Knowledge Acquisition – Definition-Process-Example (Helpful Tips)

We all want to own knowledge. Knowledge acquisition has specific methods and steps. We must learn and follow these methods to reach our goal smoothly.

What is the knowledge acquisition definition?

Knowledge acquisition can be defined as the situation in which the organization and individuals obtain the required knowledge that helps them accomplish their work efficiently, easily, and at the lowest possible cost.

Knowledge acquisition is an important and necessary process at this time because everything has become based on knowledge. For example, from writing and reading skills to even the most complex technology in production. Therefore, this article will show you the essential information on acquiring knowledge. Let’s go.

Knowledge Acquisition process

Before explaining the steps of acquiring knowledge, we must know what the raw materials of knowledge are?

The raw materials of knowledge refer to the raw materials that you can use to build knowledge. The following paragraphs explain the primary forms of the raw material of knowledge.

Raw materials of the knowledge

Raw materials of the knowledge

1. Data

The data indicates the facts about things. In other words, it describes things. For example, length = 1.70 meters, weight = 80 kg, Old = 35 years. And so on.

2. Information

Data is a collection of individual facts without any relationship between them. Information refers to the process of extracting a relationship between specific facts.

When studying and analyzing data, discovering the relationship between that data is information. For example, someone who is 1.70 meters tall would be 35 years old.

3- Knowledge

As a result of the above, the organization obtains knowledge by linking information together and identifying recurring patterns.

The company considers this repetition of patterns as the basis for making various decisions. In short, this is the knowledge that organizations are looking for.

Knowledge refers to discovering a particular pattern through the study and analysis of information and data. The organization can use these patterns as bases for making various decisions.

For more information about knowledge definition, refer to these articles:

Steps of knowledge acquisition process

Steps of Knowledge Acquisition
Steps of Knowledge Acquisition

The organization transforms raw materials into knowledge so that they can be used and utilized. In short, the organization creates knowledge using raw materials.

The knowledge acquisition process consists of five main steps. The following paragraphs explain these steps in more detail:

1. Data gathering

Data gathering is the first step in knowledge acquiring. ِFirst, you to determine what data will be collected, how, and where this data is located. In other words, planning before anything else.

Determining the type of data required and the accuracy and correctness of this data significantly affect the quality and accuracy of the knowledge. Therefore, You should implement this step well.

Also, knowledge acquisition can depend on any data previously collected for another purpose. For example, you can rely on customer purchasing data. Or the financial statements of the organization. Etc.

For more information refer to the purpose of the knowledge article.

2. Data Organizing

In the previous step, the data state is often not well organized. Therefore, the knowledge management team must rearrange the data to obtain valuable information from it in this step.

For example, the data with a relationship are collected in one place, like collecting customer data from a specific geographic area. Collecting data for each age group of customers together, and so on.

Usually, the knowledge team stores the information in dedicated databases. Then, the knowledge team applies many different information technology methods to organize this data.

3.  Summarizing

In this step, various statistics are extracted from databases. These statistics are presented in tables and graphs in multiple forms.

It should be noted here that upon completion of this step, the raw data has been converted into information that can be used further.

4. Analyzing

The information is analyzed, looking for recurring patterns that can be considered a new characteristic or a new knowledge.

For example, you might find that a particular age group of customers is interested in a specific product. For example, you can get a result that people between the ages of 8-28 are interested in buying video games. Another example, you notice that in a particular geographic region, the majority of customers are women. And so on.

5. Synthesizing

This step depends on joining statistics and patterns and coming out of them with fixed concepts that can be relied upon. These concepts are the knowledge you are looking for.

Knowledge management stores these results in rules or laws in the organization’s knowledge databases. So that everyone who wants it can reach it.

After this stage, knowledge management completes other knowledge management processes such as storing and distributing knowledge. For more information on knowledge processes, refer to this article: What Are The Knowledge Management Processes? Complete Guide

Advantage of Knowledge acquisition

Knowledge is power. No one needs to convince him of the importance of knowledge. Therefore, the importance of the knowledge acquisition process gains its significance from the importance of knowledge itself.

Moreover, the knowledge acquisition process is the correct way by which you can get accurate knowledge.

Knowledge acquisition example

We will present a simple example that is generally popular so that everyone can understand it. This example is a company that specializes in retail stores.

Retail store company

In the first phase, the company will open stores and branches in a variety of geographical locations.

The daily selling process generates an enormous amount of data. This information contains all customer data related to their purchases. This data also includes credit card information. You can consider this stage as the stage of data collection.

In addition, the organization’s knowledge management team can receive data from external sources about customers, weather conditions, laws, information about competitors, etc.

In the second step, its knowledge management department receives this data, arranges it in databases, and coordinates groups to facilitate its use.

The company is extracting statistics and graphs for the various products sold, such as the number of dairy and meat products, sales of electronic devices, etc.

Also, the reports are classified according to customers’ age, gender, income level, etc. This is to obtain an extensive view of the company’s products and customers.

By analyzing and compiling reports and statistics, the company noticed some patterns and similarities in customers’ behavior. The patterns are so frequent that they can be taken as a general rule. Examples of these patterns include:

  • Most of the customers who buy nappies buy wet towels with them.
  • Dairy products in the store in the geographical location Y are not sold in the same quantities compared to other stores
  • The store located in the geographical location Q sells more than 50% of the baby products from the rest of the branches.

As a result, the knowledge that the company has acquired using the knowledge acquisition process explained earlier. Now the company can rely on this knowledge to make appropriate decisions.

Conclusion

“Knowledge is power.” Therefore, its acquisition is essential for individuals and organizations.

Knowledge acquisition can be defined as the situation in which the organization and individuals obtain the required knowledge that helps them accomplish their work efficiently, easily, and at the lowest possible cost.

Steps of the knowledge acquisition process

  1. Data gathering
  2. Data Organizing
  3. Summarizing
  4. Analyzing
  5. Synthesizing

Finally, the knowledge acquisition process is the right way in which you can have accurate knowledge.