A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book About Knowledge Management

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Written in a lively, conversational style, Knowledge Management looks at the nature of knowledge, including its definition and measurement, before the main concepts and theoretical contributions to knowledge management are reviewed and challenged, providing fresh insights into the central debates. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the 'Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap' series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. Suitable for students of Business and Management courses at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level and anyone interested in the concept of knowledge management.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of Illustrations (p. viii)
• About the Author (p. ix)
• Acknowledgements (p. x)
• Should You Buy This Book? (p. xi)
• 1 Introduction: The Rise of Knowledge Management (p. 1)
• 2 Situating Knowledge Management (p. 18)
• 3 Knowledge Management? (p. 36)
• 4 Knowledge Acquisition, Retention, and Transfer (p. 56)
• 5 Knowledge, Creativity, and Innovation (p. 79)
• 6 Ignorance, Forgetting, and Unlearning (p. 100)
• 7 Conclusion: Looking Forward (p. 119)
• References (p. 131)
• Appendix: Resources for Studying Knowledge Management (p. 144)
• Index (p. 146)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This is the eighth book in a series that covers, for the most part, industrial management topics. Primarily written for college students, these works are not intended to be used as textbooks but rather as short, introductory monographs. Roberts (Univ. of Southampton, UK) has an extensive publication record in knowledge and learning in organizations. Her purpose in writing this book is "to take a critical view of knowledge management" and to challenge the standard perspectives on the nature and future of knowledge management. This approach provides an alternative to the ones used by typical management textbooks. Key issues raised include the implications of the use of intellectual property rights versus open-source practices for knowledge advancement and whether knowledge management practices promote innovation or limit creativity. Following the Introduction are six short chapters: "Situating Knowledge Management," "Knowledge Management?" "Knowledge Acquisition, Retention, and Transfer," "Knowledge, Creativity, and Innovation," "Ignorance, Forgetting, and Unlearning," and a general conclusion. Recommended for its clarity and brevity in discussing a complex and contemporary area of study. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals and practitioners. --Les Kong, California State University, San Bernardino