Surveys of knowledge management initiatives reveal that it is becoming one of the highest priorities in more and more companies, reflecting the recognition that a company's knowledge and how it is nurtured and managed can dramatically increase a firm's competitive advantage. This book will provide an accessible and authoritative analysis of how to develop and manage knowledge successfully. It will cover concepts and academic research, and it will look at the ways companies, such as Amazon, Cisco, Fedex, General Motors, Shell, Skandia, Xerox and many more, develop and manage knowledge in practice. There will be chapters on: The knowledge economy Knowledge management strategies Developing intellectual capital Knowledge management processes Knowledge foundations Knowledge management in practice And summaries of key points and conclusions.