The following publications are used as references points, in whole or in part, for many of our knowledge management courses. They also provide for excellent reading with many of the authors involved in some form of knowledge management project/initiative.

The books are freely available through online bookstores such as Amazon or by copying and pasting the name of the publication into any search engine to locate a seller in your area.

1. The complete idiot's guide to knowledge management
by Melissie Clemmons Rumizen
Madison (WI): CWL Publishing Enterprises, 2002
ISBN 0028641779

This guide is written in a refreshingly easy-to-read, jargon-free and accessible way. Its approach is highly practical and includes plenty of clear, specific, actionable advice that is directly applicable to non-profit organisations. The 25 chapters are divided into 6 sections: introducing KM; getting started, including developing a strategy and exploring various KM tools; developing the IT infrastructure; people and culture; KM measurement; and ongoing development including potential pitfalls. Melissie Clemmons Rumizen is Knowledge Strategist at Buckman Laboratories, hailed as one of the top examples of knowledge management implementation in the United States. An excellent introduction for the beginner, but also comprehensive enough for the more experienced practitioner.

2. Learning to fly: practical lessons from one of the world's leading knowledge companies
by Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell
Oxford: Capstone Publishing Company, 2001
ISBN 184112124X

This is one of the most down-to-earth and practice-oriented books on knowledge management currently available, packed with sound advice and practical lessons that are based on real-world experiences and can be applied immediately in almost any organisation. Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell are key members of British Petroleum's knowledge management team; as the title suggests, British Petroleum has consistently ranked as one of the world's leading knowledge companies. The book is divided into three sections: Overview, Tools and Techniques, and Today and Tomorrow. The Overview outlines what KM is and isn't and introduces BP's KM model. Tools and Techniques presents a range of KM approaches focusing on learning before doing, learning while doing, and learning after doing. Today and Tomorrow discusses longer-term implementation issues from the perspective of authors who have clearly 'walked the talk.' Without wishing to be prescriptive, this should be required reading for anyone involved in KM!

3. The knowledge-creating company
by Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995
ISBN 0195092694

Widely regarded as the 'seminal work' on KM - authors Nonaka and Takeuchi were among the early pioneers of KM and are still regarded as experts in the field. The book explains the success of Japanese companies by linking it with their ability to create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies. While the book focuses on the corporate sector, its lessons are applicable in any type of organisation. The text offers a good blend of theory and practical examples and is well worth a read.

4. Working knowledge: how organizations manage what they know
Thomas H Davenport and Laurence Prusak.
Boston (MA): Harvard Business School Press, 2000
ISBN 1578513014

Written by two highly experienced and well respected author-practitioners, this book is another one that is widely regarded as a KM 'classic'. As well as providing a sound overview of the subject including some useful definitions, the book also cites common pitfalls and provides some solid, down-to-earth advice on practical implementation. Again, it offers a good blend of theory and practice and is well worth a read.

5. Common knowledge: how companies thrive by sharing what they know
by Nancy M Dixon
Boston (MA): Harvard Business School Press, 2000
ISBN 0875849040

A book that aims to broaden readers' thinking about how an organisation might share knowledge by discussing many ways in which real organisations have successfully done so. Another goal is to help readers figure out which of the many approaches to knowledge management might be most effective in their own settings. It rises above the hype to give clear, practical advice. For example it defines five distinct types of knowledge, illustrates them with real life examples and then goes on to show that these types of knowledge need different approaches to sharing - in other words the medium and the message must work together. Provides a good basis for the reader faced with dilemma of needing to do something but not knowing what.

6. Cultivating communities of practice: a guide to managing knowledge
by Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott and William Snyder
Boston (MA): Harvard Business School Press, 2002
ISBN 1578513308

The term 'community of practice' was first coined by Etienne Wenger and colleagues and he is widely regarded as the top authority on the subject. Whereas his first book on the subject (Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity, 1998) introduced the theory, this book moves on from theory to practice and argues that communities of practice - when managed correctly - can be an important driver of organisational success. The book provides a practical guide to developing communities of practice and integrating them into a wider knowledge management strategy. Plenty of examples are included.

7. The springboard: how storytelling ignites action in knowledge-era organisations
by Stephen Denning
Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000
ISBN 0750673559

This is the first book to teach storytelling as a powerful and formal discipline for organisational change and knowledge management. Written by the director of knowledge management at the World Bank, it is easy to read and really brings knowledge management to life. The book explains how organisations can use certain types of stories ("springboard" stories) to communicate new or envisioned strategies, structures, identities, goals, and values to employees, partners and even customers.

8. Harvesting experience: reaping the benefits of knowledge
by Jan Duffy
ARMA International, 1999
ISBN 0933887809

In a consistent and comprehensive format, this book highlights the key trends, core concepts, available methodologies and suggested plans for action. This is a very practical guide which is easy to read and digest and is packed with helpful hints.

9. Knowledge management: classic and contemporary works
by Daryl Morey, Mark Maybury, and Bhavani Thuraisingham
Cambridge (MA): The MIT Press, 2000,
ISBN 0262632616

A good all-round introduction to the subject of knowledge management comprising a collection of classic essays along with a selection of unpublished works that further develop the concepts. The book is organised into three sections, each opening with a classic work from a leader in the field. Strategy considers the drivers for knowledge management and how to structure a knowledge management programme. Process explores how to use knowledge management to make existing practices more effective and to improve organisational learning. Metrics discusses how to measure the impact of knowledge management on an organisation.

10. The knowledge management fieldbook
by Wendi Bukowitz and Ruth Williams
Financial Times Prentice Hall, 1999
ISBN 0273638823

A comprehensive, hands-on guide full of practical advice and built around an easy-to-use framework for thinking about the knowledge management process. The book includes exercises, action agendas and a range of case examples based on the authors' original interviews with more than 50 organisations. It also includes various self-assessment tools such as a knowledge management diagnostic tool to assess an organisation's current strengths and weaknesses and hence areas for immediate action.

Acknowledgement: reviews of the above publications are thanks to the National Health Service of the United Kingdom