Collaborate to Compete.

Knowledge management (KM) isn't often as successful as organizations would like it to be. Collaborate to Compete: Driving profitability in the knowledge economy suggests that not enough attention has been paid to the human side of KM, and that collaboration is the missing link and the vital element in making KM a success.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The book addresses a common malaise of contemporary organizations, described in terms of what the authors call the technology paradox: the more complex and sophisticated the technology, the more important are the human behavioural issues of attitude, cooperation, motivation, as well as the training, education and learning of all members of the organization.

The authors stress that in order to be successful, competitive and profitable, an organization must strive to become a collaborative one. There must be trust, shared knowledge, aligned goals, decentralized decision making and minimal hierarchical structures. The authors offer suggestions for how an organization can foster a spirit of collaboration and cooperation, not just among its managers and employees but also with its suppliers, customers, business partners and even its competitors. The book includes case studies to illustrate successful examples.

By Robert K. Logan and Louis W. Stokes. Published by John Wiley & Sons. For more information visit www.wiley.ca.