The dimensions of process knowledge

Many researchers are of the view that a firm's knowledge assets include its structure, culture, processes, employees and physical artifacts. The knowledge management (KM) literature has tended to emphasize employee knowledge as a locus for KM efforts. While this viewpoint is perfectly rational and justifiable, there is also a considerable amount of knowledge embedded in the firm's operating procedures. In this paper, we espouse viewing organizational knowledge from this perspective and propose a framework to manage process knowledge. Starting with a definition, classification of processes, and a characterization of the knowledge generation process, we provide seven dimensions by which process knowledge can be viewed: structure, personnel and coordination, performance and tools, discourse, results, quality and implications. They are intended to serve as a starting point for managing process knowledge. The dimensions are illustrated with several examples and implications of the framework are pointed out.