THINKING BEYOND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT TOWARDS MISSION DRIVEN LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SOUTH ASIAN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Abstract

Knowledge and innovation are becoming the most valuable assets of the modern business world. This paper suggests the major issues especially behavioral issues that need to be considered by the South Asian countries when trying to adapt to Knowledge Management. The macro and micro level cultural values and economic conditions of South Asian countries are different from western countries. Therefore in applying Knowledge Management in South Asian countries, concept of Knowledge Worker should have wider scope than Drucker's suggestions and should be redefined as Free Flowing Innovators (FFI). To fill the gap between Knowledge Management and Learning Organizations in South Asia, it requires implementation of heart-changing process to create positive attitudes within the minds of every employee to achieve the organizational mission. This mental revolution will improve the willpower of the employees and will create FFIs within the organizations. Collaborative climate within the organization will be more beneficial than individualism and competition. The new conceptual framework that is suggested by this article is a combination of Business Process Reengineering, Knowledge Management and Heart Changing Process that focuses towards the common mission. Mission should be the driving factor of each FFI. FFI should be evaluated based on the contribution given for creation of knowledge and especially on sharing knowledge within the collaborative climate. This article also suggests the paradigm shift from traditional motivation and explains how FFI should be motivated to innovate and prevent them from making use of the Knowledge as a personal power tool.

Keywords: Free flowing innovator, Future organizations, Knowledge management, Motivation, Learning organizations, South Asia, South Asian development

For full Paper: fmscresearch@sjp.ac.lk