memories can support these processes by, for instance,
recording failures and successes.
• Consolidating new and existing knowledge Individual
knowledge must be made accessible to others in the
organization who need that knowledge. This knowledge
must be available at the right time and place. By
storing knowledge in corporate memories it becomes
persistent over time and--if indexed--can be
retrieved easily.
• Distributing knowledge Knowledge must be actively
distributed to those who can make use of it. The
turnaround speed of knowledge becomes increasingly
crucial for the competitiveness of companies. To
support this process, corporate memories need a
facility for deciding who should be informed about a
particular new piece of knowledge.
• Combining available knowledge A company can
only perform at its best if its available knowledge areas
are combined in new products. Products and services
are increasingly being developed by multi-disciplinary
teams. Corporate memories may facilitate this by
making it easier to access knowledge developed in
other parts of the organization.