Role of HR in Knowledge

Management
Agenda
What
What isis Knowledge?
Knowledge?

Types
Types of
of Knowledge
Knowledge

What
What isis Knowledge
Knowledge Management?
Management?

The
The Essence
Essence of
of Knowledge
Knowledge Management
Management

Why
Why Knowledge
Knowledge Management?
Management?

What
What does
does leveraging
leveraging "collective
"collective knowledge"
knowledge" involve?
involve?

An
An overview
overview of
of Knowledge
Knowledge Processes
Processes
Benefits
Benefitsof
ofKnowledge
Knowledgeto
toEnterprise
Enterprise

HUL's
HUL'sPackaging
PackagingNetwork
Network

What
Whatare
arethe
thebarriers
barriersfor
forimplementing
implementingKnowledge
Knowledge
Management
Management

The
Therole
roleof
ofHR
HRin
ininstitutionalizing
institutionalizingKM
KMin
inan
anorganization
organization

HR
HRprocesses
processesand
andpractices
practicesimpact
impactthe
theknowledge
knowledgesharing
sharingin
inaa
firm
firm

How
Howdo
dowe
wecreate
createaaknowledge
knowledgesharing
sharingculture?
culture?

HR
HRshould
shouldbe
bethe
thecatalyst
catalystfor
forculture
culturechange
change
 What Is Knowledge?

Data Information Knowledge

A Record of a Data
Literally…
organized with
Change of what people
State a purpose. A
know
message
Types of Knowledge

Explicit
Explicit knowledge
knowledge Tacit
Tacit knowledge
knowledge

Formal knowledge Informal knowledge

(Visible) (Highly Invisible)

Available in the Confined in the mind

form of books, of a person
reports, audio
tapes, video tapes Difficult to articulate
etc.

Can be articulated
Knowledge Management
Knowledge
Knowledge Driven
Driven Organization
Organization

Fully
Fully leverage
leverage the
the "collective
"collective knowledge"
knowledge" in
in an
an
organization
organization

Creation
Creation and
and sharing
sharing of
of knowledge
knowledge

KM
KM processes
processes provide
provide aa framework
framework forfor connecting
connecting
people
people to
to people
people and
and people
people to
to information
information
KM helps the Organization to:

Build
competitive
advantage

Improve
Create
organizational
greater
effectiveness and
value
Returns

See the
opportunities
and exploit
them
 The Essence of Knowledge
Management

The
The central
central theme
theme of
of Knowledge
Knowledge Management
Management isis toto
leverage
leverage andand reuse
reuse knowledge
knowledge resources
resources that
that already
already
exist
exist in
in the
the organization
organization soso that
that people
people will
will seek
seek out
out best
best
practices
practices rather
rather than
than reinvent
reinvent the
the wheel.
wheel.
Why Knowledge Management?
What does leveraging
"collective knowledge" involve?
 Working in collaborative teams, capturing and sharing
knowledge and delivering business excellence.

 Developing and sharing "best practices."

 Faster replication of innovations through faster movement

of knowledge through the organization.

 Acquisition and sharing of "new knowledge."

 Creating an environment that is comfortable to the idea of

openness, knowledge sharing, risk of failure as well as
rewards for success.

 Managing organizational learning.

Knowledge Management Process
Benefits of Knowledge to Enterprise
• Unleash new Ideas and Creativity.

• Improve and accelerate Learning.

• Enhance Team Collaboration & Coordination.

• Improve the Flow of knowledge.

• Attract, and retain motivated, loyal, and committed talent.

Knowledge Management Initiatives
HUL's Packaging Network
Opportunities / Challenges: Packaging in our company is
very important, both for providing protection to the
product in transit and storage as well as its contribution to
pack presentation / brand image.
How do we make sure that the collective knowledge of the
packaging professionals in the company is fully leveraged
by the packaging professionals in each business, to add
value to his business, through problem solving as well as
innovations to reduce cost and or improve functionality?

HUL’s response:
Formed a knowledge community.
The team meets once in two months for structured
knowledge sharing and monitoring progress of
implementation of the charter.
The basic approach and methodology adopted by the team:
 Develop clarity on business expectations
 Appointed sub-teams to specialize / lead in each of the
knowledge blocks.
 “Knowledge workshops" with the core team and the
extended team to generate new ideas and opportunities.
 Intranet application with collaborative working tools, to
facilitate knowledge sharing on a continuous basis, in
between the face to face meetings.

Results achieved:
 The Packaging community has been consistently
delivering as per their charter.
 To strengthening knowledge sharing behaviour through
facilitation, training and leadership.
 The barriers for implementing
Knowledge Management?

 Conceptual / mindset related issues: We should move

from “hoarding of knowledge to gain power" to "sharing of
knowledge to gain power."

 Operational issues: KM should not be seen as a separate

initiative, but should be integrated into current workflow
as a more effective way to achieve business results.
The role of HR in institutionalizing
KM in an organization

 Focus on strengthening collaborative team effort to

leverage collective knowledge of the enterprise.
 Corporate Education.
 Performance Management and nurturing (sharing, doing
and caring) culture.
 Talent management.
 Recruitment, training, skill and competency development.
 New HRM roles are those of human capital steward,
knowledge facilitator, relationship builder, and rapid
deployment specialist.
 New HRM Roles
 Human capital steward
 Creates an environment and culture in which
employees voluntarily contribute skills, ideas, and
energy
 Human capital is not “owned” by organization
 Knowledge facilitator
 Procures necessary employee knowledge and skill sets
that allow information to be acquired, developed, and
disseminated
 Provides a competitive advantage
 Must be part of strategically designed employee
development plan
 Relationship builder
 Develops structure, work practices, and culture that
allow individuals to work together
 Develops networks that focus on strategic objectives

 Rapid deployment specialist

 Creates fluid and adaptable structure and systems
 Global, knowledge-based economy mandates flexibility
and culture that embraces change
 How then do HR processes and
practices impact the knowledge
sharing in a firm?
 Job rotations

 Networked organization

 Training

 Knowledge communities (Teams)

 E- Learning

 Culture change
 How do we create a knowledge
sharing culture?
Realign incentive and reward program:
 “The best KM practitioners reward employees for learning, sharing
and collaborating.

Step HR could implement are:

 Institute Team awards
Xerox: “Eureka Hall of Fame"
Hewlett Packard Consulting: in their "vision" statement:
"Our consultants feel and act as if they have the knowledge of the
entire organization at their fingertips when they consult with
customers. We will recognize those consultants that share and
those that leverage other's knowledge and experience as most
valuable members of the HP team."
 HR should be the catalyst for
culture change
 HR will also be a key facilitator in implementing a
companywide communication of value behaviours.

 Team excellence workshops and process improvement

(speed, simplicity and excellence) workouts are among
the key initiatives that will soon be launched by HR to
support the culture change.

 These culture change initiatives will strongly support our

efforts to become a stronger knowledge driven company,
committed to business excellence.

 Develop "Knowledge Pull“.

Some of the steps that HR could
take for cultural change :
 Performance Development Planning (PDP);
1.Learning from experience
2.Team commitment
3.Developing others

 Develop a mechanism to communicate effectively.

 Collaborative effort and knowledge.

 Make KM part of the Company training modules.

 Hold visible knowledge sharing events.

 Conclusion:
 Transformation into knowledge driven organization
 HR has a key role to play in nurturing and strengthening
knowledge management through "learning initiatives" and
"culture change initiatives.“
 HR is best placed to play the role of an effective facilitator, and
give positive reinforcements for Knowledge Management .
 Knowledge management has already been embraced as a source
of solutions to the problems of today’s business.