“The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance”
Socrates
How many problems could be solved if we knew how to manage ourselves? In this increasingly interconnected world where people, goods, and services flow unimpeded, and with information technology making us more understanding of each other, complex problems seem intractable. Creating and transferring more and better knowledge, within and between organizations, countries, and regions is a key component for strategic health. Hence, managing our knowledge capability becomes a necessary objective.
Solving such problems and dealing with issues effectively benefits from making what we know relevant to a variety of contexts. Whether it is about policy, strategy, innovation, work, or entrepreneurship, it is unlikely that universally applicable solutions exist. This is particularly fitting for management and organization in a European context, where there is unity in diversity, and where variety is an considerable strength. As Drucker points out, “Knowledge has to be improved, challenged and constantly increased, or it vanishes”. Managing knowledge requires knowledge and knowledge management does not exist without knowledgeable people. Such managerial knowledge has to inform people about how to accommodate contradiction and conflict, how to search for commonalities and compromise, and how to realize success for many. When managerial knowledge allows us to manage knowledge in this way, we have made knowledge work and people knowledgeable!
Hosted by Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow, the 2017 EURAM Conference is the ideal place for exploring and discussing managerial knowledge for the purpose of managing knowledge. It is through the exchange of scholarly knowledge between scholars and our dialogue on its practical application, that we further our understanding and academic impact. The conference will provide the opportunity for a lively exchange of views and so to enhance our ability to organize and manage ourselves.