Knowledge Management in Development Aid Agencies

Abstract

In this paper I will attempt to provide an examination of the introduction of knowledge management in development aid agencies.

“Knowledge management” has been discussed as a new management method, in which enterprises utilize existing knowledge as a management resource. The creation of a knowledge management system requires: •establishment/management of a network of experts, sharing of knowledge, and encouragement of creativity by the department responsible for knowledge management, •creation of a knowledge base for accumulation and sharing of knowledge, and •establishment of an organizational structure that allows for flexible and quick decision-making and operation in order to make the knowledge useful in the activities of an enterprise.

Development aid agencies are further demanding: •establishment of an open knowledge management system for users both inside and outside an organization, and •clarification of the issues concerning development aid agencies and their priority, determination of the scope of knowledge that should be accumulated, and establishment of criteria for judging the effectiveness of knowledge as well as its evaluation.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has within its organization a large number of people that are involved in a variety of technical cooperation activities. Although these people have a great amount of knowledge, this knowledge is not being managed in a manner that makes it available to everybody, and therefore JICA as a whole cannot utilize it effectively. In this paper, I will discuss some directions JICA may take to create an organized knowledge management system based on the current situation: •clarification of specific development issues, determination of the department responsible for knowledge management, and establishment/management of a network of experts engaged in current projects, •establishment of a knowledge base that is broken down around existing projects, •utilization of the current restructuring of JICA, including the establishment of the regional department, to promote knowledge management, and •sharing of knowledge with universities and research organizations.