This article has multiple issues. Please help or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: – ···scholar·JSTOR(October 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance.(November 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
This article appears to contain a large number of buzzwords. There might be a discussion about this on the talk page. Please help if you can.(November 2015)
(Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Personal knowledge networks have been primarily conceived by researchers with regard to the inter-firm knowledge sources between organisations, where networks are informal and personal. Instead of looking at the organisational context, some researchers investigate the intra-firm aspects at personal level of organisational knowledge networks, where knowledge management (KM) processes start and end.[1] Various technologies and behaviours support personal knowledge networking for example wikis, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and relationship networks. Researchers propose that kmowledge management can happen with little explicit governance. This trend is called "grass-roots KM" as opposed to traditional, top-down enterprise KM.
New models emerged for continuous operation of knowledge management. Apart from formal arrangements for official alliances, individuals often know each other and interact beyond official duties, which can lead to knowledge flows and learning.[2]
Drawbacks of Traditional Knowledge Management
Traditional Knowledge Management focuses more on technology rather than on social interaction.[3] Organizations should first look to the culture inherent inside which significantly affects the social interaction among members involved in.
Technical Support from Social Network
Social software provides an answer to its previous question. It is a means of giving people what they want in terms of their traditional knowledge management activities, in a way that also benefits the firm.[4]
Comparison between KM and PKN[]
Structural Aspect[]
Content-centric vs User-centric
Content-based process is regarded as a major factor which leads to Knowledge Management's incompatibility in current situation. In contrast, user-based process focuses on each individual in a learning process. That makes the driving force of knowledge shift from content database of organizations to learner(users) themselves. Furthermore, comparing with data or information, knowledge can only be evaluated or managed by individuals, which implies its identical feature.[5]
Centralised vs Distributed
In PKN model, knowledge learning is undertaken with a high consideration of its natural feature - distributed format. In comparison, centralised feature has been proved to perform well in guiding a organized and structural learning session.[6] But the well-formatted guidance could hardly satisfy the various and timely requirements from nowadays users.
Top-down vs Bottom-up
Top-down models and hierarchical controlled structures are the enemies of innovation.[7] In general, learners and knowledge workers love to learn but they hate not to be given the freedom to decide how they learn and work (Cross,2003).[8] For this fact, a better way in coping with this system is to let them develop and emerge naturally, in a freeform way, which could be abstracted to a bottom-up structure.[9]
Enforcement vs Voluntary
Traditional KM mainly undertake a pushing model which sets the users in a passive way by simply providing content and expecting the learning process will happen. This model is not sufficient to improve learners' motivation. Considering the dynamic and flexible nature of learning process, LM and KM approaches require a shift in emphasis from a knowledge-push to a knowledge-pull model.[10] PKN provides a more attractive platform, where users could locate content only with their needs from information repositories.
Application Aspect[]
Personal knowledge search tools instead of searching on the corporate intranet
Instant messaging and Short Message Service (SMS) instead of the telephone or e-mail
^F. Huber, “ Contextualising the Role of Extra-Firm Personal Networks as a Source of Work- Related Knowledge”, Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities (OLKC) Conference, Hull, UK , 2011