Bridging knowledge gaps: AI-enhanced techniques for identifying skills and competencies

Abstract

In the rapidly evolving business environment, recognizing and comprehending skills, knowledge, and competencies at multiple levels — from individuals to teams, departments, and the organization as a whole — is crucial. This understanding is particularly vital for executives, heads of departments, project coordinators, and team leaders. It is about addressing fundamental questions: What expertise do we possess at each level (e.g. in a team, department, organization), and who are the key knowledge holders? At the same time understanding the required skills, knowledge, and competencies is equally important: what do we need to know to achieve our goals, implement strategy, provide specific business capabilities, respond to market demand, perform business processes, and do projects and jobs? Being aware of knowledge supply and demand is essential in the knowledge economy.

This understanding is vital for different stakeholders of an organization: Managers want to know the core competencies of the organization/unit to develop strategy and development plans. They also need to understand the competencies of employees to plan new projects and establish teams, as well as knowledge and skill gaps for further development,

Employees benefit from knowing their colleagues’ areas of expertise to seek advice or answers. They also need to understand the required skills for personal career planning and development,

Potential partners look to see if your business has the necessary expertise in specific fields before deciding to collaborate,

Customers, especially in knowledge-intensive service industries, would like to know the knowledge capabilities of an organization when they select product or service providers for long-term relationships.

These interests can be found in different types of organizations, public and commercial, in different industries. For example, it also applies to universities and organizations in academia. The administration is interested in whether the university has the necessary competencies to launch a new educational program or research project. Research staff are interested in potential collaborators for a new/potential research project. Educational program managers look for lecturers for specific courses or guest lectures. Students search for experienced supervisors for their thesis. Potential partners search for knowledgeable consortium members for grant applications.