The new dividing line is between the ones who know and the ones who do not know how to capture, share and leverage knowledge. Smart Business is the pragmatic new economy manifesto we have been waiting for and a 'must-read' for anyone who want to keep making a difference when the rules of business is changing. Rather, Smart Business clearly tells the story that only a holistic approach can address the real KM issues companies face. What these companies have found out, and what Jim reports back, is that KM is more about constructing a community rather than installing a piece of software or hardware. And building communities is not something that can easily be reduced to a series of steps or processes.
Communities arise from shared experiences.
And if telling stories is one of the best ways to share an experience, then by the time the reader has finished, they will have experienced a bit of what it's like to be inside a KM leader. What's exciting about Smart Business is that the stories are not filtered through Jim. You read about how Xerox made the transition from the document company to a knowledge company from Priscilla Douglas of Xerox's Public Sector area. Helena Light Hadley, Director of Marriott's New Business Ventures, tells you how they use KM to assure high levels of customer service in an industry with traditionally high turn-over rates. Dr. Jim has done it again.