difference between data,information and knowledge

KIDS:

Data, Information and Knowledge these are the important terms in the organization these are the base and assets of the organizations. I will try to define each of the terms and their use in the organizations and difference between them with my conclusion.

DATA:

Data can be defined in many ways as it is used in different field like in computer field the meaning of data is different from the business field..I want to give a common definition that can define what data is

It is numbers, words or pictures which don't have any context, data is mainly used as input or storing. Mostly data don't have any meaning till it have any information. (BBC  10-02-2009), ex:4.00pm,rain,john,hendon.

(Ackoff 2004) "data is raw.It is simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence. It can exist in any form usable or not. It does not have meaning of itself".

Now a days organizations are considering data as an asset which is very important to an organization. In my organization where i worked in India they consider company data like customer data employees data as a very important, these data is not allowed to accessed by every one, we had an big issue regarding that some of our customer data was sold to our competitors by our staff for money this type of things may risk organization survival.

INFORMATION:

The definition of information from( business dictionary retrieved on 11-02-2009) is "raw data that has been verified to be accurate and timely, is specific and organized for a purpose is presented within a context that gives its meaning and relevance and which leads to increase in understanding and decrease in uncertainty".

"Information may be defined as the characteristics of the output of a process, these being informative about the process and the input". (M.Losee 199?).

I can strongly support these definitions by my experie

nce in my organization. we used to have customer data like customer name and his phone number we have to call them and find his interested vehicle, price rage, his financial position etc we used to collect all his data and make them into as meaningful information so that we can refer it afterwards. we categories these customer information as interested or not interested customers. this information helps us to find the genuine customers.

information can be defined as collection of numbers, words or pictures which is having a meaning. information is data that which have the context. Information is understanding of data.

KNOWLEDGE:

knowledge is the term which is making confused many from many years, from ancient many scholars and priests  searched for knowledge and for the meaning of knowledge. Now many organizations recognized the importance of knowledge and searching for it within the organization to use for there organizational goals.

I want to share some of the definitions that  define  knowledge are as follows.

(Barclay and Murray 199?)  Knowledge has two basic definitions of interest. The first pertains to a defined body of information. depending on the definition, the body of inf

ormation might consists of facts, opinions, ideas, theories, principles, and models. Clearly, other categories are possible, too. subject matter(e.g., chemistry, mathematics, etc.) is just one possibility. Knowledge also refers to a person's state of being with respect to somebody of information. These states include ignorance, awareness, familiarity, understanding, facility, and so on.

"The ability of people and organizations to understand and act effectively-has regularly been managed by managers, coworkers, and proactive individuals. those responsible for survival in competitive environments always have worked to build the best possible knowledge within their area of responsibility". (M.Wiig 1999). I think this is the best definition for an knowledge within an organization where knowledge has to be maintained  and developed by the managers.

But some says that(Einstein 199?)"knowledge is experience. everything else is just information"..

I think experience is the part of the knowledge but  we cant say that who has experience he is having knowledge. For example: even though managers have many years of experience there is a chance of doing mistakes because of lack of knowledge.

from the above definitions i can understand that knowledge is understanding about the information in a correct manner, and able to take decisions by past experience. knowledge is knowing anything completely. Ex:as there was a decrease in the sales by 10% from past two months management taken decision to decrease the price of products to increase sales.Here the management took the data of sales and the past two months experience and decide to take a new strategy by  using their knowledge

Deference between data, information and knowledge:

After getting an idea on definitions of data, information and knowledge now I can differentiate between them. In an organization data, information and knowledge are three different terms and different meaning even though they are using for same purpose.

we can say that data is not information and information is not knowledge. Data are basic facts-unallied, with little or no value outside their own existence.

ex: A tree is a tree merely defines that object. It says nothing of it's structure, its purpose, its value. It tells us nothing about forests or forestry or uses of it. Informati

on is when we integrate the existence of a tree with the existence of say, furniture. Knowledge is when we take the information about the tree and use it to uniform either forestry or furniture manufacture. Knowledge management is when we when we codify knowledge and convert it to useful information.

 

My Conclusion:

My lecturer Abubaker gave an a simple example for the difference between kid,he gave an example of medical transcription slip which is a data for a printing press person and it will be an information to the customer and it will be a knowledge for a chemist or doctor.

Here we can observe that the transcription slip dint changed only the people and the way of their think changed, by this we can say that the way of looking or understanding decides

whether the given is data or information or knowledge and it only depends on the observer.

I want to give an diagram(fig.1) to demonstrate difference between these three by my own words.   

Fig.1 Vision of Knowledge , Information and data.

                                  

Here in this diagram the object is same but the amount of understanding of the object is only different, less understandable is data and understanding more than data is information and  understanding completely about the object or subject is knowledge.

 

References:

Retrieved on (BBC 10-02-2009)-http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ict/databases/0datainforev1.shtml.

 

(Ackoff) posted in data, information, knowledge and wisdom by Bellinger, Castro, Mills (2004).

Retrieved from a discipline independent definition of information by (M.Losee.11-02-2009).http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/39670/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0.

 

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/information.html

 

(O.Barclay and C.Murray 199?)  http://www.media-access.com/whatis.html retrived on 11-02-2009.

 

(Einstein 199?) http://www.e-knowledge.ca/quotes.php?topic=Knowledge.  Retrived on 11-02-2009.

 

 

 

knowledge managment

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT:

when i came across the word knowledge and knowledge management for first time i thought it is very simple to define and to understand but as i go deep into the subject I came to know its depth and importance of it in organization, i want to share why i came to this conclusion. i went through many articles and definitions and got an idea of knowledge management, some of them which i think are best definitions iwill try to explain them in my own words.

 

(Elshaiekh 200?) "knowledge management is an activity of organization performance including decision making, processes and methods of organizational learning, incorporating the concepts  of organizational memory, and capturing, storing, retrieving using knowledge."

(young 200?) "knowledge management is the discipline of enabling individuals, teams and entire organizations to collectively and systematically create, share and apply knowledge, to better achieve their objectives".

i can support this definition of young by an example i worked in maruti Suzuki as an asst. manager for 2yrs,daily morning in the office we used have an a meeting for executives for manager for accounts people, our manager is used to ask about the monthly target which is actually our monthly target of company that we have to achieve, if we are not near to the target he used to ask for the reasons why we cant achieve the targets we used to give the reasons that are effecting from outside market are by competitors or by customers, we used to share what is the reasons that have effected the target, he used to ask for suggestions that has to be implemented or that we think good, every person in the meeting has the chance to talk and to give suggestions or share there experiences with the customers and the knowledge they gain. our meeting would last for at least two hours in which we discuss and share and gain lot of knowledge about the organization strategies plans and goals by this technique we used to achieve our goals.

knowledge management in the organization is the group of people come together share their views experience and make others to understand to achieve the organization goals.

 

I came across a simple definition of knowledge management in organization by (Thiab 200?) "knowledge management is that accumulative values of each part in the organization(people, process, strategies....etc)that makes it works thru the years."

an example given by him is Coca Cola is not a dark drink; it's an accumulated thru the years, appears to the market as a dark drink.

By this definition I can understand  that knowledge management has to be implemented on all areas of the organization and taken the values of all people and make them all in a accumulated form so that the end result can be accepted and has to give the best result and helps in reaching organization goal.

(Weik inBlair article 2006) "providing access to knowledge, creating an environment to encourages the sharing of knowledge, and building a desire to learn".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But some times I get confused is really knowledge is sharing in the organizations? i think only limited knowledge is sharing to the limited people in the organization’s i can support this by my real experience in my organization where i worked I was not allowed to access some data, and I am not allowed to share my knowledge to other colleges and i am having limitations to take decisions, even though i think I can do better than other I was not allowed to do, i think my seniors fear to share there knowledge with me as I can do more better than them and they can be neglected by my managers. Now in many organizations they think those who know more and who can store knowledge within them, they will get more importance in the organization, they think when it is shared with others their importance will be decreased. i think this type of ego feeling in the seniors may be an abstract to the knowledge sharing and retrieving.

In every organization knowledge sharing is the key factor for knowledge development. To share knowledge there should be a sender and a receiver we have to be keen when we are selecting the receiver, the receiver has to be intellectual , talented and good learner then only there will be a meaning for knowledge sharing.

My conclusion:

Organizations consider knowledge is like an asset which is hidden in the individuals of there organization. knowledge management is a system to facilitate learning, innovation and sharing to achieve the strategic objectives of an organization. Knowledge management is the process of thinking what is and how it is to be. Knowledge management is the process through which organizations generate value and new innovation from their intellectuals. but all these can be done by a good knowledge sharing and with individual intellectuals in organization.

 

 

Reference:

Noueldin Elshaiekh(malaysia) ritrived on www.knowledge-management-online.com/power-of-know-how.htm (10-02-2009).

 

Ron young,ceo/cko Associates international,sited in knowledge-managment-online.com.

 

Ali Thiab,sited in http://www.knowledge-management-online.com/power-of-know-how.html (2005).

 

Karl Weik, as paraphrased by Madelyn Blair in her Personal Knowledge Management: An approach to understanding what you know and need to know through conversation and story)  http://blog.simslearningconnections.com/?p=279. point 41.

ref:www.alkm.com/km_system/defination_knowledge_managment.php.

 

 

 

stratergy

stratergy can be defined as afixed plan which directs to reach their goals.

deferrence between organisation and CoP

 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORGANISATION AND COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

 

Firstly I want to define Organization and Community Of Practice.

 

ORGANIZATION:

“An arrangement of people and resources working in a planned manner toward specified strategic goals. An organization can be any structured body such as a business, company or firm in the private or public sector, or in a nonprofit association”.(BNET 200?).

(Rick 200?) “Organization is the product of organized individuals all aiming for the same goal;all affecting each other simultaneously through their actions. They share the same resources and they all play on the same team”.

I can support these definitions, as organization is defined as a group of people who are managed in a systematic way 

for the achieving of their common assigned goals and which lead to the success of the organizational goal.

For example I worked for an organization in India called Maruti Suzuki where I am a member of that organization, my organization consist of group of people like sales executives, accountants, tele callers, EDP operators and managers ,these all people work together and managed by a higher authority to complete our assigned goals, like monthly targets and customers satisfaction. We all are working together to fulfill our individual goals and for the organization goal.

 

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (Cop):

 

“Communities of practice are group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly”.(Wenger 1991)

“Informal, self-organized, network of peers with diverse skills and experience in an area of practice or profession. Such groups are held together by the members desire to help others and the need to advance their own knowledge”.(Business Dictionary 200?)..

“A group of people who share a common passion for a subject can, through regular interaction and communication, improve their knowledge and expertise in a given topic area”(Vota,2008).

By these definition I can say that community of practice is a group of people who come to gather in regular period to learn or to share their knowledge for individual benefit.                                                   I want to support this by an example in my organization where I was working I looked after sales of four wheelers I don’t have any knowledge about the mechanical parts of them, one of my college who is from mechanical side came to me and asked to say some ma

rketing skills to him, I said I cant say all that in one day I asked him to meet me in lunch hour or after finish job and in return I asked him to make me learn about mechanical side of four wheeler we both agreed and started to discus about these things when ever we got time, till I read about Cop, I dint know that we are in Cop. The knowledge I got from him is very useful for me to implement in my organization and in my daily life.

My Conclusion:

After getting an idea about the organization and community of practice I can differentiate  between them.

 

DEFFERENCE BETWEEN ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

 

·  Organization is a structured one, they consists of sales executives, accountants, managers, etc, where as Cop is an unstructured one.

·  There is an hierarchy of management in the organization like managers take the decisions and gives the guidance,  in Cop there is no hierarchy and no management .

·  Group member are bound to the orders and rules and regulations of the managers like in organization maintaining dress code, coming to office in a right time, there are no rules and regulations in Cop.

·  For sharing of knowledge or making learn about new things to staff is costly in organization, where as in Cop there is no need of cost for sharing of knowledge it is like charity.

·  Organizations have a goal and strategy, they are mostly  profit oriented. where as Cop don’t have any strategy and goal.

   

I came with an a diagram (fig.a.)to differentiate between Organization and Cop.

Fig a.

In this diagram organization is represented by triangle where the dots are the individuals which are been in systematically bounded and they are in hierarchal. where as Cop is represented by semi circle where individuals are unstructured and free to come in and go out. Ex: when I work in my organization iam bound by my rules and regulations and monitored by my higher managers and I have to be within my organization and when I discuss about my doubts and ideas with my colleges in lunch time without any rules and regulation and free to come and go  is community of practice.

 

Reference:

(BNET).sited http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/Organization.html retrieved on (17-02-2009).

(Rick) sited  in. http://www.starcrusaders.com/self-management/article2680.htm retrieved on        (19-02-2009).

(Wenger 1991) sited in http://www.ewenger.com/theory/. Retrieved on (19-02-2009).

(Business Dictionary 200?) sited in. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/community-of-practice.html. retrieved on (19-02-2009).

(Vota,2008) sited in.http://wayan.com/community-of-practice/.retrived on (19-02-2009).

 

 

 

 

 

 

community of practise(CoP)

community of practise can be defined as a social network in which all members wish to share their  knowledge,capitilzing experience and creating new innovation for acheving similar goal or collective goals.

for example students reunion meeting.

ref:www.water-for-food.in/index.html

defination of organization

organisation can be defined as the group of people united with common ideas and co-ordination of will to attain the goals in a systematic order.

example:middlesex university.

ref:www.vkendra.org/articles5.htm

Msc in middlesex university

Hi,
iam A.Naveen kumar studying msc (business in formation systems managment) in middlesex university in london.i came from india for pursuing this course.my qualification is mba in marketing.iam having two years of experience in maruti suzuki as a asst manager.