Integrated Knowledge Management

In this paper the author presents the inception of Integrated Knowledge Management (IKM). Knowledge management is entering its new stage, after the delays of its “definitionless”, IT-based period, when knowledge got confused with information, losing thus two decades of fruitful development. Although there now is a significant information overload, killing productivity, creativity and innovation, there can never be any knowledge overload. Knowledge is fundamentally different from information. The integration of data, information, knowledge and wisdom into a coherent and unified management support is necessary for effective transformational IKM support systems. The author draws the necessary distinction between information and knowledge and show that although it is difficult to measure the value of information, the value of knowledge can be measured simply and effectively: by the metric of added value. Several quantitative examples of knowledge measurement are also given. Once people learn how to measure knowledge, the value of the inputs of data and information can be derived. The space is thus opened for integrated knowledge management. Integrating data mining, information processing, knowledge management and wisdom attainment into a unified support system is a prerequisite for effective management in the post-crisis era of socio-economic transformation.