How much knowledge does the MD need, for example, about shop-floor operations. Also noted the problem of resistance to change - knowledge being power in some respects. Important then to identify the benefits of knowledge-sharing and to spread this through strong leadership. Might be useful to think of different metaphors for different industries - e.g. architecture for construction. This group highlighted the importance of trust in terms of the importance of common goals, a wilingness to share knowledge and to move the organization forward.
Teamwork is crucial here and to build trust needs a two way process.
This group felt it was important to make a business case for KM, and also stressed the importance of culture. KM tools can make explicit information widely available, but there are problems transferring knowledge across and between organizations - the latter an important issue for construction sector. Begs the question of whether technology drives culture or vice versa. In any case, there is a need to focus KM more explicitly on business processes. Overall, both the presentations and subsequent discussions highlighted the complex interplay between the usefulness of new IT tools and the way in which they are applied in organizations.