But her true credentials date back to her days at JFK University, where she took an advanced degree in the Study of Human Consciousness. Three years ago, she faced another moment of choice and decided: never to market again and to care for relationships. ``Since then,'' says she, ``I've had a lot more fun and been more successful.'' Currently in the country to conduct a series of workshops in association with Eicher Consultancy Services, Allee readily shares what she knows:

How do you define a knowledge enterprise?
In my way ofthinking, every company is a knowledge-based company. But success lies in converting knowledge to value. So whether it is physical goods or services, people are beginning to look at using knowledge to gain a competitive advantage. It's an invisible resource and a core resource and now thanks to the information age we can begin to use it.

How can companies use knowledge to create value for themselves?
Each company's knowledge practice will look different according to its strategic driver. So for American Express, the driver might be customer intimacy, in which case it will need to understand the customer's buying patterns. Oil companies might focus on quality and therefore share best practices. So each will look different from one another: one might need databases, one might need cross training. There is no one formula to do knowledge better.

How can a company check whether it is utilising knowledge as a resource--or wasting it?
I would raise alarm bells by asking the company: howsuccessful would you be if your ten key people left? What have you done to grow the knowledge they have and spread it more widely throughout the company? Have you identified the knowledge base you will need in the next five years to be successful? And do you know how to acquire it? Do you hire people for the skills they have today or for their capacity to grow knowledge in the future?

How do you recognise a knowledge enterprise?
Is being a learning organisation a pre-requisite? When you ask people `how does your company work?' if in their first three sentences they use the word `knowledge' or `learning' you know they've got it. What I want to stress is that just like quality, knowledge is the new business fundamental. Being a learning organisation certainly gives you jump start. General Motors, Hewlett Packard have all focussed on learning organisation competencies before moving on to knowledge. Texas Instruments was able to realise $1.5 billion in savings just by sharing best practices, which istheir form of knowledge management.

What is the difference between sharing information and creating knowledge?
You could share information but if people don't pick it up and use it, it's only information. Knowledge is about applying and using information in such a way that it contributes to success. The question is: how can a company create and share knowledge together? Most learning models are based on the industrial era. There are very few studies on collaborative knowledge.

What defines the new business model that you espouce for the knowledge economy?
The new business model is the value network, and which has everything to do with relationships. It is inevitable to understand business through the value network and dynamic relationships. We used to think of exchange of goods and services and revenues in the old model. I am beginning to look at the exchanges of knowledge as a currency in its own right -- and in terms of intangible value and benefits.

How does a company embarkon the path of becoming a knowledge enterprise?
Start by asking the knowledge question: how do we convert knowledge to value? Only after that look at what other companies are doing. There is no dearth of success stories out there. But be clear about your strategic driver first. Then sift out the knowledge practices and find out what makes sense for you.

Just how evolved is the knowledge enterprise across the globe?
The field is evolving quickly. At my workshops, I often look at the designations of people attending. And I have already noticed a change. Earlier, the designations would be Chief Knowledge Officer or Director of Knowledge Management. But companies like Pillsbury, General Motors and Johnson & Johnson have migrated to Director of Knowledge Networks. So people are quickly beginning to appreciate the knowledge resource.