Brains vs. Bits

I often discover new knowledge by looking at who links/refers to my web site.

This morning I was reviewing who visited my web site and saw a link from a Scottish government web page. Reading other content on that page, I discovered this interesting study:

Research reveals how knowledge is accessed within organizations:
• Employees brains 42 per cent
• Paper documents 26 per cent
• Electronic documents 20 per cent
• Electronic knowledge bases 12 per cent

(Source: The Delphi Group)

The complex knowledge held in people's brains is what gives an organization its competitive advantage. It is context sensitive and cannot be codified, written down and stored.

Not a good study for those who believe I/T solves everything. Too bad the year of the study was not given. But, given the source of the study, I would guess it is not before the internet became popular.

Originally posted on August 25, 2006