1:18 PM
Procurement is fundamentally a knowledge based activity. There is need to identify and systematically record knowledge associated with procurement. This helps prevent re-inventing the wheel because the knowledge (specifications, invitations to tender, tender analysis criteria and techniques, lists of suppliers etc) can be manipulated and used for other procurements. It also serves as a data base which can be used to manage claims made by suppliers and support representations made to other departments and management within the procurement organisation.
All knowledge management begins with the recognition of the three types of knowledge. This recognition has to be followed by identification of what is meaningful and useful knowledge. A comparison is needed with what should be known and this leads to a gap analysis followed by a plan of how to fill the gaps.