Learning Lessons in ADB: Strategic Framework, 2007-2009

Table of Contents

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Preface

Introduction

Knowledge Management in ADB

Learning Lessons

Facilitating Lesson Learning

Options for Lesson Learning

Auditing the Lessons Architecture

Business Planning

Putting it all together: The Strategic Framework

Introduction

The need to know how to survive is as old as time, but the strong links between information technology and daily life are recent. Knowledge management is thus both old and new. However, it has become more important and challenging as a discipline because of the increasing interdependence, integration, and interaction of people on the global scene. The combination of reach and speed is compelling organizations to ask "What do we know? Who knows it? What do we not know that we should know?" Knowledge management provides some answers to these questions; the most common expectations are that it will

improve communication,
enhance collaboration,
develop employee skills,
boost productivity,
augment product and service quality, and
ameliorate learning and adaptation.

Knowledge management initiatives should help to

produce better organizational and market performance,
generate competitive advantage,
increase return on investment, and
reduce costs.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed to become a learning organization. This has sparked innovation to provide staff, clients, and partners with faster and easier access to knowledge. The aim is to improve the quality of ADB's operations and enhance the capacity of developing member countries (DMCs) to achieve development results. However, knowledge management activities have not been linked closely to ADB's core lending and nonlending processes. Doing so would increase their impact and the achievement of development results.

The Operations Evaluation Department (OED) can help ADB to become a learning organization by facilitating lesson learning from operations evaluation. This paper sets the strategic framework for knowledge management in operations evaluation and provides the basis for development of annual business plans in support of lesson learning. A glossary of knowledge management is in Appendix 1. The recent shifts in managerial attitudes vis-à-vis work activities are summarized in Appendix 2. Notions of knowledge management are outlined in Appendix 3. All are deeply relevant to learning lessons in ADB.

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Preface

Knowledge Management in ADB

Evaluation

Table of Contents p. 2 of 9 BACK | NEXT Preface Introduction Knowledge Management in ADB Learning Lessons Facilitating Lesson Learning Options for Lesson Learning Auditing the Lessons Architecture Business Planning Putting it all together: The Strategic Framework

Introduction

Table of Contents

p. 2 of 9 BACK | NEXT

Preface

Introduction

Knowledge Management in ADB

Learning Lessons

Facilitating Lesson Learning

Options for Lesson Learning

Auditing the Lessons Architecture

Business Planning

Putting it all together: The Strategic Framework