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Itm 5
Itm 5
Knowledge Management:
Introduction:
Knowledge management (KM) is the process of creating, sharing, using and managing the
knowledge and information of an organisation. It refers to a multidisciplinary approach to
achieving organisational objectives by making the best use of knowledge.
Disciplines of KM:
Dimensions of KM:
Different frameworks for distinguishing between different 'types of' knowledge exist.
• Culture: One which is supportive of knowledge management, and the processes it implies
- particularly knowledge sharing.
• Technology: Can offer great advantages, particularly with the management of explicit
knowledge, as a collaboration tool, and as an expert locator.
Advantages of KM over Information Management:
To gain competitiveness and improve business processes, many organizations have included
KM as a business strategy. They noted that reports of successful KM implementations have
resulted in financial savings, increased revenues, and increased level of user acceptance. For
example, the implementation of the Eureka database (KM database) in 1996 saved Xerox an
estimated $100 million. In 2000, sharing knowledge about packaging improvements allowed
Hill’s Pet Nutrition to reduce pet food wastage, and another KM implementation allowed
Hewlett-Packard to successfully establish and standardize consistent pricing schemes and sales
processes. Moreover, Holder and Fitzgerald reported that in June 1996, the Centre for Army
Lessons Learned knowledge base received almost 100,000 weekly hits, showing strong
acceptance of the knowledge base.
In fact, failures are difficult for people to digest. However, the beliefs of organizational learning
and continuous improvements should supersede the fear of and intolerance for failure. That is,
if failure is suppressed, ignored, or denied, users will not be able to learn from past mistakes.
However, success could be achieved when a key part of learning and development includes the
acceptance of failure. Starting knowledge groups, creating best practices internally, developing
technical libraries, discussion databases, and lessons-learned databases are part of many KM
projects. However, reasons for KM project failure or success are rarely discussed in these
groups or discussions. The results of this study could, potentially be included in organizational
best practices and discussion groups.
Many organizations implement KM initiatives based on other KM success stories and with the
view that having success factors and their best efforts will increase the use of their knowledge
assets and produce better management. KM project success factors are linked to an
organization’s knowledge and goals as well as their focus on employees who require a specific
knowledge. Moreover, KM project success factors relate to comprehensive communication and
commitment to KM by companies and organizations. Furthermore, following are the nine
factors that contribute to KM project success:
1. Knowledge-oriented culture
2. Organizational and technical infrastructure
3. Senior management support
4. Link to industry or economics value
5. Modicum of process orientation
6. Clarity of vision and language
7. Nontrivial motivational aids
8. Some level of knowledge structure
9. Multiple channels for knowledge transfer.
Acknowledging these success factors and incorporating them into organizational initiatives are
important to organization operations.
Real time KM projects showed many success factors. For example, in a manufacturing company,
KM projects were constructed with the objective to cut corporate costs. In addition, a global
company developed a KM project with top management approval and a focused population of
users that caused a reorganization of the company’s structure. However, these KM projects
failed because they experienced difficulties related to culture, project management,
technology, and content.
As a result of KM not being defined properly in industry, many organizations and companies
have mistakenly separated critical IT infrastructure needs such as change management, e-
learning, process improvement, performance support, reengineering, and KM. In an effort to
increase performance, leaders of the organization KM initiative sometimes compete for
valuable few resources in a knowledge arena full of other strategic efforts. More importantly,
most employees and managers are lacking in knowledge about KM. KM can only enhance
organizational performance when understood and intelligently applied, including integration
with other improvement initiatives. Understanding basic knowledge process allows researchers
to understand KM.
Q3. Elaborate the type of technologies of Knowledge Management.
To a large extent it is seen that these fulfil the needs of the technical and professional
workforce by giving them a platform for airing their views, contributing as well as upgrading
their expertise, a chance for public recognition and planning upward mobility. It has also
achieved in being a learning organization.
Conclusion
KM at ICICI began on an experimental basis and carried on expanding and exploring, widening
its ambit of operations. No additional funding was required and nobody was under compulsion
to use the site. The relatively young age group of the employees and support provided by the
top management had led to the progress of the concept of knowledge management. It has not
made any model to follow unlike Wipro has done. At present it is in a state of growth and flux
and new sections and links are being added in the “Wiseguy”. Maybe in the next couple of
years it will begin to consolidate and clearly define its objective of existence or else merge into
the Intranet and be a part of corporate communications.