Judy Olian, dean of the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University, writes for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette --Chief knowledge, learning officers not just '90s fad.
...some of the jobs that were especially hot in the '90s have survived, albeit in more limited numbers. Among these are the chief learning officer and chief knowledge officer.
Based largely on anecdotal observations, the Wall Street Journal in early 2003 noted that fewer than 20 percent of major U.S. corporations have CLOs or CKOs, vs. 25 percent at the height of the business boom. The implication was that with businesses cutting back during the years of recession, these were expendable roles...
Ms. Olian goes on to discuss the 'strategic' value of Learning and Knowledge officers in the executive suite -- especially during a down-turned economy. She closes with these comments:
...As partners in the business strategy, CLOs and CKOs also are moving into the domain of knowledge sharing with clients. Educating customers is part service, part sales strategy. Beyond providing a platform to highlight the company's products or services, knowledge sharing with customers enhances the business case for the client's dealings with the company.
The Pine Street Leadership Project, Goldman Sachs' learning center run by its CLO, Steve Kerr, builds relationships with Goldman clients, from IBM to Sony and ConocoPhillips. The value to these customers goes beyond the financial services. It includes knowledge transfer as part of a multifaceted strategic relationship with Goldman.
Every executive role must bring value to the business strategy. As long as CLOs and CKOs advance core strategic priorities, they're here to stay, boom or bust...
K-Collector Topics: Corporations Education Journalism Knowledge Management Knowledge Organisation Leadership platforms Productivity Sony Writing IBM