Role of IT in Knowledge Management

In the current industry everything comes with Information Technology (IT) because IT accelerates the industrial efficiency. When it comes to knowledge management again IT act a huge role. Knowledge management is based on people, culture and technology. Knowledge does not have any geographical barriers, it is world wide but there should be a way to spread knowledge.
Web 2.0 technology is one of the best practices in knowledge management. It was invented by Tim O’Reilly in 2004 (Levy, 2009)
What went before Web 2.0?
As I said before knowledge management is not only based on IT therefore it was spreading using existing technology. Before Web 2.0 it was Web 1.0 which does not have such functionalities as new web technologies but still they share the knowledge using e-mail, computer conferencing and networks (Banks, 1999). Also it was not clearly defined what is the different between information management and knowledge management. Even in 2003 they argued by sitting on the fence. Because they use databases, file servers, emails, messaging tools and so on those were used for information management systems as well (Lindvall et al., 2003). It was not real time because of that it was not much popular, people got boring using old technology and then new technologies been invented.
New Technology
After Web 2.0 technology been invented it is being widely use by one billion users all around the world and it becomes the dramatic change of dot com world (Levy, 2009). It is easy to use, real time and it is people to people so these features make users more attractive to use this technology because of that it supports knowledge management as well. Most popular Web 2.0 applications are blogs, wikis, podcasting, Rss and tagging (Anderson, 2007).
Technology affect on knowledge management
As far as we concern about knowledge management it is also growing with the help of technology because it allows you to sharing best practices, leading training programs and leading culture change much faster and efficiently. It makes sense that with the help of Web 2.0 technology Knowledge Management 2.0 is being grown up.
Let’s see what is fast in new technology. For example different BIS module leaders use different methods to submit coursework. One use burned CD and another method is using existing system of Middlesex University called OASIS plus while others use latest web 2.0 technologies which are blogs and wikis. Here we can see under same course called BIS have different knowledge stages that indicate knowledge is not been shared.
If academic staff uses a common wiki for them then they will update what ever the new things they are doing. So the other all academic staff will able to see what kind of knowledge that others have and then they can identify the best practice among them. While course is going on they can change the method of course work submitting rather wait till next semester comes. This is just a one example of what is fast in new technology effect on knowledge management.
Second life is another new technology which effect to the knowledge management directly (mack, 2007). This is more attractive because it is simply just a second life of you. Being in second life you can do two works simultaneously. For instance if you are a part time student and been invited for a special lecture that could not attend because you are working then you miss the lecture. But if lecture is conducted using second life they you also can attend to the lecture using your second life and even you can record the lecture.
With these new technologies knowledge is growing all over the world even beyond the world that can be called as virtual world. Role of IT in knowledge management is getting stronger and stronger it the technology is developed.

References:

Anderson, P., (2007), “What is Web 2.0? Ideas, technologies and implications for education”, JISC Technology and Standards watch., avaliable at: What is Web 2.0? Ideas, technologies and implications for education, [last accessed 22/03/2009]

Banks, E., (1999), “Creating a knowledge culture”, work study, 48(1), 18-20, available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=/published/emeraldfulltextarticle/pdf/0790480103.pdf , [last accessed 25/03/2009]

Levy, M., (2009), “Web 2.0 implications on knowledge management”, Journal of knowledge management, 13(1), 120-134.

Lindvall, M., Rus, L. and Sinha, S. S., (2003), “Software system support for knowledge management”, Journal of knowledge management, 7(5), 137-150.

Mack, E., (2007), “Second life for knowledge transfer and collaboration”, available at: http://www.ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/using-second-life-for-knowledge-transfer-and-collaboration, [last access 01/04/2009]