Building A Knowledge-Driven Organization - by Robert H. Buckman - Reading Suggestions & CONTENTS

Introduction
HOW KNOWLEDGE SHARING BEGAN AT BUCKMAN LABORATORIES
THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING
MAKING THE CHANGE
Remarks
Reading Suggestions & CONTENTS
About the Authors

Reading Suggestions

Reading Time: 7-8 hours, 300 pages in book

Building A Knowledge-Driven Organization is not organized in a truly chronological or sequential fashion. The author develops his thoughts regarding knowledge sharing across organizations as the book progresses. There are key points that he develops in each of the seventeen chapters, although chapter 17 is in reality a review of the whole book. The author does, however, provide the reader with two summary tools that can reduce reading time.

At the conclusion of each chapter is a subheading, “Where Do You Stand?” in which the ideas presented in that chapter are recapitulated in approximately two to three paragraphs in question format to stimulate readers’ thinking in regard to their own businesses or organizations. This section is followed by a more formal chapter summary. Reading these two sections provides a good one- to three-page summary of the chapter, with the added benefit of relating it, or applying it, to readers’ individual situations. If readers go directly to these concluding sections first, they can decide how much of the chapter they need, or want, to read.

Even though key ideas are developed throughout the book, there are, obviously, chapters devoted primarily to certain topics. For example, chapter 1 describes Buckman Laboratories’ specific experience with becoming a knowledge-driven organization; chapter 10 discusses rewarding employees; chapter 15 discusses providing educational and capacity building opportunities for employees; and chapter 16 makes recommendations for measuring outcomes and specific metrics.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: The Buckman Labs Journey
Chapter 2: Technology Is the Easy Part: It’s Culture Change That’s Hard
Chapter 3: How to Start Leading a Knowledge-Driven Company
Chapter 4: Knowledge Sharing Bedrock: Building a Foundation of Trust
Chapter 5: Strip Management of Control over Information
Chapter 6: Build or Buy a Knowledge System: Custom-Made and Off-the-Shelf Solutions
Chapter 7: Turning the IT Department into Something New
Chapter 8: Encourage the Flow of Knowledge
Chapter 9: Let Customers Be Your Guide
Chapter 10: Reward Associates for Sharing What They Know
Chapter 11: Build Critical Mass in the Use of Your Knowledge System
Chapter 12: Strategies for Building Communities That Span the World
Chapter 13: Create Virtual Teams
Chapter 14: New Products and Services Based on Knowledge
Chapter 15: Practical Education: Let Your Associates Grow
Chapter 16: Metrics: Outcomes from the Flow of Knowledge
Chapter 17: The Things No One Can Copy: Speculation for the Future