Web2forDev – why is it not working, yet …??

I just read an excellent post on the blog of Christian Kreutz entitled ”Web2forDev One Year After – a Critical Review”. So excellent that I could not resist from commenting:

Here is the post and comments:

http://www.crisscrossed.net/2008/09/09/web2fordev-one-year-after-%e2%80%93-a-critical-review/#comments

ROI on Knowledge Management

A discussion on how to demonstrate ROI on knoweldge management has just started on LinkedIn. The discussion is taking place within one of my LinkedIn groups, ”KM Experts”. You can find it here if you are also a member of ”KM Experts”:

http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=47726&discussionID=20983&commentID=21237&goback=.hom

 

The discussion is interesting, and so is the topic. Here is what I’ve just posted:

 

”To really demonstrate ROI on KM, you would have to be strategic about KM and what is being achieved through the KM methods and tools one is bringing about in the organisation. Why KM? … Once the answer to this question is clear, you can design all sorts of measures and tools (such as the ones suggested by Celso and Patrick) through the results of which to link KM to financial performance. My argument is that the strategy/strategic vision behind KM is what will determine the metrics and more importantly what you will measure using them.

 

The problem with ROI is that it is a quantitative measure which means it is very specific. The nature of KM, though, does not lend itself to specific measures. You can not measure KM, per se, using quantitative measures. KM, by its nature, and for it to work, is broad, multiple, rich, and transformative – not just about sharing documents!! In this way, linking KM to ROI in a direct fashion, in order to evaluate the success of the KM programmes, is, according to me, impossible. You should not be trying to do this. It will divert your attention from what you should be looking at, really.

 

Still, what you can do is 1. measure KM in a qualitative way, 2. then second-measure some of the qualitative outputs in a quantitative way and link those to ROI. Off course, any ROI on KM estimate you would ever have would only be an indication, at the particular time, of how successful the KM is!! The real and true benefits of KM strategies and approaches span across at least a few years! If well done, these would be increasing with the advancement of the years. ”

 

Is Bulgaria an African Country?? …??

I just received the below through ”Sofia Weekly – the Bulgaria Online Newsletter” …  

 

German Expert: Bulgaria Is Like African Country

The German expert Philip von Walderdorf said Tuesday the situation in Bulgaria was like in some African country, and that it could not be tolerated.

 

In an interview for the Deutsche Welle, Von Walderdorf, who is a business consultant and a former officer of the German Chamber of Trade and Industry, pointed out that the Bulgarian politicians were to blame for the country’s situation, and that terminating the EU funding for the country was the best way to punish them.

“As a German taxpayer, I cannot accept the fact that the money from my taxes would sink somewhere in Bulgaria, stolen by various mafia organizations, and that everything would be in vain”, von Walderdorf stated.

He further expressed his indignation by saying that “these are outright African manners. All states paying this money are really angry, and don’t want to pay for Bulgaria any more.”

According to the German expert, the Bulgarian politicians had to be pressured from all possible directions to rectify the situation.

Von Walderdorf contrasted the terrible state of Bulgarian politics to the booming economy pointing out that similar state could be noticed in many other countries.

 

Personally, I thought it is completely inappropriate to hear such words from the mouth of an EU official … What does Africa have to do with Bulgaria … (Africa – a continent with its own problems and challenges).  ??

I further thought such words are not just exceptionally out of place, but I guess also pointing to deep problems of culture, and communication(s), in the EU administration. Am not sure whether good or not, but I really laughed at what the EU official had said – I just find it so ridiculous – just me, I guess, being very personal, right here.

Finally, and on the point about EU administration engagement with member countries (that I raised in a previous post) – if a country misbehaves, how would you make sure it stops this a starts behaving…? Talking about it is one thing, critising the country is another, engaging about the misbehaviour with the country is quite another, and remaining involved, whilst using the power of sanctions, is, again, quite another thing.