Appreciative Inquiry and Knowledge Management : A Social Constructionist Perspective

`ASKing (Appreciative Sharing of Knowledge) is at the heart of this comprehensive, compelling, and cutting edge guide to appreciative knowing and innovation. The authors have really managed to push the "appreciative envelope" here. They've taken well-known appreciative inquiry frameworks and methods, effectively improved on them, and extended them into the all important area of knowledge development and knowledge sharing. I expect that readers in all kinds of organizations and at many levels will find the ASK system readily usable and effective. The in-depth case studies across a wide variety of industries (including government) turn the book into a fine guide for knowledge sharing, making it particularly easy to "Learn how to ASK". At the same time, academics, teachers, and students will find this book does a terrific job of summarizing and enlivening the existing appreciative inquiry/intelligence literature. If you've only got time and money for one book on appreciative organizational approaches, this is the one to get.' -- David Barry, Nova University, Lisbon, Portugal `Thatchenkery and Chowdhry have given those of us challenged with global knowledge sharing a way through the muddle of the traditional knowledge management paradigm. Fusing Knowledge Sharing and Appreciative Sharing concepts leads to a true appreciation of the value of knowledge dissemination and away from knowledge hoarding. With new technology migration occurring at warp speed and globalization of product sourcing markets requiring co-location of manufacturing facilities close to the customer, our company relies on state of the art knowledge sharing capabilities to shorten conventional and expensive training methodologies. Positive team collaboration with representation from all international sites and across functional areas - in effect, simultaneously managing time, distance, and culture barriers - is substantially facilitated by thinking of knowledge sharing in new and appreciative ways. This book helps chart the new path.' -- Hank Jonas, Organization Effectiveness Corning Incorporated