Establishing Quality Knowledge Management Practices In Your Organization:

A Systems Thinking Approach

Dr. Mark Chun, Director, Julian Virtue Professor

Kiho Sohn, Chief Knowledge Officer of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne 

Wednesday May 6, 2009

Networking Dinner @ 5:45; Chapter Business @ 6:45; Program @ 7:00 PM

In the South Multimedia Conference Room 1E:

 at Bank of America, Building 2, 29851 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91302

As of January 2007, approximately 50 percent of the workforce in the United States (US) aerospace and defense industry became eligible for retirement. This staggering fact implies that firms are faced with the potential threat of losing one of their most important assets-knowledge. The threat of knowledge loss has affected almost every industry - entertainment, high technology, education, and government.

Over the last ten years, companies have sought to find ways to use information systems to capture, store, manage, and reuse the knowledge of the firm - a practice referred to as Knowledge Management (KM). Companies have taken advantage of advanced technologies, such as database tools and web-based applications, to effectively manage knowledge. Technologies such as shared databases, web-based portals, and search engines have also been frequent staples of KM initiatives. However, it has often the case that firms engaged in significant and costly IS implementation to manage knowledge, but have been unsuccessful in their efforts or have been unable to appropriately or effectively use their firm's knowledge.

Several firms have begun to adopt a Systems Thinking approach to KM and have demonstrated that this approach improves the quality of knowledge within their firms. We will discuss an in-depth case study of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and use the study to propose how a systems thinking approach to KM can improve the quality of knowledge within your firms.

Dr. Mark Chun
Dr. Chun earned a PhD in Information Systems from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He received an MBA from the University of California, Irvine in the area of international business and strategy. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in management information systems from the University of Hawaii. Mark has significant work experience that holds valuable to his research. He has worked for companies such as Intel Corporation, Pepsi Co. / Taco Bell, Coopers & Lybrand, and the Bank of Hawaii.

Dr. Chun's research focuses on the use of information technology to create value and to transform organizations. His research interests also include the integration of information systems and the management of knowledge in corporate merger environments. Dr. Chun has conducted information systems research and has consulted at companies such as Qwest (formerly USWest) and American Honda Motor Corporation, the Hilton Hotels, Sony, Herbalife, NASA JPL, Northrop Grumman, Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne, & The Boeing Corporation. He has also spent time in Asia conducting research on the diffusion of information technology in less-developed (Asian) countries.

Dr. Chun's research has been presented at both information systems and management conferences, such as the Strategic Management Society, Americas Conference on Information Systems, European Journal of Information Systems Conference, the International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations, and the Western Academy of Management. His research has been published in the Journal of Information Technology Management, the Journal of Global Information Technology Management, the Journal of Information Technology Case and Application Research, the Journal of Systems and Information Technology, and the journal for the Communications of the Association of Information Systems.

Kiho Sohn
Kiho Sohn is chief knowledge officer of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR), the nation's leading rocket engine provider, powering missions to nearly every planet in the solar system. In his role, he leads the company's strategic knowledge management and innovation practices-now benchmarked by many organizations, including NASA. Mr. Sohn is also an active promoter of systems thinking and under his leadership, PWR has integrated well-defined, well-balanced processes and innovation enablers covering multiple aspects of tacit and explicit knowledge. Prior to his current position, Mr. Sohn devoted more than 16 years to engineering disciplines and was inducted into Boeing's Technical Fellowship. A recognized expert in his field, he frequently speaks at conferences, corporations and universities worldwide, and serves on the board of several organizations including KM Review magazine. Mr. Sohn holds a master of science in mechanical engineering from UCLA and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois.

Please feel free to invite your friends and colleagues.
Don't forget to RSVP by sending an email to sujit58 [at] gmail [dot] com
The meeting is free of charge for those who RSVP. For non RSVP members the registration fees will be $10.00 at the gate.