HARVESTING THE KNOWLEDGE OF RETIREES.

The studies show the value of harvesting general knowledge, yet firms are now having to apply a specialized reactive approach to capture and transfer the wisdom of retiring baby boomers. KM professionals understand that much of the firm's intellectual capital is embedded in the people of the organization. This article will offer practical approaches to accelerate implementation of effective tools to capture knowledge from retirees. While there are studies showing the value of harvesting general knowledge, such as a recent study by the American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC) that identified personal returns on investment in KM ranging from 150 to 200 percent, there's a lack of evidence of firms that focus on capturing and transferring the wisdom of retiring workforce.