Looking introspectively at knowledge and learning management results in putting blinders on and doesn’t allow organizations to fully realize the benefits of their knowledge and learning management initiatives and solutions.

It’s estimated that American businesses lose $31.5 billion each year simply because information is not shared effectively. This staggering loss of revenue is the result of employees and customers not having information to make the best decisions; wasted time in trying to find information; wasted time and effort in reinventing something that’s already been created; and simply being misinformed. 

At its very essence, knowledge and learning management is simple. It is about giving internal and external stakeholders the information and resources that they need to be successful in their relationship with the organization that they work for or buy from. But, knowledge and learning management is much more complex than it actually sounds.

Practitioners have the mentality that if they develop content that stakeholders need, success will come organically. It’s the whole “if you build it, they will come” mantra. But, the fact is that a lot of organizations have developed great knowledge and learning opportunities that actually fill a real-world need (i.e., developed a good solution to a confirmed problem) without much impact. And, here are 7 deadly reasons why.

Organizations across all industries have an immense amount of knowledge, both in tangible and tacit form. Despite the proliferation of information, most organizations are dealing with a knowledge gap that inhibits innovation, growth and the cross-pollination of ideas. In order for organizations to benefit from their knowledge base and turn it into a true value proposition, it must be harnessed. The most effective way to capture and create knowledge for easy consumption is by investing in an Enterprise Knowledge Solution (EKS). According to Oztemel and Arslankaya (2012), an enterprise knowledge solution assists with “the representation, organization, acquisition, creation, use and evolution of knowledge in its many forms.[1]”  In addition to bridging the inherent knowledge gap that exists in organizations today, below are several other reasons why organizations should invest in an EKS.