In the sense that knowledge management is the employment or effective use of knowledge provided by knowledge management.
Also responsible for knowledge management are computer engineers, programmers, data entry, data collectors, and those responsible for the operation and maintenance of systems, while those responsible for knowledge management are all employees of the organization, especially decision-makers and policy-makers, strategies, plans, and programs.