PolySpec: Knowledge Management Challenge - Coursework Example

Running head: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT PolySpec: The Knowledge Management Challenge Name Course Instructor Date KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT Introduction PolySpec was formed in 1992 as a local supplier of coatings and linings. Through acquisitions of THIOKOL Formulated Products and Selby Marine Decking Product businesses, PolySpec has increased its market share and product range. The company has also experienced technical developments through the government’s Small Businesses Research Funding Opportunities (SBIR) and cooperation of other private companies in the industry. PolySpec is now a recognized market leader in production of polymer coatings, lining flooring, sealants for constructive and corrosion protection in industrial, institutional and marine market. It intends to maintain and expand this market through rigorous, consistent product quality. High quality customer service the company also intends to be a producer of the most innovative products in the market. Knowledge management As a rapidly expanding company, which owes much of its expansion to mergers and acquisition as well as joint research ventures, management of knowledge acquired, which is critical to PolySpec’s development, is a major issue of concern to this company. The types of knowledge most critical to PolySpec include the research findings from the SBIR venture as well and other research activities with private companies. It also includes the knowledge of processes, structures and products manufactured by companies with which PolySpecs has merged. This involves knowledge of all kind which includes explicit, tacit and embedded knowledge. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT The knowledge concerns internal processes concerning the businesses that PolySpecs is engaged in. With its wide range of highly specialized products PolySpec can be categorized as a knowledge intensive company. The explicit knowledge regarding production includes reports regarding research on new products, research information regarding the best processes to use while working to produce different products in the company. This kind of knowledge could also be tacit since the individuals who have worked in these processes over time have gained a certain level of experience which makes them more efficient in their jobs than other people would be even if they have read about the processes involved in the said production which have been codifies as explicit information. PolySpec places a high premium on experience which is inevitably found in the people. Market surveys and data on customers is another knowledge asset that the company needs to manage. This is because in a competitive market, it is important for the company to understand what clients want and what the market dynamics dictate. Other important related information includes contact people in client companies for purposes of liaison and how procurement processes in the company’s of interest work. These include construction companies, government institutions and other consumers of PolySpec’s products. The knowledge is useful when the company is deciding on its future trajectory. Knowledge concerning customers may be categorized as external process knowledge since it relates to matters that are not internal to the company but are useful in the company’s decision making process particularly marketing. In order for the company to maintain its edge in the market, it has to maintain an edge in the product quality and also strive to improve quality continuously so as to vary the product to fit the KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT needs of clients in different situations or to change products in order to conform to market demands. To be in a position to do this, there needs to be a thorough understanding of products. Most of this information is codified and therefore explicit and easy to manage. However, as it has been argued, explicit knowledge does not often give the company an edge in the market, tacit knowledge does and it is particularly important for PolySpec to retain it and get ways of managing it (Brown & Duguid, 2002). Customer Knowledge Management is another area where the company should lay emphasis, this is because understanding the customer will ensure that the customer is kept happy ensuring that they keep their business in the company. CKM entails the knowledge of what the customer knows. This is because customers, especially the corporate kind are normally very knowledgeable in ways that could be very useful to the company. The knowledge is particularly evident when it concerns their experience with PolySpec’s product. There is also a need for the company to manage information about its suppliers concerning their capacity to deliver the required supplies in time as well as the processes through which supplies go through before being delivered. Recommended Knowledge systems and technologies An evaluation of PolySpec’s work practices show that the company has basically as much tacit information as it has explicit information. According to Botha et al (2008), tacit information does not require high – tech management solutions. Explicit knowledge on the other hand requires more technologically advanced system to manage. Having done an evaluation of the company’s information needs, its line of communication, cost benefit analysis and other evaluations KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT necessary; it would appear that management of research findings, especially when the research is being undertaken by PolySpec in collaboration with other organisations would best be managed using groupware. This is because it would enable the different entities involved to share this information freely. Use of ShareNets is another system whose adoption is recommended this will be done using an intranet platform. Through this platform urgent requests may be sent. According to Davenport and Probsts (2002), this system may also be used to offer incentives for sharing of tacit knowledge through ‘miles and more approach.’ It is also important for PolySpec to have a Decision Support System this system would improve decision making in the company this would be done by making information available for experts assisting in making of these decisions. The decision support system will be used to enhance the managers’ knowledge by way of knowledge discovery Changes necessary for implementation of the recommendations In order for groupware to be effective, the cognitive elements necessary have to be developed in PolySpecs. Although the technology and methods involved in groupware is not very different from the system currently in use, it is still important for the organization to ensure that the frames in place are sufficiently augmented to enable proper accommodation of the new systems. The other changes that might need to be done regarding the organization are a change in the current structural elements. These refer to policies, work conditions and reward systems as well as norms shaped by day to day activities of different players in the organization. Once the new knowledge management system is put in place, it is going to be necessary to change the reward system so that it can reflect the changed roles for some individuals in the company. Change of the reward KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT system is important since the proposed systems cannot succeed unless a critical mass of users agrees to use them. One way of ensuring that they use it is by ensuring that there is individual gain to be earned. It is also necessary to ensure that managerial issues are dealt with in order to have the new systems properly integrated (Aanestad, 2003). It will be important to have people who understand the technological platform on which these systems are based have the managerial responsibility. This means that the company will have to either integrate technology professionals into management or train the existing managers about the new technology now in use in the company. To facilitate the integration of this systems, it will be important to have the technological infrastructure necessary, a look at the current situation in the company in as far as technology is concerned shows that only a few changes need to be made since the current technology is already adequate. References Aanestad, M. (2003). The Camera as an Actor: Design-in-Use of Telemedicine Infrastructure in Surgery: Computer Supported Cooperative Work: The Journal of Collaborative Computing, 12(1), Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 1-20. Botha, A., Kourie, D. and Snyman, R. (2008). Coping with continuous change in the business Environment: knowledge management and knowledge management technology. Oxford: Chandos. Brown, J.S & Duguid, P. (2002). Local Knowledge: Innovation in the Networked Age. The Journal of Management learning, Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Davenport, T.H. and Probst, G.J.B. (2002) Knowledge Management Case Book. Weinheim, Wiley. Read More