Knowledge management structures in NATO versus the United Nations - Essay Example

n and knowledge far better then it was previously possible, knowledge management in organizations has also the added dimension of interaction, knowledge sharing, communication and analysis. A lot of organizational knowledge is contained in the heads of personnel within the organizations. Because humans have a finite life – span and ambitions about better opportunities, all organizations have structures which not only create new knowledge but also transfer existing knowledge to those in need of it.

The nature of the knowledge which is important to an organization is dependant on the task or mission which the organization is expected to perform and different organizations may have different requirements associated with the speed, reliability, volume of information or knowledge which has to be communicated for organizational use. The knowledge management structures which are put into place within organizations are shaped by the organizational requirements for knowledge management, which are different for various organizations.

In this essay, an attempt has been made to compare the knowledge management structures within NATO with those which exist in the United Nations. NATO, which is a military alliance, has a requirement to manage large amounts of information which can quickly become obsolete and convert this information into knowledge for reliable and secure communications for the use of designated personnel. The pace at the United Nations is more leisurely. Hence, the knowledge management structures at these two organizations are slightly different.

The term knowledge management refers to the management of intellectual capital which has bee described as: “Intellectual capital is intellectual material – knowledge, information, intellectual property, experience – that can be put to use to create wealth. It is the collective brainpower”. The term knowledge is subjective to the organizational and social context in which it is being thought of. Knowledge