Knowing-Doing Gap, The: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action (Hardcover)

Chapter 1 - Knowing "What" to Do Is Not Enough - serves as an introduction to the book. It introduces the 'knowing-doing problem' - "the challenge of turning knowledge about how to enhance organizational performance into actions consistent with that knowledge." They discuss the methods they used during a 4-year crusade, whereby the authors have examined a wide range of organizational practices to learn about the knowing-doing gap. In chapters 2 to 6 they discuss the various issues that block organizations from implementing their knowledge. These are respectively: Talk as a substitute for action; memory as a substitute for thinking; fear preventing action; measurement obstructing good judgment; and internal competition resulting into fighting. Although the authors give some advice on methods to decrease the knowing-doing gap in these chapters, they do not really start providing solutions until chapters 7 and 8. Chapter 7 introduces case information on three firms (BP, Barclays Global Investors, and The New Zealand Post) that have been successful at either avoiding the knowing-doing gap or transcending barriers to turning knowledge into action. The final chapter is probably the most useful chapter of the complete book. Pfeffer and Sutton provide us with eight guidelines for action: (1) Why before how; (2) knowing comes from doing and teaching others how; (3) action counts more than elegant plans and concepts; (4) there is no doing without mistakes; (5) fear fosters knowing-doing gaps, so drive out fear; (6) beware of false analogies; (7) measure what matters and what can help turn knowledge into action; and (8) what leaders do matters.

Yes, I do like this book. It discusses a difficult but important issue in management and business - turning knowledge into action. The only disappointment of this book is that the authors spend about 200 pages discussing the issues that stop firms/managers/people from taking action and only 60 pages on methods for converting knowledge into effective action. In all honesty I would have rather seen it the other way around. The authors do have a very academic background and this is therefore visible in their writing style (business US-English).

Given the huge amount of information and management education in most organisations, most managers know what they should do, they just can't or won't do it. This book explains why - and what to do about it. A powerful combination of anecdotes and research findings spell out what causes Knowing-Doing Gaps and gives plenty of examples of organisations that have overcome them.

I was particularly pleased to find that three of the biggest case studies are all non-U.S. organisations (BP, Barclays and the New Zealand Post).

Their research shows clearly that an organisation's structures and culture are the main cause of Knowing-Doing Gaps, so you will need to be in a position to influence these to implement Pfeffer and Sutton's advice.

If you are, be prepared for the fact that this book compels you to do something about it. After all, just reading the book, finding out about the gaps and doing nothing would be doing the authors a disservice!