Deck 13: Knowledge Management and Decision Making

Question 1

Explicit knowledge is easier to communicate because it

A)cannot be transformed from explicit to tacit knowledge
B)is articulated in procedures,manuals and paper-based and electronic documents
C)can be embedded in an organisation's culture
D)is indispensable to others in the organisation

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The difference between tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge is

A)the first is carried in the mind and is difficult to access while the second has been expressed and can be stored and passed on.
B)the first is common to everyone while the second is not
C)the first is theory while the second is technical
D)the first is literary while the second is not

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Tacit knowledge can be difficult to communicate to the rest of an organisation because it

A)cannot be taught to people
B)cannot be transformed
C)is taken as personal property
D)is known only by an individual

Answer 3

D

Question 4

What is the key to the sharing of tacit and explicit knowledge within and between organisations?

A)Knowledge services
B)Knowledge-management programs
C)Effective communication
D)Social networks

Question 5

The three critical success factors in knowledge-management programs are

A)the leader,the followers and the customers
B)the goals,the outcomes and the relationship between them
C)knowledge leadership,clearly identified business benefits and communication across the organisation
D)knowledge leadership,clearly identified business benefits and communication outside the organisation

Question 6

The purpose of knowledge management in a business is to

A)enlarge the knowledge in an organisation
B)enlarge the business itself
C)improve performance and organisational competitiveness
D)improve the skills of staff

Question 7

In knowledge management,knowledge workers are expected to

A)positively affect the business
B)provide a useful context for planning,developing and implementing organisational tasks
C)create knowledge and have know-how about customer expectations,sales trends,production methods and strategies
D)provide human capital to the organisation

Question 8

Knowledge resides in and is generated by people.Therefore,knowledge management

A)does not require additional training
B)is about providing appropriate environment,motivation and role models
C)predominantly involves people management
D)predominantly involves the management of processes

Question 9

The broad purpose for establishing knowledge-management programs is for organisations to

A)efficiently and effectively acquire access to tacit knowledge
B)provide consistency in good practice that leads to better customer experiences and a competitive advantage
C)share the existing knowledge in the organisation
D)transfer knowledge from inside to outside the organisation

Question 10

What is central to knowledge management?

A)Predominantly tacit and explicit knowledge
B)The basic investment of the business
C)Technology and people
D)A qualified programmer

Question 11

Knowledge management involves

A)people who manage an organisation very intelligently
B)organisations that make good use of their intellectual resources
C)the valuing of knowledge in a positive communication climate
D)the process through which organisations generate value by gathering,organising and sharing their intellectual and knowledge-based assets

Question 12

Knowledge is defined as

A)information gained and processed through web-based and digital technology
B)data,information and intelligence that can be used to act
C)the analysis of databases in which information is stored
D)information that can be generated using software programs

Question 13

The means by which information flows well across borders is

A)education
B)technology
C)knowing the right people in the right places
D)socialisation

Question 14

Knowledge management enablers are

A)managers who carry out knowledge-management programs
B)individuals in an organisation who are knowledgeable
C)technologies and organisational strategies that support knowledge-management practices
D)people outside of the organisation who support and enhance knowledge management practices

Question 15

What are the two factors that are important for the successful implementation of the knowledge-management process?

A)A knowledge-sharing culture and continuous learning and application of knowledge by people
B)A range of knowledge and coverage of all practices
C)The communication and interaction process
D)Knowledge work and knowledge workers

Question 16

The area of knowledge in an organisation which ensures that processes nurture and harness brainpower,and encourage knowledge sharing is

A)knowledge in processes
B)organisational memory
C)customer knowledge
D)knowledge in people

Question 17

As well as formalising methods for collecting and distributing knowledge,effective knowledge management and leadership includes

A)designing,implementing and reviewing activities and processes
B)listening and choosing the appropriate medium for communication
C)introducing and maintaining knowledge-management meetings
D)enhancing intellectual relationships among the staff

Question 18

A successful organisation achieves its business goals with a knowledge-management process by

A)using web-based and digital technology only
B)exploring the potential of its staff
C)changing how people work and earn an income
D)aligning its knowledge-management strategies with business objectives and people management

Question 19

A knowledge champion is

A)a knowledge leader with high academic qualifications
B)a manager who knows all of his\her employees personally
C)a successful leader of a tertiary education-related organisation
D)a knowledge leader who actively drives the knowledge agenda and creates commitment and support

Question 20

The function of team spirit and collaboration in organisational culture is to

A)transform tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge
B)enhance the turning of personal knowledge into corporate knowledge
C)help the organisation with cross-cultural communication
D)enhance social unity among the staff

Question 21

According to Schank and Abelson 1977,we are able to set up expectations and make inferences in problem solving because of

A)the experiences we have had
B)general knowledge about situations
C)what we have inherited from our ancestors
D)what we have learned from our colleagues

Question 22

In the nominal group technique and brainstorming,group members create and evaluate a list of possibilities and then discard those considered inappropriate in order to

A)brief the meeting
B)choose a course of action
C)evaluate the ideas
D)define the problem

Question 23

A function of task forces,committees,networks,communities of practice and other groups is

A)to review decisions
B)to foreshadow problems
C)to share knowledge
D)to create knowledge

Question 24

Brainstorming in problem solving is

A)an appropriate way to release the tension in the group
B)a process suited to stimulating innovative ideas and creative solutions
C)a leadership approach
D)a process that leads to consensus

Question 25

The basic objective of members of a community of practice is to

A)develop new members
B)identify the tasks
C)develop relationships among the members
D)learn and exchange what people know

Question 26

The main advantage offered by nominal group technique in problem solving is that it enables

A)a sufficient number of members to solve the problem
B)capable members of the group
C)the opportunity to think independently of others
D)sufficient knowledge to be used by the group

Question 27

An organisation provides knowledge workers with opportunities to engage in problem solving and decision making by

A)encouraging members to engage in critical thinking and questioning in order to analyse,evaluate and create new ideas as well as implement the decisions of the community.
B)encouraging members to develop individual processes and take unilateral decisions
C)combining knowledge management and learning opportunities
D)encouraging members to form social relationships which foster trust

Question 28

The four useful decision-making and problem-solving techniques in knowledge management are

A)case-based reasoning,the nominal group technique,brainstorming and Dewey's reflective thinking process
B)knowledge structuring,knowledge-management enabling,knowledge sharing and social network analysis
C)capable leadership,knowledgeable staffing,use of technical tools and advanced strategies
D)communication techniques,assertiveness,self-knowledge and critical thinking

Question 29

According to the theory of brainstorming Sutton and Hargadon,1996,we are less efficient at generating ideas

A)when they are encouraged
B)on the Internet
C)in face-to-face brainstorming meetings
D)when working alone

Question 30

According to Robertson 2004,one of the key elements of a community of practice in knowledge management is

A)group responsibility for the stewardship of the knowledge within their domain
B)disagreement about key issues
C)agreement about key issues
D)a focus on individual knowledge bases

Question 31

What are the common problems with sharing knowledge?

A)Lack of time and too much focus on details rather than the big picture.
B)Lack of capacity to enforce the implementation of knowledge management effectively.
C)Lack of experience in communities of practice
D)Lack of qualifications to carry out strategies of knowledge management.

Question 32

What is the knowledge recorded in case-based reasoning?

A)Internal scripts
B)External scripts
C)Intrinsic scripts
D)Extrinsic scripts

Question 33

Pivotal knowledge workers within a community of practice are defined as

A)central connectors
B)boundary spanners
C)information brokers and peripheral specialists
D)all of the above

Question 34

According to Coakes and Smith 2007,innovation takes place in organisations in

A)networks
B)communities of practice
C)committees
D)face-to-face meetings

Question 35

In problem solving,it is suggested that the problem is stated in a way that encourages discussion of a variety of causes and possible solutions,with

A)only one objective
B)two objectives
C)three objectives
D)more objectives

Question 36

The social structure in a community of practice

A)is focused on benefits to the community
B)builds relationships and encourages collective learning
C)affects its ability to achieve the common goal of the community
D)can lead to 'groupthink'

Question 37

Because they share,create,organise,review and accumulate knowledge,the relationship between members of a community of practice is one of

A)power-plays among the members
B)emotional enrichment
C)disengagement
D)mutual engagement

Question 38

According to Harrison 1997,systems expertise in case-based reasoning is

A)encoded in classical rules
B)embodied in a library of past cases
C)decoded in solutions of the problems
D)possessed by experts

Question 39

According to Smith 2003,a functional community of practice needs to

A)generate and appropriate a shared repertoire of ideas,commitments and memories and to develop various resources
B)recognise new knowledge and stimulate innovation
C)focus on training members in communication skills
D)identify appropriate experts for the organisation

Question 40

A disadvantage of the nominal group technique is that members

A)are allowed to think independently
B)work together
C)build up good relationships among themselves
D)may feel their spontaneity is inhibited and controlled by the peer group

Question 41

Knowledge of facts is as important as knowledge of people and social processes.

Question 42

The boundaries of a community of practice are less flexible than those of an organisational unit.

Question 43

It is often believed that tacit knowledge is less valuable than explicit knowledge.

Question 44

A knowledge worker works primarily with technology in the workplace.

Question 45

The aim for members of a community of practice is to share interest.

Question 46

The membership of a community of practice is defined by task rather than by interest.

Question 47

According to Drucker 2003,knowledge is impersonal,like money.

Question 48

The knowledge economy has changed how people work,how corporations are valued and how people earn an income.

Question 49

The key to information flows in knowledge management is technology.

Question 50

Knowledge services,according to Simard et al.2007,are performed by subject matter specialists,technical staff and knowledge-management professionals

Question 51

Brain-storming is the basis of case-based reasoning in decision making and problem solving.

Question 52

In case-based reasoning,knowledge about past experiences is used to solve a current problem.

Question 53

A community of practice provides an opportunity to reflect on practice.

Question 54

Information and communication technology plays the most important role in knowledge management.

Question 55

According to Harrison 1997,in case-based reasoning systems expertise is encoded in what we know should happen classical rules.

Question 56

After-action review is defined as a systematic process to extract the learning from an event or activity.

Question 57

Knowledge work is materials-based.

Question 58

In communities of practice,social structure is more important than participation.

Question 59

The organisation allows individuals to apply knowledge-management practices to themselves,their role in the organisation and their career development.

Question 60

Knowledge management is defined as the range of practices used by organisations to identify,create,represent and distribute knowledge for reuse,awareness and learning across the organisation.

Question 61

What is the role of managers and leaders in relation to knowledge management?

Question 62

Knowledge gained from past cases should be difficult to transfer to the current situation.

Question 63

Describe four problem-solving and decision-making techniques.Briefly explain the process of case-based reasoning.How does the nominal group technique allow members to think independently? What are the steps in Dewey's reflective thinking process?

Question 64

What is knowledge management? What are the main features of effective knowledge management? How does knowledge management develop people and organisations?

Question 65

Define 'knowledge','knowledge work','knowledge worker' and 'knowledge management'.Provide examples of each concept as it could be applied in the workplace.

Question 66

Dewey's reflective thinking process offers an agenda for problem solving.

Question 67

Brainstorming is a slow and complicated method to use with groups.

Question 68

An advantage of the nominal group technique is that members may feel their spontaneity is inhibited and that the situation is controlling.

Question 69

Describe the key concepts underpinning knowledge management and the seven levels of knowledge.

Question 70

Explain two broad approaches taken by organisations to applying knowledge management principles.

Question 71

What is the role of communities of practice in valuing and sharing tacit knowledge?

Question 72

According to information provided in Chapter 13,how many types of knowledge are there? How are these different types of knowledge related?

Question 73

Case-based reasoning is suitable for solving a complex problem.