Management of Knowledge in Practice Learning to visualise competence By Dr' Joyce McHenry Associate

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Management of Knowledge in PracticeLearning to
visualise competenceByDr. Joyce
McHenryAssociate ProfessorOslo School of
Management, NorwayE-mail joyce.mchenry_at_omh.no
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Structure of presentation visualising competence

• Introduction
• Research design and literature review
• The field study visualisation of competence
• what happened
• Contribution and implications

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Research Design visualising competence

• Research question
• What does it mean to visualise competence in a
  knowledge organisation ?
• Method
• Interpretative research approach and a
  longitudinal field study 2 year
• Research setting
• Norwegian IKT consultancy - supplier for
  integrated IT services
• Decision to implement a Strategic Competence
  Development tool, called SKU

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Strategic Competence Development model SKU tool

• What
• Evaluation of individual level of professional
  competence (beginner expert 1-4)
• Classification
• Horizontal Roles 7 groups 61 roles
• Vertical Competence domains (hierarchical
  structure, assessment on level 2) 11 domains
  80 sublevels
• How
• Individual evaluates own competence level 1-4
  (present-future) per competence domain- verified
  by line manager in PD
• Co-ordination
• SKU-forum evaluates and adapts roles, competence
  descriptions and required (ideal) competences
• Output
• Individual competence profiles
• Division competence balance sheet
• Organisation Competence balance sheet

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Example Marketing competence

• Level 1 Be acquainted with Have
  basic understanding about how the organisation
  organises sales and marketing. Know about
  guidelines for offer and tender requests. Be
  acquainted with the most important elements in
  good sales management
• Level 4 Be able to develop the area Have deep
  knowledge about how the organisation organises
  sales and marketing and its strengths and
  weaknesses. Be able to give recommendations in
  order to improve the sales and marketing. Have
  deep understanding about routines and guidelines
  for offer and tender requests and be able to
  organise complex requests. Have deep
  understanding about sales management and be able
  to instruct and coach others.

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Multi-disciplinary literature review on
competence and learning

• Psychology / Pedagogy
• Adult learning
• Education science

• Philosophy / Philosophy of social sciences
• Epistemology
• Method

• Organisation Science
• HRM / Strategy
• Change / OD
• Human Capital
• Competence and learning

• IT / Artificial Intelligence Cooperative computer
  research
• Expert novice modelling

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Philosophical assumptions
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Field study What happened

• Reflections on the implementation of the
  competence model SKU
• The competence model tried to satisfy both the
  positivistic and interpretative assumptions on
  learning and competence.
• Several issues of concern were raised.
• Meaning of the competence visualisation model was
  transformed in multiple ways in several
  communities of practice.

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Typology of competence visualisation models a
hybrid is created
Detached Analytical KSA Behaviour
indicators Examination Summative purpose
Situated Contextual Knowledge in practice
Narrative Confession Formative purpose
Hybrid SKU
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Issues of concern

• How trustworthy are the assessments?
• Is the competence profile a representation of the
  self?
• Does it support self development?
• How are power relations and accountability
  influenced?
• Fear for commodification

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Search find Project, Telphone
Individual competence development
Strategic competence development
Balanced scorecard Intellectual capital
Career model
Course suppliers E-Learning
?
Experience/ client database Security Technical
development
Certification Skill accreditation NOU 99
Competence Model
PD evaluation manager -employee
SKU Forum
Learning Culture
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Contributions

• Understanding of how the concept of competence is
  empty and can be visualised in multiple ways,
  each justified, but on different grounds
• The creation of the many headed troll illustrates
  that introducing a new model is more a process of
  active negotiation than passive registration
• Natural that a new model becomes transformed in
  communities
• Implementer as meaning broker and orchestrator
• Demonstrates that competence visualisation is not
  a neutral and easy event, it is complex and
  demands profound discussions
• Can not be reduced to only one meaning
• Power, identity, self-development

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Implications

• Without any reflection on the typology competence
  visualisation may become a hybrid without
  realising it
• Managers need to realise that visualisation is
  not a simple activity.
• It involves all employees, not only a few chosen
  ones to construct it.
• Needs to satisfy both education and business
  needs
• May lead to power domination and control
• Visualising competence is more about dialogue
  than measurement.

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• Thank you for your attention !
• For further information
• McHenry, J.E. (2003), Management of knowledge in
  practice, learning to visualise competence,
  Norwegian School of Management, Series of
  dissertations 1/2003, Norli, Norway