A Synopsis of Trends in Knowledge Management

The document outlines a shift in knowledge management from the simple storage and retrieval of information toward active engagement, social network analysis, and knowledge mobilization. It highlights the convergence of private sector management, ICT innovation, and international development approaches, emphasizing that influence is achieved through relationships and interaction rather than just the possession of knowledge. The text also discusses the rise of 'Open Content' to democratize knowledge-sharing and the move toward 'post-modern knowledge management,' where collaboration is governed rather than managed.

• Knowledge management is experiencing a convergence of diverse influences, including private sector experiments, social network analysis, technological evolution, and multi-stakeholder governance processes. This has led the private sector to realize that KM requires "social management skills and an understanding of how to engage with citizens and communities" in addition to ICT tools.
• There is a transition from treating KM as the "storage and retrieval of information" to a focus on "active engagement with the knowledge user," incorporating dialogue, relationship-building, and adaptive learning.
• Knowledge mobilization differs from traditional KM by emphasizing purpose and the needs of target users to create influence. IISD suggests that achieving influence requires first determining the desired change and the decision-makers involved, rather than starting with existing research.
• Social capital is now viewed as being as important as intellectual capital, with organizations using social network analysis to map how knowledge flows through relationships to bridge the gap between research, policy, and action.
• The adoption of "Open Content"—an ideology of collaboration that grants broad rights for sharing ideas—is being used to overcome the barriers to knowledge-sharing created by commercial control of intellectual property rights.
• A trend toward "post-modern knowledge management" is emerging, where collaboration is "governed" rather than "managed," meaning organizations provide leadership and resources but allow the emerging community to run itself.

APA

Creech, H. (2005). A Synopsis of Trends in Knowledge Management. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_km_trends.pdf

Chicago

Creech, Heather. A Synopsis of Trends in Knowledge Management. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2005. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_km_trends.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Creech |first1=Heather |title=A Synopsis of Trends in Knowledge Management |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2005 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_km_trends.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{creech2005synopsis, author = {Creech, Heather}, title = {{A Synopsis of Trends in Knowledge Management}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2005}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_km_trends.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }