Organization Design and Development

HR can contribute to effective knowledge management by advising on the design of process-based organizations in which the focus is on horizontal processes that cut across organizational boundaries. Such organizations rely largely on networking and cross-functional or inter-disciplinary project teams or task forces, and knowledgesharing is an essential part of the operation. Attention is paid to identifying and encouraging ‘communities of practice’ which, as defined by Wenger and Snyder (2000), are ‘groups of people informally bound together by shared expertise and a passion for joint enterprise’. They are seen as important because it is within such communities that much of the organization’s tacit knowledge is created and shared.

The role definitions that emerge from organization design activities should emphasize knowledge-sharing as both an accountability (a key result area) and a competency (an expected mode of behaviour). Thus it can become an accepted part of the fabric and therefore the culture of the organization.


Organizational development activities can focus on team-building in communities with an emphasis on processes of interaction, communication and participation. The aims would be to develop a ‘sharing’ culture.

HR contributes to enhancing knowledge management processes by advising on how to attract and retain people with the required skills and abilities, including those who are likely to exhibit the behaviours needed in a knowledge-sharing culture. This means devising competency frameworks for recruitment and development purposes which include knowledge-sharing as a key behaviour. Such a competency could be defined as ‘The disposition to share knowledge fully and willingly with other members of the community’. Questions would be asked at the interview stage on the approach adopted by candidates to sharing knowledge in their present organization. Other questions along the lines of the one given below could be put to test candidates on their views:

This organization relies to a considerable extent on achieving success through the development of new products and techniques. We believe that it is important to ensure that the knowledge generated by such developments is spread around the business as widely as possible to those who might put it to good use. What part do you think you could play as an individual in this process?

Posing this sort of question at the interview stage helps to define expectations as part of the psychological contract. 

Assessment centres can also include exercises and tests designed to test the disposition and ability of individuals to share knowledge. 

Retaining knowledge workers is a matter of providing a supportive workplace environment and motivating them through both tangible and intangible rewards as discussed below.