Quinn (1992) agrees that an organisation's power lies within its soft assets "knowledge-based intangibles- of intellectual and service capabilities. .
Soliman and Spooner (2000) draw the conclusion that "in those organisations where the primary process consists of knowledge manipulation, knowledge management should be of utmost concern-. .
This is testimony to why in the global-knowledge environment, (where up-to-the-second information and knowledge is required on an adhoc basis), an organisation must prove itself to have committed KM policies, procedures and practices in line with the business strategy, that ensure the quality, accuracy and regeneration of its knowledge in order for the organisation to evolve as a learning entity. .
Neef (1999) provides a useful example of how knowledge can be managed and later externalised in line with the objectives voiced by the business strategy as follows using a key element of KM; "lessons learned-. If one assumes that a new expansion program is to be rolled out sequentially through its Strategic Business Units (SBUs), then the "lessons learned- from each SBU may be disseminated throughout all other SBUs in a timely fashion, thus avoiding the repetition of mistakes, and therefore cutting costs. .
Although Neef doesn't continue in his analysis of "lessons learned-, he could have considered additional favourable outcomes other than just cutting costs; i.e. increased motivation and positive feelings could follow, due to the effects of how "lessons learned- reduced the burden of the roll-out, further inspiring positive feelings, which may in turn further encourage innovative shoots of thought and creativity, which is of course the key KM concept (knowledge creation). .
Filius et al (2000) provide a framework for this whereby KM is aligned (as a knowledge strategy) with the organisation's business strategy involving (1) the assessment of knowledge based assets; and (2) building, sustaining or divesting knowledge based assets.
