Critical Evaluation of Denning's Ideas
Leadership and Storytelling
Critical evaluation of Denning’s ideas
Introduction
Since the mid-1990s, knowledge management has become increasingly significant for business managers and companies. ‘It is broadly accepted that systematic knowledge management is tightly linked with gaining and sustaining competitive advantage.’ (Bogner & Bansal, 2007, p658-6 as cited in Hislop, 2009, p1) The definition of knowledge management is various because of the wide range of this concept and its complexity (Al-Hawamdeh, 2003). For example, the broad definition provided by McAdam and McCreedy (2000, p155 as cited in Hislop 2009, p53) note that: ‘KM relates to the management of anything classified as knowledge’ Furthermore, Hislop (2009, p59) suggests that: ‘Knowledge management is an umbrella term which refers to any deliberate efforts to manage the knowledge of an organization’s workforce, which can be achieved via a wide range of methods including directly, through the use of particular types of ICT, or more indirectly through the management of social processes, the structuring of organizations in particular ways or via the use of particular culture and people management practices.’
Stephen Denning, served as the manager of knowledge management projects in the World Bank in the mid-1990s, realized the importance of knowledge management and attempted to persuade people in the World Bank to accept this new concept. However he was failed until he began telling stories to his followers which helped people in the World Bank accept this new concept and he also found the power of storytelling for business managers. In his paper called ‘Telling Tales’, Stephen Denning mentioned the power of storytelling and varies of aims of storytelling. This paper sets out to summary Denning’s ideas about storytelling and displays some critical evaluation of his viewpoints.
Summary of Denning’s ideas
According to Stephen Denning, storytelling plays a significant role in achieving a variety
Critical evaluation of Denning’s ideas
Introduction
Since the mid-1990s, knowledge management has become increasingly significant for business managers and companies. ‘It is broadly accepted that systematic knowledge management is tightly linked with gaining and sustaining competitive advantage.’ (Bogner & Bansal, 2007, p658-6 as cited in Hislop, 2009, p1) The definition of knowledge management is various because of the wide range of this concept and its complexity (Al-Hawamdeh, 2003). For example, the broad definition provided by McAdam and McCreedy (2000, p155 as cited in Hislop 2009, p53) note that: ‘KM relates to the management of anything classified as knowledge’ Furthermore, Hislop (2009, p59) suggests that: ‘Knowledge management is an umbrella term which refers to any deliberate efforts to manage the knowledge of an organization’s workforce, which can be achieved via a wide range of methods including directly, through the use of particular types of ICT, or more indirectly through the management of social processes, the structuring of organizations in particular ways or via the use of particular culture and people management practices.’
Stephen Denning, served as the manager of knowledge management projects in the World Bank in the mid-1990s, realized the importance of knowledge management and attempted to persuade people in the World Bank to accept this new concept. However he was failed until he began telling stories to his followers which helped people in the World Bank accept this new concept and he also found the power of storytelling for business managers. In his paper called ‘Telling Tales’, Stephen Denning mentioned the power of storytelling and varies of aims of storytelling. This paper sets out to summary Denning’s ideas about storytelling and displays some critical evaluation of his viewpoints.
Summary of Denning’s ideas
According to Stephen Denning, storytelling plays a significant role in achieving a variety
Bibliography: 1. Hislop, D. (2009). Knowledge management in organizations: a critical introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2. Al-Hawamdeh, S. (2003). Knowledge management: cultivating knowledge professionals. Oxford: Chandos. 3. Denning, S. (2004) ‘Telling Tales’, Harvard Business Review, p 1-7. 4. Denning, S. (2005) ‘Mastering the discipline of business narrative’, Strategy & Leadership, p 1. 5. Bruner, J. (1990). ‘A New Look, in Human Development’, Culture and Human Development, Vol. 33, p 344-355.