If Only We Knew What We Know - by C Jackson Grayson & Carla O'Dell (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

While companies search the world over to benchmark best practices, vast treasure troves of knowledge and know-how remain hidden right under their noses: in the minds of their own employees, in the often unique structure of their operations, and in the written history of their organizations. Now, acclaimed productivity and quality experts Carla O'Dell and Jack Grayson explain for the first time how applying the ideas of Knowledge Management can help employers identify their own internal best practices and share this intellectual capital throughout their organizations.
Knowledge Management (KM) is a conscious strategy of getting the right information to the right people at the right time so they can take action and create value. Basing KM on three major studies of best practices at one hundred companies, the authors demonstrate how managers can utilize a visual process model to actually transfer best practices from one business unit of the organization to another. Rich with case studies, concrete examples, and revealing anecdotes from companies including Texas Instruments, Amoco, Buckman, Chevron, Sequent Computer, the World Bank, and USAA, this valuable guide reveals how knowledge treasure chests can be unlocked to reduce product development cycle time, implement more cost-efficient operations, or create a loyal customer base. Finally, O'Dell and Grayson present three "value propositions" built around customers, products, and operations that could result in staggering payoffs as they did at the companies cited above.
No amount of knowledge or insight can keep a company ahead if it is not properly distributed where it's needed. Entirely accessible and immensely readable, If Only We Knew What We Know is a much-needed companion for business leaders everywhere.

Review Quotes

Bill Lowrie "President, Amoco Corpoartion A practical guide to the transfer of internal knowledge and best practices. O'Dell and Grayson do an outstanding job of distilling the approaches of successful companies into an insightful and rational prescription for success.

Gabriel Szulanski "Assistnat Professor of Management, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania An essential primer to the transfer of knowledge and best practices and step-by-step guidance to institutionalizing internal knowledge sharing in your organization.

John Mitcham "President and CEO, Tricord Systmes, Inc. O'Dell and Grayson have added significantly to our store of practical know-how and made it available to us all. Read it, use it, and everyone wins.

Kenneth T. Derr "Chairman and CEO, Chevron Corporation A very readable, insightful guide loaded with real-world examples and proven techniques that I know will accelerate my company's progress in managing knowledge.

Larry Prusak "Managing Principal, Knowledge Management, IBM Global Services, Consulting Group A practical, well-written, and thoughtful primer on doing knowledge management.

Robert H. Buckman "Chairman and CEO of Bulab Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Buckman Laboratories Moving from command and control to knowledge sharing requires us all to go through significant culture change. Only by collaborating can we achieve success. "If Only We Knew What We Know" is the best prescription I know for meeting the challenges of the Knowledge Era.

Robert J. Hiebeler "Co-author of "Best Practices" An excellent account of key lessons learned, useful knowledge management frameworks, and very interesting case stories of pioneers in the knowledge area.

About the Author

Carla O'Dell is president of the American Productivity & Quality Center and director of the Center's International Benchmarking Clearinghouse in Houston, Texas. Dr. O'Dell is co-author with C. Jackson Grayson, Jr., of American Business: A Two Minute Warning.