Knowledge asset management

Knowledge Asset Management (KAM) is the approach to identifying, capturing, profiling, classifying, storing, maintaining, protecting, and exploiting knowledge assets of an organisation.

Knowledge Assets are valuable public assets, critical to the effective delivery of public and private services. It can be important to manage knowledge assets in order to ensure ther value is maximised and not lost or under-utilised.

The UK government providers guidance on knowledge asset management and publishes the Rose Book, they state that that for the public sector, all public sector organisations should have a strategy in place to support the effective management of Knowledge Assets. This will include measures to:

1. identify Knowledge Assets
2. consider and execute appropriate protection of Knowledge Assets
3. support exploitation of Knowledge Assets

Knowledge Assets can have considerable value and impact beyond their original purpose and exploiting this is part of good asset management. This value can be social, economic and financial, and is often a combination of these. Each organisation should consider how best to apply the guidance based on the extent of their Knowledge Asset ownership and should take a proportionate approach. It is recommended that all organisations:

1. develop a Knowledge Assets Management Strategy (KAMS), as part of their wider asset management strategy (a requirement of MPM)
2. appoint a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for Knowledge Assets who has clear responsibility for the organisation’s KAMS

It states that there is no ‘one size fits all’ for KAMS and the structure, length and detail will depend on the organisational needs and the number and type of Knowledge Assets (KAs) it owns. More information on what is included in a KAMS can be found in The Rose Book: Guidance on Knowledge Asset management in government.

The SRO should hold a senior leadership position within the organisation and be able to influence the business area(s) and/or resources from which Knowledge Asset management outcomes will be delivered.

In the first instance, the role of SRO may fall to the person responsible for the organisation’s overarching asset management strategy. In many cases it may be more appropriate for another person to be designated as SRO (such as a senior person in the area of business that is most Knowledge Asset intensive); this will depend on the nature of the organisation. More information on the role of a Knowledge Asset SRO and how to appoint one is available in Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) published guidance.

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