Managing Orphan Knowledge: Current Australasian Best Practice

Abstract

To date, managing intellectual capital has focused on maximizing possibilities to create knowledge, while minimizing changes of loosing g knowledge. However, effective intellectual capital management should consider another dimension : orphan knowledge. Orphan knowledge relates to questions such as: do organizations "unlearn" things or forget things and repeat past mistakes? Do some organizations unnecessarily duplicate equivalent activities within different areas of the organization? If orphan knowledge exists, then organizations need to understand their potential for creating orphan knowledge. This paper defines orphan knowledge, and provides evidence of its potential by developing various scenarios and relating case-study analysis from a sample of Australasian organizations. Indications are that even in organizations considered current "best practice" in managing intellectual capital, there is a medium to high potential for orphan knowledge types, namely explicit versus tacit knowledge, have differing potential for knowledge orphaning. Further research will consider the chief knowledge officer's role in preventing and recovering organization orphan knowledge.

Keywords: Information, Intellectual Capital, Management, Intangible assets, Liability

JEL Classification: M40, M41, M49