Practise Knowledge Management: Expert

Mohammed Zafran/DTNN

zafran@dt.bh

Manama

Management Expert and Belgium Foreign Trade and Development cooperation Economic Diplomacy Advisor Jean Nicolai said that organisations in Bahrain must thoroughly implement Knowledge Management to prevent potential snags.

“If knowledge is not continuously shared within an organisation, it could hamper its progress,” he opined.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event “International Leadership Conference” on the importance of Knowledge Management and how organisations can implement it, Nicolai said: "In many companies in Bahrain, knowledge is not shared between the lower management level and upper management level or between members of the same level. This is a serious flaw because when an employee leaves, he or she leaves with all the knowledge and expertise. So the individuals, who take over the works of the outgoing people, will have to start with scratch as they will have to figure everything out themselves.”

“The main theme of this conference is to highlight the importance of knowledge management and how we can implement it," he noted. 

Nicolai boasts a vast experience in Bahrain in the field of Management consulting. He is an advisor for many of Bahrain's top companies. 

Defining the concept of Knowledge management he explained: "In knowledge Management, what we mean by knowledge is the know-how that you gain from expertise and experience. It is not something you learn from books, the employees only get it from their experience at the organisation.” 

“For example, let’s say an employee has been operating a machine for many years. He may know everything about the machine and he will know how to prevent a break down from his experience. But when a new person takes control, the machine may break down a few times before he eventually figures out the most efficient way to operate it,” he elaborated.

"There are many reasons that employees refuse to share knowledge. One reason is that there is lack of trust between the top management and their co-workers. Other reason is that they keep the knowledge to themselves in order to strengthen their position in the company. But these mentalities can be changed if the top management takes efforts. It will require changing the organizational culture,” he observed.

"To change the organisational culture, the management will need to build a connection with the employees and earn their trust. This can be done by having regular meetings and brainstorming sessions, make them feel important part of the company," Nicolai added.