Knowledge Management: North Bridge Model Train Shop - Assignment Example

Introduction In any organization there is need to provide evidence based assessment of the organization needs, which will try and focus on knowledge management efforts. This will enable the organization to identify its knowledge management needs, strengths, weakness and other opportunities. This essay will identify knowledge preparedness of two organizations. Case study one: North bridge model train shop. Q.1a. Its metadata policy that is conducted by the organization is holistic where its website contains a lot of photographs of railway related materials. Its systematic approach to documentation is said to be mature it has annotated the Dublin core to permit intelligence harvesting of its site. Its ontology is preferably done with conformance of the industry standard. The organization is self aware of its needs in the industry it is able to establish linkages to cater for customers and also its statement of needs is clear which enables it operate in a given level. The organisations has a self aware way of naming and chosen custody for documents it caters for only short period needs of the organization. Lastly the organization does not have a distinctive process of decision making structure of how the organization is run or how documentation is carried out in the organization, based on these we can say that the organization is self aware on such process. Q.1b. It is appropriate to identify the knowledge needs, inventory and analyse the knowledge map for the organization these can be done by doing knowledge audit based on certain features. The organization is well established with a 30 years experience, but lacks an ontological structure of its processes. The business majorly relying on the net for majority of its transactions and flow of information’s, it has become part of its dependent knowledge management system which makes it depended on the external links. The areas that are key and need to be researched on is on flow of communication, security and custodies of data within the organization. Q.1c. Through the assessment of the organization it is worth wise to proceed with knowledge audit has a number of aspects has been met by the organization including knowledge inventory. It also has a knowledge map which shows the knowledge existing in the organization and when it can be found. Q.2a The organization Medata policy is standardized and is well adhered to by the organization this makes them to be able to get a holistic features and details from its website using on annotated type of referencing which means it has been addressed well does not need any more alterations. The way the documents are arranged and sequenced in adequately, much of it requires improvement to make it easy for retrieval purposes. An investigated on its website shows that the organization has outlined a glossary or ontology of terms that is used to describe a number of terms used in the industry these is well addressed. Regarding an understanding of organization needs and statements of needs it shows that organization website is adequately addressing these, despite knowing customers needs it has not establish the knowledge needs within the organization is the way it does systematically name its documents a clear picture needs to be outlined this goes hand in hand with the way the organization stores its documents, it has not established a well structured way of safeguarding its documents. The organization is run by a clique of businessman with a president at the top which means that much of the decision making is done at the top level of its organization structure but much is need to improve its structure to a vertical structured decision making. Q.1b. A further information’s need to be carried out to establish how the organizations documents its process this will be achieved by asking for a procedure manual or a QMS manuals, secondly, chain of custody of documents by auditing how the process of how they are able to protect their documents and how they name the documents. This can be done by assessing the time taken to receive a document. Obrien, M. (2007) management information systems, New York, UK, Mc GrawHill, pp.12-45.. Q.3. the organization aims to set a system that will be used to organize the slot car materials appropriately and also will help in processing orders more easily. The second aim is to get the community to be involved with a set up of knowledge base that will be used to fill the role that their expertise are carrying out. The main limiting factor is that the organization is that they are not able to get expert staff because of low margins. It has which makes it not to afford, this will make them unable to achieve the required standards due to lack of experts. Q.4.a. the main problem in the organization is concerned with its online communication and storage of data. It is beneficial that they have an inventory type online system that is used to make orders and making contacts. But the problem that arises is how they are able to set out a profile or account of each customer which can be easily be accessed by the customers through their accounts and make any changes without having to communicate with the organization for any changes. According to ACM which is a body in computing, an online system should be a comprehensive network that should involve a number of details, both for the company and for the clients that are involved. This will also be based on EDI standards that are used. This provides the common format for the message but just as important is the ability to correctly interpret the data held within that format. While the coding system that is used in development of EDI for the organization will be approved by British ANA. The knowledge audit did establish the company need to have a separate online service different to that of inventory that will help in having data for both customers and suppliers etc. A research that was carried on a travelling agency called Streamline in UK showed how it has embraced ecommerce by having its systems able to process orders as well can be used to store customer’s data including the days of purchases, it has also come up with a royalty program to reward its customers. The company can consult some experts to design the e- online process that will help to support the problem and will also help the process of data storage and processing of feedback of customers. It will give it upper hand in knowledge preparedness for the organization in terms of flow of information between the client and organization. Laudon, K & Laudon, K (2010) management information systems, London, UK, Pearson Education, pp.12-146. Q 5.0.a the use of EDI is defined by its technology, EDI standards, EDI networks and EDI software’s that interface these two elements and the business applications. EDI provides an electronic linkage between two trading partners of the organizations. This formats that might properly be called EDI were developed by organizations that had to process data from a large number of customer organizations. The data recipients’ set the standard and the customers conformed to it. The concept of EDI as an application independent interchange standard evolved and several industry sector and national standards bodies developed EDI standards to meet the needs of a specific user community. MIS would normally utilise transaction processing TP and databases. The MIS system subsumed the data processing functions of the EDP and enabled access to business data throughout the organisation and at all level of the organisation. Q 5. B. Knowledge requirement of the organization is the requirements of international and cross sector trade meant that the sector business organization, and national standards. The second knowledge gap concerning communication can be solved using a direct data communications links is another possibility it can be appropriate for trading relationships where there are large data volumes or where there are only one or two trading partners who will be involved. Q5.C. the problems that the organization will encounter is on the use of funds to support the project they should have enough funds that can be able to help establish the online knowledge management systems. Secondly the adopted online solution presumes that the trading partners agree transmission times, protocols, and line-speeds which are requirements that has become complex when there are several trading partners, some of them of them involved in a number of trading relationships. Laudon, K & Laudon, K (2010) Management information systems, London, UK, Pearson Education, pp.12-146. Case study two: Food festival, University guild. Q1. The Guild organization plan of coming up with an integrative appraisal of organization aims and preparedness for knowledge audit. Its metadata policy of what is self aware in coordinating all the website presences. The company is also self-aware that the needs to have a number of the following characteristics systematically approach to documentation, a common term set, an understanding of the organizational needs, and establishing a way of retrieving, protecting documents and storing them. It has an holistic nature in understanding the organizational and a number of statement of needs at operational level by making sure that the website presence developed involves an encyclopaedia of all festival events and contents. But in line with decision making and structure of the organization it is not well documented. Q. 1B. The preparedness that is needed in the organization in carrying out of assessments, the company does not have expertise in the area of festivity in its respect to its ontological structure which is not well defined and a well established line of process. But the business is enjoying to have a good background knowledge and tacit components of knowledge that makes it sure that its website has a good presence in guiding customer needs. The key area that the organization needs to have addressed is on the use of technologies in coming up with a comprehensive website that cater for the need of raising awareness of festivals which are appealing and well coordinated, the business lacks a inventory needs assessment. Q.1C. through the assessment done on the company knowledge gaps, it has many activities that it needs to address, which makes it worthwhile to have a knowledge assessment audit. Majority of processes have not been incorporated including knowledge preparedness, inventory needs assessments, the organization are in the process of building its processes. Advices will be in providing a proposal on how the company can integrate its knowledge management programme after the assessments. Q.2.A the company does need to improve its metadata process cause from the assessment it shows majority of its procedures are not up to data and it has not followed a laid down procedure to be followed. This goes hand in hand with the process of documentation. The company will achieve a good practice in application of an encyclopaedia of some of its practices and contents; this will provide an adequate definitions and reference of common term sets. The website presence is also a clear manifestation of the organization understanding its needs and that of the operational level needs. Because of its dependence on social media it is not clear whether the organization has any clear way of documentation which involves naming, chain of custody, or ways of retrieval. This is important aspects in quality management process the organization needs to have a reference or coding system that will improve its documentation process. Another factor to be taken in consideration is on its decision making processes it rather an open line of communication and its organization structure which mainly depended on online services and social Medias. These can be improved to have a formal way of communication through the media that will also help to spell out the organization structure within the organization, whom are you communicating to be it the manager or the sales persons. Q.2.B. the information’s regarding knowledge gaps, and this information’s involves how the organization is carrying out its decision making and how a number of the structure of the organization will be. These will only be achieved by carrying out a number information systems audit and also carrying out surveys inside the organizations these will enable to gather enough knowledge management. Surveys can be used to ask how the management are able to tackle a number of activities in the organization these include communications. But due to their reliance of the website as a mode of communication a information system audit would be appropriate. Laudon, K & Laudon, K (2010) management information systems, London, UK, Pearson Education, pp.12-146. Q.3. the organization needs a website to coordinates websites presences that will used to communicate a number of community needs and the organisation needs. The website will be used to outline all the products that will be provided in the encyclopaedia where the customers can display their products and contain downloading features where customers would be able to download recipes and videos. The website is also expected to be resourceful where it can be used to create any awareness for the festival. They want it to be well coordinated and academic which make it a mutual of voluntaries, it is important to have copy rights that will help avoid duplication this will be useful in security from the hackers. Q.4. the organization needs a electronic market which is an inter-organizational information system that provides facilities for both the buyers and sellers to exchange information’s about prices and products or other offerings more easily. It will also assist the buyer in commodity market where products are essential identical across all sellers. In any differentiated market there is variety of products all kind of offerings which will be designed to have a complex search. It can also support any distribution of information’s which causes a decrease in costs of operations. This can also provide linkages in the value system and how it will be managed the linkages can add intrinsic value and increase efficiency relative to a number of competitor’s organizations. It will also provide efficient documentation processing where need will be providing a paper documents and facilitating an efficient machine matching of the exchanges from each trade cycle. The organizations information lets the potential online shopper know what sort of outfit the e-shop is. The information that needs to be included is concerned with the company profile, summaries of annual reports, and messages from other directors. All of this does not prove that a site is genuine but it has been shown that it reassures potential customers. The internet which the business will depend on will be defined by its communication protocol, transmission control protocol and internet protocol. Lucey, T (2008). Management information systems: New York: Mc Graw Hill. Page. Q. 5.a. the web server and client browser system will provide basic system which will provide a display of static information’s on the display of static information may be beautifully formatted to include pictures and sounds and provide links to other web pages which are static in display. Product information is clearly essential on the ecommerce enabled web site. In a number of business transactions the customer requirements in terms of needs, destinations and the system of searching any requirement by the customer, the web site will provide comprehensive company information one reason for this it can reassure customers as the bona-fides of the organization they are about to do business with. Q.5.B. the building block of any web page HTML which has two functions, hypertext a system of linking between documents though the click is required document is selected and displayed. Mark up which is a system for indicating the formatting of the page headings. The HTML page is stored on the web server system connected to the internet. The user accesses the web page via a web browser on their own system, the client system. The web tags and content are downloaded from the server to the browser and displayed in the required format on the users screen. The organization will install a VADS computer system which will be used to inspect post boxes, unpack interchanges, moves any available messages to the mailboxes of the intended recipients and repackages them as new interchanges. The users of the system establish a communication link to the VADS system at their convenience. Best offer is the first user of the system to come online in this case the communication link is a dial up line. The EDI standard will provide the necessary common format for the message but just as important is its ability that can correctly interpret any data which is held in any format. An important aspect of EDI is the privacy and security of the messages and their exchange. The points that are covered by the EDI interchange agreement but may also be provided for in the technical implementation. Q.5.C. the first problem or challenge is how to establish any online legal framework. This is a special significance as majority of businesses relates to paper based trading and how that law should apply to the less tangible form of an electronic message is not always clear. Another problem is that the website will provide good pictures and some eloquent descriptions and even customer reviews or virtual reality displays but you cannot actual see feel or try on the goods you are buying. Being known as an online trader gives an up-to date image. Some customers will use the web site to look up products and then use the conventional store to make any purchase. Reference Lucey, T (2008). Management information systems: New York, U.S.: Mc Graw Hill. Page. Read More