Ask GovLoop on Knowledge – Is KM an Noun or a Verb?

Knowledge is a noun and learning is a verb. According to Andy Moore of KMWorld, to provide an answer, you have to understand the question. Is KM a noun or a verb? Is it something you acquire? Or is it something you do?

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jana gallatin

Anything with the term management attached is an action verb…a long term action verb. There is no Ronco solution to things that require management.

jana gallatin

Ed I agree about doing the noun, but isn’t doing an active thing? A verb 😉 How about “I manage knowledge.” Taking responsibility for the doing. That is kind of the point IMHO.

Wendy Reynolds

I agree that it’s a verb, BUT note how adding the word “office” or “program” shifts it back into the world of nouns, making it someone else’s problem. We need to verbalize KM. (All puns intended)

Darron Passlow

As an Aussie, we still sing the praises of Her Majesty (the Queen of England) and the “Queen’s English”.
You guys (in USA) did break away a bit earlier than we did here in Australia. But..
English tells us that;
Knoweldge is a noun. Management is a noun. (Manage is the verb)
The act of managing knowledge, referred to as Knowledge Management (is a noun as it describes something).

Lisa’s attempt to explain the question (Is KM a noun or a verb?) with two other questions is confusing and implies another question. The question Lisa is asking is;
“Is Knowledge Management (not KM jargon) something we acquire or something we do?”
Perhaps a more important question is;
“Are we capturing and retaining our Knowledge (a noun) and are we managing (a verb) important Knowledge (a noun).
I hope this English lesson is taken in good faith and by the way it is years since I studied “the Queen’s English” so what would I know!
Enjoy.
From a friend in OZ.