Anticipating change and development with systematic build-up of critical knowledge assets – Blueprint for a Knowledge Roadmapping Framework

Abstract

Organizations of today act in a volatile operating environment that 1) implies challenges for firms in adapting to the new conditions but also 2) creates opportunities that new areas of knowledge and technology offer. To succeed, companies need to embark on the journey of visionary and strategic management also concerning knowledge management (KM). They also need to simultaneously link the change and development to make a continuum with the current offerings and operations. Technology Roadmapping (TRM) by e.g., Robert Phaal et al. (2004) has been introduced as a solution to describe the process of understanding and combining what is needed (external and internal business drivers) and what is possible (technologies available). In their meta-analysis of the knowledge roadmapping literature Letaba et al. (2015) conclude that technology roadmaps have supported the process of operationalizing strategies by mapping details of future R&D programs, technology and manufacturing capability development . However, technologies per se do not offer a competitive advantage if they are not paired with knowledge of how (and when and where) to use the technology and how to resource the build-up of the knowledge that will be relevant for the future. Competence mapping is a common tool that links jobs and skill needs to succeed in them. Competence maps act as inventories that sum up the knowledge possessions of departments and individuals in the organization. These mappings are however cross-sectional – focusing on current needs vs. current knowledge possessions – and do not link seamlessly to the overall vision and strategy of the organization. This conceptual paper introduces aims at creation of a blueprint for a new framework and process for Knowledge Roadmapping by integrating the findings of earlier research across the fields of technology, competence and knowledge mapping. The framework is built on Technology Roadmapping structure by Phaal et al. (ibid)., adding to it the layers of Critical Knowledge Assets (CKA) and Business Process Excellence (BPEx). E.g., new CKAs such as “data-drivenness” and “resource wisdom” directly affect the Product and Service offerings (PSOs) of a firm but also the effectiveness of the firm´s business processes and technologies that an organization can deploy. The framework is built by synthesizing the findings of extant literature on technology, competence, and knowledge roadmapping. The theoretical contributions of the paper add to the knowledge pool of the nascent area of knowledge roadmapping and practical contributions serve organizations by offering a planning tool that ties KM to their overall strategic foresight.