Engaging Tensions of Knowledge Management Control

Any proficient activity calls for balance, which normally entails striking the right median between extremes. Management needs to strike the right balance when it comes to deciding how best to control resources, processes, and assets under its purview. Managing knowledge management programmes is no different, and entails a judicious balance in managing the tensions of centralisation and decentralisation. The important question is: When should one choose a centralised mechanism for knowledge management versus a decentralised one? The answer lies in three aspects: type of knowledge process, type of knowledge workers, and type of knowledge one is seeking to manage.