Knowledge Management Implementation

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Knowledge Management Implementation

Knowledge Management Implementation (KMI) is primarily about having and using the skill and knowledge to create a learning organization. Successful KMI enables an organization's stakeholders to share and have access to relevant information when and where they need it. This constant access to knowledge sharing allows people to do their jobs more effectively because it ensures that timely learning is taking place within the organization. A learning organization promotes critical thinking skills in its stakeholders. These skills allow people to anticipate and adjust to the changes that are part of today's business environment more rapidly thus producing innovative solutions (QinetiQ, 2008).

KMI involves a framework of best practices that will ensure the success of the implementation when followed. The first set of these consists of devising clear objectives; gaining management's commitment; building a motivated team; and overcoming organizational resistance to knowledge sharing. The second set is to determine who are the knowledge consumers and subject matter experts; evaluate business needs; establish the first stage of the implementation; gather and produce knowledge content; and create effective workflow processes. The final set involves those practices related to project management such as planning; managing the project's scope; balancing objectives and schedules; keeping the user group engaged; and marketing the project to all organizational stakeholders (Talisman Corporation, 2006). The companies that use the above best practices have a far better chance of success than those who do not. A case in point is Infosys Technologies.

Infosys Technologies

Infosys Technologies is a global information technology (IT) services company located in Bangalore, India. Infosys has transformed itself in response to changing external environments while continually serving existing clients well. For example in 1999-2000, Infosys shifted from a chiefly mainframe and Y2K focus to also taking on an Internet/e-commerce focus. Later, in response to increasing competition, Infosys started to progress further along the IT services value chain into consulting and all-inclusive IT solutions while also continuing to provide low-end software services. In 2002 and thereafter the company suffered through a global downturn caused by the September 11 terror attacks and the severe downturns in the dotcom and telecom industries. Infosys, however, managed to grow rapidly and profitably through these transitions increasing its number of employees from 3,766 in 1999 to 23,750 in 2004 and its annual revenues from $121 million in 1999 to $1.06 billion in 2004. The company's net profit after taxes rose at a compounded annual rate of 73% during this same time period (Garud, Kumaraswamy & Sambamurthy, 2006).

Infosys was able to ...