Dr. David J. Skyrme

David J. Skyrme Knowledge offers us many opportunities to create well-being, wealth and a sustainable environment. And technology allows us to create and leverage knowledge more than ever. Yet organizations and institutions are frequently not tapping into the wealth of available human talent and are also misjudging and misusing technology. We need to develop symbiotic relationships between technology and human intellect to solve some of the world’s pressing problems and create a better future for us all.

David Skyrme is a strategic analyst and management consultant specializing in the practical application of knowledge in organizations. He is a hybrid manager, equally at home in the fields of management and IT, business and academia. He blends analytical insights with pragmatism.

After obtaining a doctorate in nuclear physics at Oxford University, David pursued a corporate career for 25 years in the computer industry, much of it with Digital Equipment Corporation. His experience covers many activities including sales, marketing, information systems development, product management, change management initiatives and corporate strategic planning. He created and managed Digital’s UK Market Intelligence group, responsible for market research and analysis, management information systems and a knowledge centre. As UK Strategic Planning Manager, he developed strategic planning processes and stimulated the creation of a vision and plans for the UK board of management. He was instrumental in bringing new products and services to market, and was co-creator of People for the '90s programme that culminated in DEC's recognized leadership in Flexible Working Practices.

David left Digital in March 1993 and set up his own knowledge management systems consultancy, which works collaboratively with other individuals and organizations to provide the necessary blend of skills to address client needs. Typical projects have included corporate KM strategy development, creation of knowledge centres, advising CKOs (Chief Knowledge Officers), running KM workshops for managers, conducting technology and market entry studies, analyzing market and technology trends, designing and implementing websites and intranet portals using content management systems.

He publishes and presents widely on knowledge management as well as other strategic management topics, including the strategic impact of IT, innovation, virtual working and e-commerce. His publications include in-depth management reports including Creating the Knowledge-based Business (co-authored with Debra Amidon) and Measuring the Value of Knowledge; the books Knowledge Networking: Creating the Collaborative Enterprise and Capitalizing on Knowledge: From e-business to k-business; and numerous articles and book chapters.

David regards himself as a knowledge refiner and change catalyst. He analyzes situations, synthesizes relevant knowledge and articulates it in such ways that help clients gain new insights and develop practical ways forward. As ENTOVATION’s Computer and Communications Fellow, he helps clients exploit technology for improved access to content, better communication, cohesive collaboration and the evolution of successful communities of practice.