Karl Erik S.

Karl-Erik is often described as one of the "founding fathers" of Knowledge Management, having pioneered many of the fundamental concepts.

In 1986, he published his first book in Swedish, “Kunskapsfretaget”, in which he explored how to manage the rapidly growing "Knowledge Companies", organisations that have no traditional production, only the knowledge and the creativity of their employees. It became an instant bestseller and he became the source of inspiration of the very early "Swedish movement" in knowledge management in both research and practice. His book, published in 1990, was the world's first with "Knowledge Management" in the title.

Being the owner and a manager of a publishing company for 20 years, which Karl-Erik was instrumental in developing into Sweden's largest trade press, Ekonomi & Teknik Farlag, he recognised the need to measure the intangible assets, and he went on pioneering accounting practices for intangible assets, testing them in his own company. Today, he is a professor, researcher, developer of tools and methodologies, and advisor to corporations and governments worldwide.

Karl-Erik is the principal of a global network of consultants named after him and professor in Knowledge Management at the Swedish Business School Hanken in Helsinki.

He has researched management of knowledge and knowledge organisations since the early 1980s, which makes him a bit of a veteran in the rapidly emerging research field, nowadays called Knowledge Management. He has published a large number of books on the subject, the first in 1986.

Having been a manager in this kind of business himself, his approach is practical and hands-on, rather than theoretical. And Karl-Erik does not believe much in lectures as a means of transferring knowledge. Why? He prefers to develop support tools for people to create their own knowledge based on their own reality.

An example is Tango, the world's only business simulation of the Knowledge Organisation, and Tangonet - the online version, that Karl-Erik developed together with Celemi.

Clients and Experience:

• ABB Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland: Advice and recommendations on how to build a knowledge strategy for the IT group, and education of managers on how to manage a knowledge business.
• China Light and Power, Hong Kong: Advice on how to build a knowledge-focused strategy.
• CSIRO Research Australia: Education of scientists and programme managers in managing a knowledge business, using business simulation Tango. Recommendations have been continuously implemented since 1995.
• Celemi, Sweden: Member of Advisory board, advice on how to develop a knowledge-focused strategy, implementation of Intangible Assets Monitor. Recommendations have been continuously implemented since 1992.
• Department for State & Regional Development, Victoria, Australia: Development of a Plan for implementing a Knowledge Management Strategy.
• Department for Primary Industries, Queensland, Australia: Analysis of Corporate Plan and recommendations for implementation of knowledge-focused strategy.
• Deloitte, Touche, Tohmatsu, Sweden & Australia: Continuous advice and recommendations on how to build a knowledge strategy for DTT. Recommendations have been implemented since 2000.
• Ericsson, Sweden: Advice on how to create a knowledge-focused strategy, development of project “creative islands”, education of managers on how to manage a knowledge business. Recommendations have been continuously implemented since 1990.
• F-secure, Finland: Advice on how to build a knowledge-focused strategy.
• Hewlett Packard, USA and Asia Pacific: Education of managers in how to manage a knowledge business. Recommendations have been continuously implemented since 1994.
• LendLease Australia: Education of managers in how to manage a knowledge organisation.
• Motorola, USA: Member of Advisory Board for KM, development of Strategy for Motorola KM Office, development of Conceptual framework for KM website, adaptation of Baldridge Award scorecard for KM, development of KM Handbook for Motorola, continuous advisor role. Recommendations have been implemented since 1999.
• Mobile Telephone Network, South Africa: Development of KM strategy for CKO, identification of and advise on KM projects, continuous advisor role. Recommendations have been continuously implemented since 1998.
• Multimedia Development Corp, Malaysia: Advice to and education of managers in management of knowledge work, education of managers in how to manage a knowledge organisation.
• National Air Intelligence Command, US Air Force: Advice to senior executives and education of managers in management of knowledge work, knowledge workers, and creation of collaborative climate.
• National Air Space Agency, NASA, USA: Application of a Knowledge-based approach for space missions.
• National Australia Bank: Education of managers in how to manage a knowledge organisation.
• Nedcor Investment Bank, South Africa: Advice on globalisation in a knowledge-based industry.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers, Australia and worldwide: Development of Strategy for CKO Australia/Pacific region, advise and participation in merger process, identification of and advice on internal KM projects, implementation of Intangible Assets Monitor for PwC, input into conceptual KM framework for PwC globally. Recommendations were implemented 1998 - 2001.
• Public Works and Housing, Queensland: Education of managers in how to manage a knowledge organisation.
• Queensland Rail, Australia: Knowledge Management Readiness Assessment, analysis, and report.
• Scottish Enterprise, Scotland: A series of classes and seminars on knowledge-based strategies and implementation advice for the Board and managers throughout the organisation.
• Volvo AB and Volvo IT, Sweden: Advice on knowledge-based strategies.

Other Clients:

• Accenture, USA
• BHP Australia
• Cap Programator
• Cultor Finland
• Ernst & Young Sweden
• Fuji Xerox Japan
• Gadens Lawyers Australia
• IBM Europe
• Infosys India
• Intel USA
• Morgan & Banks Australia
• MIMOS, Malaysia
• National Mutual, Australia
• Oracle USA
• SAPPI, South Africa
• Siemens Germany
• Skandia Insurance Sweden
• Steelcase USA

Academic Affiliations: