On The Train (Chicken and Egg; KM or Learning), 13 Dec, 2006

Every now and then in our lives we are grappling with this basic question or rather the situation of whether it is the chicken or egg first. Another one was brought to my attention recently and the debate is whether KM or Learning first. Obviously the two ‘competing’ parties would want to have their say. However if we are not careful it would be our lost collectively. Not trying to be too philosophical about it to me it doesn’t mater what we have first? If the egg that we have gotten fry it or make an omelet and if it was a chicken we roast it. What I am saying make the best and strategizes on what we got and most of the time both could co-exist. The same thing with KM and Learning, for quite sometime already I see this one coming. There is no way we could separate these two and one can never be on top of the other. They overlap, synergize and important in their own right as well. Both however are about better decision making, productivity and performance. From learning point of view they based their strategy on whatever competency model that the organization has and try to meet the learning gap by introducing learning intervention like customized learning program, providing the right tools and environment. To KM practitioners it is about managing the knowledge assets, intellectual capital, of the organization. When they say intellectual capital they mean human capital, structural capital and stakeholder or customer capital. First and foremost there is the need to identify what are the knowledge assets exist and in what form within the organization. Once identified strategy to make the knowledge works for the organization has to be developed. That means aligning the management of these assets with the overall strategy of the organization. This could mean, from the point of view managing human capital, introducing learning intervention to encourage knowledge sharing, acquisition and creation.

At MidValley station came on board four young men that I would judge to be from affluent family. Initially I thought there were only two of them and one sat next to me. The two close to me started to converse in English with that twang and talked about live that only familiar to them. New year party, BBQ, no money and that kind of things. Their dressing already shouting out to say they are different and I would say they do not belong in the train. At Bandar Tasek Selatan few people alighted and another two passed by us and one of them said ‘joining us’ as they moved to the end of the coach. Only then I realized there were four of them. I was not sure where their stop was but my guess was UKM initially. I was right they got down at UKM and I was convince they were somebody rich’s children.