Gestión del conocimiento: aportes para una discusión Latinoamericana (Knowledge management: a discussion in Latin America)

Abstract

This paper develops a conceptual discussion on knowledge management, which is based on the learnings achieved by Sulá Batsu and Bellanet through the experience of working during the past 4 years in Latin America and the Caribbean. It analyzes the complementarity between tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge and the value they both have. It discusses the difference between information management and knowledge management, whereby the latter is understood as the creation and facilitation of spaces, mechanisms and processes that are appropriate for sharing tacit knowledge and personal experiences. The paper also addresses the fact that knowledge management is not always related with the use of information and communication technologies, which is a widespread notion in the Latin American region. The article presents three ways of approaching the term knowledge management in the region. Finally, it singles out several key issues to open up a broad regional discussion on this topic.