DEPARTMENT OF

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

University Of Dhaka

Course Name: EMIS-539: knowledge

Management
Course Teacher: Professor Dr. HASIBUR RASHID

Term Paper
Link between knowledge management and
intellectual property-A global perspective

Submitted By: Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Student ID: 62313-16-038
Date of Submission: 27 August 2015

Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Department of Management Information Systems

University of Dhaka

Link between knowledge management and intellectual

property-A global perspective
Sharif Mohammad Tanvir
Department of Management Information Systems
University of Dhaka
sharif_tanvir@hotmail.com
__________________________________________________________________________________

Abstract
Knowledge Management and Intellectual Property play a central role in global perspective for socio-economic
development of any country. This is so because they are connected, and knowledge as an intellectual capital is
critical in innovation systems which are the basis for socio-economic transformations. Accordingly, this paper will
explore knowledge management and intellectual property, their connection and their potential in global
perspective.
Key terms: Knowledge; Knowledge Management; Intellectual Property; Socio-economic development in
global perspective.
Background
There is a definite connection between knowledge management and Intellectual Property. This is so because
company employees are the creative force that generates the knowledge that can be mined for possible
Intellectual Property. This also means knowledge management and intellectual property are two crucial ingridients
in the development matrix of any country. To fully explore the respective roles of knowledge and intellectual
property management in development, the following issues will be discussed:

The conceptual overview of knowledge, knowledge management and intellectual property.

Knowledge management and Intellectual Property components

Knowledge management as a development tool

Intellectual property as a game changer

Conceptual overview of Knowledge, Knowledge Management and Intellectual Property

Knowledge
Knowledge, the expertise and skills acquired by a person through education; the practical understanding of a
subject, is the only meaningful resource today (Peter Drucker, 1993). Knowledge is one of the most important
assets for an organisation to create values and hence, sustainable competitive advantage1. Knowledge is
Nonaka, I. (2006). Creating Sustainable Competitive Advantage through Knowledge-Based Management. Berkely: Hitotsubashi
University.
1

Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Department of Management Information Systems

University of Dhaka

generally categorised as tacit and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge refers to knowledge stored in the heads
of people. This knowledge can only be transmitted via training or gained through personal experience, and
includes people beliefs, values and expectations. Knowing how to network at a conference is an example. Explicit
knowledge is knowledge that can be articulated, codified and stored in certain media. It can be readily transmitted
to others. Manuals, documents, procedures, websites and emails are examples.
Knowledge Management
Knowledge management is the art of creating value from an organisations intangible assets 2. Prusak (1996:6)
said: The only thing that gives an organisation a competitive edgeis what it knows, how it uses what it knows,
and how fast it can know something new. In other words, how it applies knowledge management. From Sveiby
and Prusaks definitions, it is easy to note that knowledge management comprises a range of practices used in
an organisation to identify, create, share, distribute, store, locate and enable adoption of insights and experiences,
such insights and experiences comprise knowledge, either embodied in individuals or embedded in organisational
processes or practice.
In other words, knowledge management is conducted through locating knowledge: identifying the relevant
information, knowledge and expertise available; capturing knowledge: gathering the existing and potential
sources of information and knowledge; creating knowledge: creating knowledge through learning and innovation;
sharing knowledge: disseminating knowledge with other parties; applying knowledge: using available information
and knowledge; and storing knowledge: using knowledge repositories to store and make information and
knowledge available.
Consequently, knowledge management gets the right knowledge to the right people at the right time so they can
work more efficiently and effectively3.
Intellectual Property
According to Ben White, British journalist, writer and researcher, intellectual property plays an important role in
the distribution of knowledge. It refers to the commercial application of innovation and creativity to improving and
enriching our lives at both the practical and cultural levels. It is also the property generated in the process of
intellectual activities. Similar to tangible property (for example, house and car), intellectual property which is an
intangible property is protected by the law, and it is strongly related to our daily lives, such as articles in
newspapers or magazines, television or radio programmes, brand-names or logos (trademarks).

Sveiby, K. E. (2004). Intellectual capital and knowledge management. [online]

Maximising Access and Quality. (2004). Managing knowledge to Improve Reproductive Health Programs, Paper No. 5.

Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Department of Management Information Systems

University of Dhaka

Basic tenets of knowledge management

People, processes, and technology are the three essential components of knowledge management. People are
primary because they implement knowledge management processes as part of their work and help shape a
knowledge-sharing culture4. While technology can enable and expedite knowledge management, it has to be
integrated with the way people work, address their real needs, and be appropriate to the setting.
Major components of intellectual property
The major components of intellectual property include copyrights, patents and trademarks. Copyright refers to the
creators right to possess, use, and generate benefits from his/her pieces (www.wipo.int). Any pieces which are
the product of human creativity are protected by copyright, for example literary works, artistic works, movies,
musical works, dramatic works, computer software, architecture and photography. According to Bouchoux (2008),
a patent is a component of intellectual property that gives exclusive right to the owner of an invention to exploit
the invention for a limited period. A trademark is a sign that is used to distinguish the goods or services of a
company from those of others (Gene Quinn, IPWatchdog). The sign of a trademark can be words, characters,
numbers, figurative elements, combinations of different colours.
Knowledge management as a tonic for development
Without doubt, knowledge can act as the driver of competitiveness and productivity, as a facilitator of welfare and
environment, and as an enabler of institutions and governance, hence contributing to economic and social
development5.
Knowledge as the driver of competitiveness and productivity: an econometric study conducted by the World Bank
concluded that close to two thirds of the differences between the GDP of two countries (Ghana and the Republic
of Korea), over a half century, were explained not much by accumulation of physical, capital and labour but by
other sources of growth and productivity in which knowledge was crucial.
Knowledge as the facilitator of welfare and environment: knowledge improves nutrition, cures epidemics and
protects against natural dangers.
Knowledge as the enabler of institutions and governance: Knowledge is crucial in the policy decision making
process. It can be transformed into effective decisions and actions to solve development problems both in the
short and long term.

Maximising Access and Quality. (2004). Managing knowledge to Improve Reproductive Health Programs, Paper No. 5.

World Bank Institute Development Studies (2004). Building Knowledge Economies: Advanced Strategies for Development.
Washington.
5

Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Department of Management Information Systems

University of Dhaka

David Skyrme, a world recognised knowledge management consultant believes: Knowledge management is
fundamental to future success in a knowledge-intensive workplace. Properly executed, it can bring significant
benefits for organisations. It can increase productivity through better knowledge sharing, provide better client
service by providing rapid access to information, and can help solve intractable problems by connecting together
the relevant experts.
Intellectual Property as a game changer
According to Kamil Idris, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, intellectual property is
a power tool for economic development and wealth creation. It is a practical guide to using intangible assets
such as knowledge, information, creativity and inventiveness that are rapidly replacing traditional and tangible
assets such as land, labour and capital as the driving forces of economic health and social well-being. Accordingly,
intellectual property is an economic game changer because it is empowering; it supports and rewards creators
and innovators, stimulates economic growth, and promotes human resource development. More so, it is a
resource that is available to all peoples.
Intellectual property has an important role in economy. It is the primary resource for value creation, and a crucial
contributor to economic growth and competitiveness, especially in fields of technology (Seville, 2009).
Knowledge management and intellectual property nexus: role of libraries
For any country to effectively benefit from its resources, organisations must give equal attention to adding
contextual information to databases and improve tacit knowledge exchange 6. And as custodians of information
and knowledge, library and information centres should not only provide good cores for developing knowledge
centres, but must broaden their scope to include several forms of knowledge. This means knowledge sharing
must become an ingrained behaviour for all professionals. This requires personal development, leadership and
changes in the way that managers treat individuals.
In a world without libraries, it would be difficult to advance research and human knowledge or preserve the worlds
cumulative knowledge and heritage for future generationsLibraries are keenly aware of the need to maintain
the balance between protecting the rights of authors and safeguarding the wider public interest, and they play an
essential role in enabling the delivery of library services to the public and in achieving the copyright systems
goals of encouraging creativity and learning (Ben White, British journalist, writer and researcher).

Skyrme, D. K. (1999). Knowledge Management: Making It Work. [online]

Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Department of Management Information Systems

University of Dhaka

Conclusion
From the paper, the writer deduced that the relationship between knowledge management and intellectual capital
is of vital importance to organisational effectiveness in global perspective. The writer also noted that knowledge
management and intellectual property play a central role in socio-economic development of any country in the
contest of global perspective. Thus, organisations must connect knowledge management and intellectual property
to create a powerful business and transform the countrys economy.
Recommendations

Intellectual property rights needed to be subsumed under knowledge management as a particular class
of intangible asset.

Organisations should implement measures to protect, safeguard and market the intellectual property
produced by staff.

More so, organisations should extract ideas from key employees, through invention scanning, to ensure
that knowledge is not only inventoried, but also assessed for potential protection through intellectual
property.

Organizations must design intellectual asset management processes that include trade secret protection
measures, so that valued knowledge remains in the company, even when employees leave the company.

Institutions must educater employees and managers about the leverage to be gained from intellectual
property.

Knowledge management practitioners (librarians, information officer, planning officers etc) must facilitate
an intellectual property strategy to help align the business with the intellectual property that is, or could
be, developed.

Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Department of Management Information Systems

University of Dhaka

References
1. Asmal, K.(2000). The Knowledge Economy Fact or Fiction. [online]
2. Koulopoulos, T. (1997). Creating a knowing enterprise: the evolution of knowledge management. [online]
3. Maximising Access and Quality (2004). Managing Knowledge to improve Reproductive Health
Programs, Paper No. 5. [online]
4. Newman, B. (1996). What is knowledge management? [online]
5. Nonaka, I. (2006). Creating Sustainable Competitive Advantage through Knowledge Based
Management. Berkeley: Hitotsubashi University.
6. Prusak, L. (1996). The knowledge advantage, Strategy and Leadership, Vol. 24, March-April, pp. 6-8.
7. Seville, C. (2009). European Union Intellectual Property Law and Policy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar
Publishing.
8. Skyrme, D. K. (1999). Knowledge Management: Making It Work. [online]
9. Sveiby, K-E. (2004). Intellectual capital and knowledge management. [online]
10. World Bank Institute Development Studies (2007). Building Knowledge Economies: Advanced Strategies
for Development. [online]

Sharif Mohammad Tanvir

Department of Management Information Systems

University of Dhaka