20011204: Zand, From knowledge to action

Contact:cdent@burningchrome.com

Zand, D. (1981). From knowledge to action. In _Information,
     organization and power_. (pp. 19-35). New York: McGraw-Hill.

An extraordinary collection of unsupported generlizations that either
made me giggle or choke, including the following gems:

1)

    Knowledge workers...may complain about overwork, but deep down they
    would not want it any other way.

Says who?

 Hi, I'm a manager, new on the job, heard about this knowledge
 management thing. I've got some new recruits in from the university
 where they've been teaching them about knowledge discovery.  They sure
 are a wild bunch. I'm not quite sure how to handle them, they keep
 complaining about too much work. What? You say that's normal and they
 like that? Okay, great, thanks for the help.

2)

    So the production worker seeks relief in spectator entertainment and
    mild mental stimulation.

    [The knowledge specialist seeks] relief by participating in sports,
    physical activities, and mental diversions.

Whoa!

 I tell you whut Bubba, after a long hard day at work there's nothing I
 like better than to sit in front of the TV, stick my hand down my
 pants like that guy on TV, drink me a beer and watch my favorite
 football team kick some ass but ever since I got that promotion for
 figuring out that we were losing 25% of the widgets because the bolts
 came down the line unordered I really can't bring myself to do it.
 I've got to out with the boys from the office and play a few hard
 games of raquetball down at the club. No, I'm sorry, you can't come,
 you're still one of them there production workers. You wouldn't like it
 anyway, your type doesn't go for that sort of thing.

These sorts of things make it very difficult for me to see the good
advice that is there in Zand's work. Knowledge conversion is certainly
a very important aspect of the business game (or any game for that
matter).


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