Inclusiveness in Knowledge Management Education

Abstract

Knowledge management (KM) is a multidisciplinary field that includes library and information science, business (particularly management), computer science, psychology, neurobiology, and ethics, among others. The purpose of KM is to create, organize, store, share, and utilize knowledge to enhance an organization’s performance by helping to achieve its objectives and foster innovation. Social inclusion is defined by the World Bank as “the process of improving the terms on which individuals and groups take part in society – improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged based on their identity”. Social inclusion in KM (or knowledge inclusiveness) promotes creativity and innovation by fostering a range of perspectives, psychological safety for its members, collaboration, and access to resources and opportunities to contribute to the knowledge-sharing and decision-making processes within an organization or community. An inclusive KM approach recognizes the value of diversity and actively seeks to assemble the collective intelligence of all individuals involved. In doing so, organizations and communities can create a more dynamic, adaptable, and equitable knowledge-sharing ecosystem, facilitating creativity and innovation which leads to better organizational productivity and a more equitable organizational culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their knowledge and expertise. The purpose of this chapter is to present the elements of inclusiveness that are related to KM practice and address how they can be included in the KM curriculum at institutions of higher education. The relationship between inclusiveness and KM education in the existing literature is reviewed and competencies for inclusiveness in KM are proposed. Competencies for social inclusion in KM refers to the skills, knowledge, and attributes that individuals and organizations should have to foster an inclusive culture. These competencies are essential for creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, collaboration is encouraged, and knowledge is accessible to all. Curricular elements can then be developed from the competencies and stated as programmatic learning outcomes, which are then applied to a case study of an existing KM master’s program to provide an example of the current state of KM curricula regarding social inclusiveness.