A self-evaluation method of SECI process in knowledge management

As a new management style in anticipation of knowledge-driven society, knowledge management, which recognizes knowledge as a core value, has long been discussed. Many Japanese enterprises, however, do not appear to have innovated themselves from the traditional management style based on the industrial society to a knowledge-based management style and organizational behavior. One of the reasons seems to be under-developed management methods of fully utilizing the SECI model, which has been proposed as a knowledge management technique. An analysis of successful business cases indicates that the socialization process, externalization process, combination process and internalization process proposed in the SECI model are sufficiently implemented. However, the method of assessing whether the SECI model is effectively functioning in an actual execution process of knowledge management has not yet been established. In the course of implementing knowledge management, it is necessary to evaluate the quality of management as well as its future direction, particularly when managing an important project. The authors propose to apply the self-evaluation method of the SECI processes to project management and to develop a management method based on a questionnaire given to the project members in each process of socialization, externalization, combination and internalization. The assessment result of an actual case applying this method is also presented. The method of collecting actual data by using this technique and the future activity policy toward solving the issues are identified, and the desirable knowledge management of the future as well as the approach for the research are discussed in this paper