Information & Knowledge Management
Why It Matters
In a world overloaded with information, the advantage belongs to those who can connect meaning, not just collect data. In today’s knowledge driven economy, competitive advantage depends less on what an organisation owns and more on what it knows and how well it uses that knowledge. Therefore, effective IKM reduces duplication, improves innovation and strengthens decision quality.
What is Information & Knowledge Management?
Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) is the discipline of capturing, organising, sharing and effectively using information to create value. It focuses on transforming data into actionable knowledge that supports decision-making, innovation and continuous improvement within organisations (Dalkir, 2017).
IKM connects technology (information systems) with people (knowledge workers) and processes (learning, collaboration, governance) to ensure that what an organisation knows can be applied where it matters most.
IKM in the Digital Era
Emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and cloud collaboration platforms are reshaping how organisations manage knowledge. These technologies extend beyond data processing to enable adaptive, context-aware systems capable of learning from human interaction and organisational patterns (Alavi & Leidner, 2001; Davenport, 2015).
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) automate the classification, retrieval and analysis of knowledge assets, allowing organisations to move from static repositories to dynamic, continuously evolving knowledge ecosystems (Nonaka & von Krogh, 2009). Cloud-based collaboration platforms further enhance this transformation by dissolving geographical barriers and facilitating real-time knowledge exchange across distributed teams (Hislop, Bosua & Helms, 2018).
Modern knowledge management thus represents a fusion of human cognition and digital augmentation, where technological infrastructures act as enablers of organisational learning rather than replacements for it (Grant, 2013). This integration strengthens decision-making, innovation and strategic foresight, positioning knowledge as both a tangible resource and a continuous organisational capability.