Bo makes the point that knowledge and memory are also outside the
corporation. The whole supply web has knowledge and memory that are
accessible by the corporation. (This might be equivalent to
including the body & nervous system as part of the memory of the
human being.)
This points also to physical structures (machinery, layout of
equipment, buildings, storage, manuals, etc) as part of the
intelligence, knowledge and memory of the corporation. The "frozen
intelligence" - that which has been put into material form - is a
significant part of memory.
The social systems which we are part of are also part of
intelligence, knowledge and memory. As an individual, consider the
idea that you remember who you are, how to act, etc by the actions,
reactions and expectations of those around you more than by your own
internal memory. (Just consider it - don't believe that I believe
it.) It isn't too difficult to see that related and frequently
larger social systems contain memory that is part of your own. The
larger social and commercial systems contain memroy that is part of
your corporation's memory.
The great challenge of all this is to capture this as intelligence
and knowledge, we have to move far beyond linear, concrete,
object/subject approaches. That is difficult to even think but it
leads to some exciting openings.
Michael McMaster : Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk
book cafe site : http://www.vision-nest.com/BTBookCafe
Intelligence is the underlying organisational principle
of the universe. Heraclitus
--Michael McMaster <Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>