Knowledge management (KM) practitioners know there is no definitive definition of KM. They may even struggle with the definition of knowledge. But few practitioners—or their managers—question the ownership of knowledge management within their organization.

They might be surprised to find out that they are not the "authorized" owner of KM according to federal statute or regulation. Simply claiming KM ownership by right of your efforts may have you stepping on someone else's turf, and that someone may ask you to step aside.

Ownership Within the Federal Government

Federal agencies and their senior leaders and managers examine the United States Code (USC) to determine what they have been ordered (authorized) to do. The USC defines the authorization wherein ownership is determined. The following two excerpts from USC Title 5—Government Organization and Employees are examples of how ownership is authorized:

  1. "(a) The following functions are vested in the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and shall be performed by the Director, or subject to section 1104 of this title, by such employees of the Office as the Director designates: (1) securing accuracy, uniformity, and justice in the functions of the Office; (2) appointing individuals to be employed by the Office; ..."
  2. "(c)(1) The Office of Personnel Management shall design a set of systems, including appropriate metrics, for assessing the management of human capital by Federal agencies."

In the first example, Title 5 authorizes ownership of specific functions to a specific director, including the authorization to perform the specific functions (1) and (2). If I were a director of a federal agency and read section "(a)," I would know that I was not authorized ownership of these specific functions. This ownership belongs to the OPM director. In the second example, authorization also is coded to OPM.

USC Law Process Determines Precedence

The USC includes 50 statutory titles (laws) of the United States. It authorizes federal agencies to develop the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) explaining how they plan to enforce the USC laws. Agencies further develop directives, standards, and procedures to develop, implement, and measure programs to comply with the CFR and the associated USC. Figure 1 displays a simple explanation of this process.

From this, we derive the rule "USC begets CFR begets agency activity." We can add KM to the rule to form "USC KM begets CFR KM begets agency KM activity" to determine the authorized ownership of KM within the federal government.

Whose KM Turf Are You Playing On?

The phrase "knowledge management" is coded within three of 50 USC titles:

  • Title 5: Government Organization and Employees, Civil Service Functions and Responsibilities, Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
  • Title 6: Domestic Security, Homeland Security Organization
  • Title 42: The Public Health and Welfare, National and Community Service.

"Knowledge management" is coded within two of 50 CFRs.

  1. 5 CFR 250.202 – Office of Personnel Management in Agencies. Office of Personnel Management responsibilities.
  2. 32 CDR 1701.21 – Exemption of National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) systems of record.

OPM is the only agency that satisfies two of three parts of the "KM Begets" rule.

Examining Agency Activity

Various agencies have used the process to implement KM. As shown in the examples below, OPM has the greatest strength of KM authorized ownership based upon USC, CFR, and agency activity.

OPM

By Title 5, the OPM director instructs OPM to design a set of systems and appropriate metrics to assess human capital management across federal agencies. The assessment includes a "…knowledge management strategy supported by appropriate investment training and technology."

In April 2008, OPM issued its final CFR (Title 5, CFR Part 250, Human Resources Management in Agencies) to comply with Title 5. This CFR authorizes the OPM director as the president's chief human capital officer (CHCO) to provide "...government-wide leadership and direction in the strategic management of the federal workforce." This CFR has 51 KM references.

OPM issued the Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework to help guide agencies to improve human capital management (Figure 2). OPM combined leadership and knowledge management as a system to be supported by the knowledge management strategy authorized by 5 CFR Part 250.

OPM developed the Human Resources Operations Audit to measure the performance of agency CHCOs to achieve compliance with the HCAFF systems. For example, OPM uses the following CFR KM measurements to determine an agency's HCAAF effectiveness results:

  • "The agency has developed and implemented a knowledge management process that provides a means to share critical knowledge across the organization."
  • "Information technology tools that facilitate gathering and sharing knowledge within and outside the agency are available to employees to improve individual and organizational performance."

OPM satisfies all three parts of the KM Begets rule.

Homeland Security

Title 6 authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate an information sharing and knowledge management officer to direct the functions of information analysis and infrastructure protection (IAIP). Title 6 has no KM functions specified. The CFR doesn't have KM functions. Due to the sensitivity of IAIP's functions, agency activity is inferred. DHS satisfies two parts of the KM Begets rule.

Public Health and Welfare

For public health and welfare, Title 42 establishes a "corporation" with the authorization to leverage knowledge management as a research and evaluation activity to "… maintain a clearinghouse for information on best practices" to support health and welfare. The CFR doesn't have KM functions. Agency activity is inferred. Corporation satisfies two parts of the rule.

National Intelligence

For the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), 32 CFR 12653k exempts the sharing of KM records from the Privacy Act. KM is not mentioned in USC 32. Agency activity is inferred. ODNI satisfies two parts of the rule.

Examples of Agency Activity Related to Knowledge Management

The U.S. National Action Plan declares knowledge "…is widely dispersed in society…," and authorizes the "ExpertNet," an expert locator of "…citizens who have expertise…" that can be leveraged by government officials. (Title 3)

The Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) includes knowledge creation and management where knowledge is created and analyzed for the benefit of citizens. The chief information officer has ownership of the FEA.

For records management, each agency is authorized to preserve records (documentation of organization, functions, decisions, and procedures), which can be used to "…share knowledge within and across organizations." (Title 44)

Strongest KM Ownership

We derived the KM Begets rule to help determine the strongest, authorized ownership of KM within the federal government. This distinction went to OPM. Others examiners may argue otherwise. If so, use the USC process to stake a stronger KM claim.