Knowledge management, innovation and creativity

Since five years, knowledge management stays high on the policy agenda of companies. They hope to improve their operations by introducing knowledge and innovation programs. Also, at the EU-level, knowledge management is seen as an important item for research. The European Commission has included this topic in the IST-programs. This paper looks into the change processes required to implement knowledge management. The speed and innovation of companies rely more and more on knowledge and creativity. But most change approaches confound knowledge and innovation with working solutions, a developmenta l approach should be used. Knowledge management requires a coherent approach in which groups or teams form the core of knowledge management. At last, for a successful knowledge management, it is of central importance that management must have a ‘risk taking attitude’ and sufficient belief in the capabilities of its workers and teams. Only then, the changeover to the ‘smart company’ will be a successful one.