With the rapid development of science and technology and the continuous change of the market, enterprises are facing more and more fierce competitive pressure, and innovation has become a key factor for the survival and development of enterprises. However, innovation is not an easy task. It requires a lot of time, funds, talents and resources, which are lacking in enterprises. Therefore, more and more enterprises choose to outsource some or all of their innovation activities to professional consulting institutions or individuals in order to obtain more efficient and high-quality innovation results. This practice of outsourcing innovation activities to third parties is known as exocerebral services (Brain Outsourcing Service）。

External brain services have many advantages, such:

can leverage the expertise, experience and resources of third parties to improve the quality and efficiency of innovation;

Can save the enterprise's own time, cost and resources, reduce the risk of innovation;

Can expand the enterprise's vision and ideas, increase innovation inspiration and opportunities;

Can enhance the core competitiveness of enterprises, enhance brand image and market share.

However, there are also some risks associated with external brain services, mainly how to protect and utilize the knowledge and experience generated in external brain services. Knowledge and experience are the most important assets in innovation activities, and they determine the value and sustainability of innovation results. If these knowledge and experience cannot be effectively protected and utilized, the company will lose its independent innovation ability, and may even be surpassed or infringed by competitors. Therefore, how to manage the knowledge in the external brain service has become an urgent problem to be solved.

This paper discusses the problem of knowledge management in external brain services from three aspects of intellectual property protection, knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing, and puts forward some suggestions and strategies.

1. intellectual property protection

Intellectual property protection refers to the protection of the exclusive rights of the creator or owner to the knowledge or information he or she creates or owns through legal means or other means. In the external brain service, intellectual property protection involves two subjects: the entrusting party (enterprise) and the undertaking party (consulting institution or individual). The entrusting party hopes to protect its ownership or use right of the innovation results generated in the external brain service, and prevent the infringement or leakage of the undertaking party or other third parties. The Undertaking Party wishes to protect its ownership or right to use the knowledge or information used in the External Brain Service from infringement or disclosure by the Principal or other third parties.

In order to effectively protect intellectual property rights, the entrusting party and the undertaking party should sign a detailed intellectual property agreement before the start of the outside brain service, clarifying the rights and obligations of both parties, as well as the liability and compensation for breach of contract. An intellectual property agreement should include the following:

Basic terms such as the purpose, scope, duration and cost of the external brain service;

Intellectual property terms such as the ownership, use, transfer and license of the innovation results generated in the external brain service;

Intellectual property provisions such as the source, nature, scope and confidentiality of the knowledge or information used in the external brain service;

The settlement of intellectual property disputes that may occur in the external brain service, the jurisdiction of the court, the applicable law and other intellectual property provisions.

In addition to signing an intellectual property agreement, the entrusting party and the undertaking party should also take some technical means or management measures to strengthen the protection of knowledge or information, such:

Use techniques such as encryption, watermarking, and digital signatures to prevent knowledge or information from being tampered with, copied, or deleted;

Use dedicated network platforms, software or equipment to prevent the theft, dissemination or destruction of knowledge or information;

Establish a strict authority system, audit system and backup system to prevent knowledge or information from being abused, leaked or lost;

Train and educate relevant personnel to improve their awareness and ability of IPR protection.

2. knowledge transfer

Knowledge transfer refers to the process of transferring knowledge from one subject or scenario to another. In the external brain service, knowledge transfer involves two directions: from the undertaking party to the entrusting party, and from the entrusting party to the undertaking party. The transfer of knowledge from the undertaking party to the entrusting party refers to the transfer of the innovative results and related knowledge and experience generated in the external brain service to the entrusting party so that it can understand, apply and improve these innovative results. Knowledge transfer from the client to the undertaker refers to the transfer of knowledge and experience related to background information, needs analysis, goal setting, etc. that need to be used in external brain services to the undertaker so that it can accurately understand and meet the innovative needs of the client.

In order to realize knowledge transfer effectively, the client and the contractor should establish a good communication mechanism and maintain close contact and communication in the process of external brain service. The communication mechanism should include the following:

Determine the goal, content, method, frequency and responsible person of communication;

Develop communication plans, processes, standards and assessments;

Use appropriate communication tools, languages and formats;

Timely feedback communication results, problems and suggestions.

In addition to establishing a communication mechanism, the entrusting party and the undertaking party should also take some educational means or learning measures to strengthen the understanding and application of knowledge or information.

For example:

Organize training, lectures, seminars and other activities to impart and share knowledge or information;

Provide guidance, consultation, counseling and other services to answer and support the application of knowledge or information;

Make documents, manuals, videos and other materials, record and display knowledge or information;

Establish communities, platforms, networks and other channels to exchange and discuss knowledge or information.

3. knowledge sharing

Knowledge sharing refers to the behavior of disclosing or providing knowledge or information to other subjects or scenarios under certain conditions. In the external brain service, knowledge sharing involves two levels: internal sharing and external sharing. Internal sharing refers to the sharing of knowledge or information generated or used in external brain services with other relevant personnel or departments within the entrusting party or the undertaking party to improve internal collaboration and efficiency. External sharing refers to the limited sharing of knowledge or information generated or used in external brain services between clients or contractors, or with other third parties, in order to increase external trust and cooperation.

In order to effectively realize knowledge sharing, the client and the undertaker should formulate a reasonable knowledge sharing strategy after the end of the external brain service, and clarify the purpose, scope, object, method and effect of sharing. A knowledge sharing strategy should include the following:

Determine the value and significance of sharing, analyze the advantages, disadvantages and risks of sharing;

Determine the content and form of sharing, select appropriate knowledge or information to share;

Determine the objects and conditions of sharing, and select appropriate personnel or institutions for sharing;

Determine the way and channel of sharing, select the appropriate tool or platform for sharing;

Identify shared effects and assessments, collect and analyze shared feedback and data.

In addition to developing a knowledge-sharing strategy, the client and the recipient should also establish a good trust relationship to promote respect and recognition of knowledge or information. The trust relationship should include the following:

Comply with intellectual property agreements and respect each other's rights and obligations;

maintain transparency and impartiality and avoid concealment or favoritism;

Establish mutually beneficial cooperative relations and avoid unilateral solicitation or sacrifice;

Establish long-term stable partnerships and avoid short-sightedness or betrayal.

Conclusion

External brain service is a new innovation model, which can help enterprises to obtain more efficient and high-quality innovation results. However, there are also some risks in external brain services, mainly how to protect and use the knowledge and experience generated in external brain services. This paper discusses the problem of knowledge management in external brain services from three aspects of intellectual property protection, knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing, and puts forward some suggestions and strategies. It is hoped that this paper can provide reference for enterprises and consulting agencies, and promote the development of external brain services.