The ubiquitous Indian dish masala dosa has its origins in Udupi. A masala dosa is made by stuffing a dosa with a lightly cooked filling of potatoes, fried onions and spices. It wraps the dosa around a onion and potato curry.Masala dosa, Motor bike and Knowledge Management
Case 1:
Wondering whats this southindian dish has to do with knowledge management ?? Read my theory . 2 assumptions to be made in this theory
Assumption 1:
Lets assume a system where everyone knows how to prepare a masala dosa in a perfect way.
Assumption 2:
Lets assume in the same system, people know how to write very good english .
Question 1?
Now can someone in this system write a detailed manual on how to write a masala dosa
Answer : YES
Question 2?
Now can someone read this manual and straightway start preparing a masala dosa
Answer: YES
Result in terms of KM: Tacit knowledge in preparing a masala dosa can be converted to explicit knowledge by writing a manual.
Case 2:
A system involving motorbike and people
Assumption 1:
Lets assume that in this system everyone knows how to drive a motorbike.
Assumption 2:
Lets assume in the same system, people know how to write very good english .
Question 1?
Now can someone in this system write a detailed manual on how to drive a motorbike
Answer : YES / NO ( one can atleast write a manual on the various systems of a motorbike which will be used for driving a motor bike)
Question 2?
Now can someone read this manual and straightway start driving a motorbike?
Answer: NO NO and only NO
" why is that in the second case tacit knowledge cant be converted to explicit knowledge??? "
Modified case 2:
Assumption 3:Lets assume someone who knows how to drive a motorbike comes to your help and he sits behind you as a pillion and he starts teaching you how to drive a motorbike .
Question 3 ?
Will you now be able to drive a motorbike now??
Answer: YES
" Why is that now someone can share his tacit knowledge in a better way"
What happens in modified case 2 is called social networking wherein tacit knowledge is converted into tacit knowledge to provide an effective solution. Now can social networking can always be used when tacit knowledge cant be made explicit? well I dont know... all that I can say is despite the fact that in KM every thing starts in the mind it cannot be always put into paper.
