Knowledge management identifies two main types of knowledge. Explicit knowledge is knowledge or skills that can be easily articulated and understood, and therefore easily transferred to others. Tacit knowledge is knowledge that is difficult to neatly articulate, package, and transfer to others. These are usually intuitive skillsets that are challenging to teach, such as body language, aesthetic sense, or innovative thinking.
In order to make the best business decisions, the workforce must be as educated and skillful as possible. One way to ensure an educated – and continually learning – workforce is to stimulate organizational learning, which companies can do by implementing knowledge management. This practice ensures not only that existing knowledge (both explicit and tacit forms) is codified and stored, but that it can be dispersed among other employees so that people can continue to amass skills. Another benefit is that KM evenly distributes knowledge so no one is contributing in silos.
Every organization uses its knowledge to gain and sustain long term success. The four pillars of knowledge management – leadership, organization, technology, and learning – assist in the transformation process of an organisation..