Nuclear knowledge management
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Definition
Nuclear knowledge management (NKM) is an integrated systematic approach to help the nuclear industry organizations to enhance safety and achieve objectives. This is accomplished by managing their knowledge asset through embedding knowledge processes into management systems.
Summary
Nuclear knowledge management is an integrated, systematic approach applied to all stages of the nuclear knowledge cycle. It impacts on human resources, information and communication technology, process and document management systems. Thus, corporate and national strategies relating to nuclear safety can be significantly influenced by our ability to manage knowledge both now and in the future. Nuclear knowledge management is not just useful — it is essential.
Description
Knowledge is the nuclear energy industry’s most valuable asset and resource, without which the industry cannot operate safely and economically. In addition to being essential, nuclear knowledge is also very complex, expensive to acquire and maintain, and easily lost. Member states, suppliers, and operating organizations that wish to obtain the benefits of peaceful applications of nuclear technology must also accept the responsibilities that go with it, and this includes a primary responsibility to ensure that the associated nuclear knowledge is sustainable and is sustained.
Nuclear knowledge management is the application of knowledge management practices to address the specific needs of nuclear knowledge and nuclear organizations. It can include the application of knowledge management practices at any stage of the nuclear knowledge life cycle: research and development, design and engineering, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance, refurbishment and life time extension, waste management, and decommissioning. Nuclear knowledge management issues and priorities are often unique to the particular circumstances of individual Member States and their nuclear industry organizations. Nuclear knowledge management may focus on knowledge creation, identification, sharing, transfer, protection, validation, storage, dissemination, preservation or utilization. Nuclear knowledge management practices may involve the application of any of a wide range of knowledge management practices to enhance and support traditional business functions and goals such as human resource management, training, planning, operations, maintenance, projects, innovation, performance and risk management, information management, process management, organizational learning and information technology support.
Nuclear organizations need to develop and implement a nuclear knowledge management strategy that provides a framework for establishing principles, policy, priorities and plans to apply knowledge management practices in the workplace. Clearly defined objectives will help establish the role of knowledge management in the nuclear organization.
References
[1] Managing Nuclear Knowledge - A Pocket Guide from IAEA 2012
[2] Safe Long-term Operations (SALTO) Peer Review Guidelines
[3] DRAFT - GSR, Part 2
[4]
