ABCs of KMFeatured Stories

Integrating change management with a knowledge management framework

For organizations to be effective and durable into the future in the face of uncertainty and unpredictability, they need to be able to successfully adapt to changing circumstances. Bernal Picado Argüello and Vicente González-Prida, authors of a newly published paper1 in the journal Information, contend that organizations can best prepare for the future by integrating change management with a knowledge management (KM) framework.

To facilitate this, Picado Argüello and González-Prida propose an 8-step methodology developed by bringing together a change management model and a framework for intangible asset and knowledge management.

For the change management model, Picado Argüello and González-Prida chose the Prosci ADKAR® model (Figure 1) after reviewing change management literature and approaches. This model is based on the understanding that organizational change can only happen when individuals change. “ADKAR” is an acronym for the five outcomes an individual needs to achieve for a change to be successful: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. The ADKAR model was developed nearly two decades ago by Prosci founder Jeff Hiatt after studying the change patterns of more than 700 organizations. Prosci states that it has since been used by thousands of change leaders around the world.

Stages of the ADKAR model.
Figure 1. Stages of the ADKAR model. Source: Adapted by Picado Argüello and González-Prida (2024) from El Modelo ADKAR de Prosci.

The framework for intangible asset and knowledge management was previously published in a 2021 conference paper2 by one of the co-authors of the newly published 2024 paper, Vicente González-Prida, and a group of colleagues. González-Prida and colleagues’ framework (Figure 2) has been developed by bringing together ISO 55001 (requirements for an asset management system) and ISO 30401 (requirements for a knowledge management system) to treat knowledge as an intangible asset in organizations.

Framework for intangible asset and knowledge management.
Figure 2. Framework for intangible asset and knowledge management. Source: Gonzalez-Prida and colleagues (2021).

González-Prida and colleagues see the organizational processes for their framework for intangible asset and knowledge management as being supported by artificial intelligence (AI). This aligns with what Tom Davenport sees as the AI-fueled resurgence of business process management (BPM), which will be explored in a future RealKM Magazine article. Davenport is well-known as a significant early leader in knowledge management, having co-authored with Larry Prusak the landmark book Working Knowledge3. He is now emerging as a significant leader in the practical use of AI in organizations.

The 8-step methodology

Picado Argüello and González-Prida put forward the following 8-step methodology, which they state is  global, simplified, based on the ADKAR model, and implemented in the framework for intangible asset and knowledge management:

Step 1: Definition of competencies and knowledge areas

  • Objective: Identify key competencies and knowledge areas according to the business strategy.
  • Action: Conduct a strategic analysis to determine the critical competencies necessary for the growth and sustainability of the business.
  • Reference: Phase one of the knowledge management framework.

Step 2: Prioritization of competencies and knowledge areas

  • Objective: Establish priorities among the identified competencies and knowledge areas.
  • Action: Use impact and urgency criteria to prioritize knowledge areas requiring immediate intervention.
  • Reference: Phase two of the knowledge management framework.

Step 3: Awareness

  • Objective: Create awareness of the need for change in the organisation.
  • Action: Communicate the importance of managing intangible assets and knowledge, highlighting the benefits and impact on organisational efficiency.
  • Reference: First stage of the ADKAR model.

Step 4: Desire

  • Objective: To foster the desire to participate in and support change.
  • Action: Engage key employees and opinion leaders to promote change, addressing any resistance and motivating participation.
  • Reference: Second stage of the ADKAR model.

Step 5: Knowledge

  • Objective: Provide the knowledge needed to implement the change.
  • Action: Design and deliver training and development programs that cover priority knowledge and competencies.
  • Reference: Third stage of the ADKAR model.

Step 6: Ability

  • Objective: To develop the skills necessary to apply the knowledge acquired.
  • Action: Facilitate practical opportunities and resources for employees to apply what they have learned in their day-to-day work.
  • Reference: Fourth stage of the ADKAR model.

Step 7: Reinforcement

  • Objective: To ensure that changes are sustained over the long term.
  • Action: Implement follow-up and reinforcement mechanisms, such as periodic evaluations and reward systems.
  • Reference: Fifth stage of the ADKAR model.

Step 8: Evaluation and continuous improvement

  • Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of the change and make continuous improvements.
  • Action: Conduct gap analysis and evaluate the life cycle of competencies and resources, implementing improvements based on the results obtained.
  • Reference: Phases seven and eight of the knowledge management framework.

Picado Argüello and González-Prida discuss the case study of a food production company as validation of their choice of the ADKAR model. The 8-step methodology they have put forward by bringing together the ADKAR model and framework for intangible asset and knowledge management now needs to be trialed in organizations. This should ideally be done through the collaboration of knowledge management researchers (such as Picado Argüello and González-Prida), knowledge management practitioners, and organization leaders and/or change makers.

Header image source: iStock.

References:

  1. Picado Argüello, B., & González-Prida, V. (2024). Integrating Change Management with a Knowledge Management Framework: A Methodological Proposal. Information, 15(7), 406.
  2. González-Prida, V., Guillén, A., Parra, C., Candón, E., & Martínez-Galán, P. (2021, August). An intangible asset management proposal based on ISO 55001 and ISO 30401 for knowledge management. In World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (pp. 231-240). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
  3. Davenport, T. H., & Prusak, L. (1998). Working knowledge: How organizations manage what they know. Harvard Business Press.
5/5 - (1 vote)

Bruce Boyes

Bruce Boyes (www.bruceboyes.info) is a knowledge management (KM), environmental management, and education professional with over 30 years of experience in Australia and China. His work has received high-level acclaim and been recognised through a number of significant awards. He is currently a PhD candidate in the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Group at Wageningen University and Research, and holds a Master of Environmental Management with Distinction. He is also the editor, lead writer, and a director of the award-winning RealKM Magazine (www.realkm.com), and teaches in the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Certified High-school Program (CHP).

Related Articles

Back to top button