Knowledge Management

What Is Knowledge?

Data

Information

A Record of a
Change of
State

Data
organized with
a purpose. A
message

Knowledge
Literally
what people
know

Types of Knowledge
Explicit knowledge

Tacit knowledge

Formal knowledge
(Visible)

Informal knowledge
(Highly Invisible)

Available in the form

of books, reports,
audio tapes, video
tapes etc.

Confined in the mind

of a person

Can be articulated

Difficult to articulate

Knowledge Management
Knowledge Driven Organization
Fully leverage the "collective knowledge" in an
organization
Creation and sharing of knowledge

KM processes provide a framework for connecting

people to people and people to information

KM helps the Organization to:

Build
competitive
advantage
Improve
organizational
effectiveness and
Returns
See the
opportunities
and exploit
them

Create
greater
value

The Essence of Knowledge

Management

The central theme of Knowledge Management is to

leverage and reuse knowledge resources that already
exist in the organization so that people will seek out best
practices rather than reinvent the 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?
HULs 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 todays business.