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An n amalai B usiaess Rev iew

Vol.4 Specidi Issue 1 ISSN -0974-1690 tuly- December 20X 3INDEX

Services)EmployeeslnChennaiCity-S'Panboli,K'Maran

Sensor Network-R.Sowmya, P'Vijayaragavan

Suggestions To Make tt An Effective Alternative For Training And Learning -

S.Balachander, R.JaYam

District, Tamilnadu, [ndia - S.Jayarama

S.K.GaaYathri, J.M.Arul Kamaraj

S.K.Kannan

M.Arul, T.S.Kumar

S.Durailingam

N. Muthu

nnamalai Business Review, Vol.4, [ssue l, Juty _ December 2013

IMPROVING ORGANIZATION PERFORMANCE THROUGHKNOWLBDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Dr.M.Arul *Mr.T.S.Kumar**

lntroduction

This paper presents the need of building a knowledge society to meet out newrealities and face the challenges of our growing economy. With the current global economicslowdown the times are no doubt tough. A liquidity crunch, falling

"onruri". demand anderosion of investments have put organization under tremendous pressure to control theirexpenses and functions. [t is the right time to convert this situation into opportunities byconverting more with-less. The increasing global presence of business ana parti"ipation ofmultinational companies calls focus of management's attention to different Un practices tocope up with impact of global changes. This paper posits the two variables of knowledgeretention and its management. The human resource function can play a pivotal role inresponding to challenges during the downturn and emerge it in a bettei shape.'We need to beconcer'ned with knowledge management as it can contribute to company'i vitality, success,performance and adaptation. To move towards a new century of growth and innovation, weneed to understand that we need to be competitively progressing- in all fronts. We need tocreate more opportunities for us by understanding the value goal reference knowledge.Knowledge Management succeeds fully when it is woven into the fabric of an organizationand becomes intrinsic to an organization's processes. ln many ways, the systemiJapproachis the logical culmination of Knowledge Management mechanics and KnowledgeManagement culture.

Meaning of Knowledge:

In simplest terms, knowledge is the ability of an actor to respond to a body of factsand principles accumulated over a period of time.

Data=unit of fact; information:aggregation of data; knowledge=potential for action oninformationData and information have intrinsic properties; the quality of knowledge depends on theproperties of the agent.

The purpose of knowledge management is to harness, develop and direct theexpertise of the organization and to apply it effectively to achieve strategic objectives. Itspurpose is also to encourage learning and innovation as sources of competit-ive ad"vantage.Sources of Knowledge Management

Cognitive science: Insights from how we tearn and know will certainly improve tools andtechniques for gathering and transferring knowledge. Groupware, Artificial Intelligence.

* Professor in Department of Business Adminisrrafion, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar,Chidambaram- 6{)8102** Research scholat, Axistant Professor in Department of Basiness Administration, Jawahar ScienceCollegq Neyveli

- 607803.

Annamalai Business Review,vol.4, Issue 1, July - December 2013

Knowledge trased Management system: Artificial lntelligence and related technologies

have acquired an unA"rJ*"4 reputation of having failed to meet their own and the

marketplace's high "*["iutions. 1 ract, these technologies

continue to be applied widely

and the lessons practi'iioners have leamed are directly applicable to knowledge management'

The reach of the new technology for knowledge sharing:Organizationr'no* ,i"*"inowledge intl a different aspect due to different factors'

but the pivotal development has been-.theiramatically extended reach of know-how through

new information technology. Rapidly falling costi of communications' computing' the

extraordinary gro*,h and"ac"eriibility of ile World Wide Web are presenting newopportunities for knowledge-based organizations, to share knowledge more widely

and

cheaply than ever U"fore uid g.o* their business within seconds' Thus orgarlizations with

operations unA ".ptoy"",

uroind the world are now able to mobilize their expertise from

*hut.u"t origin to apply rapidly to new situations'

HowtointroduceKnowledgeManagementProcessintheorganizations

A knowledge management program can be classified into four broad steps:

1. Getting an overview'

2. Selecting a Pilot.

3. Implementing a Pilot'

4. Rollout.- Kirowledge Map contributes in achieving overall-business goals and strategies'

In

this process fno*f.Ogl tUaf must be.'introduceJ within first two process phase in order toclarify the relationtirtil O*:en possible knowledge management activities' td improve thecommunication totiJpru"tition.r, and most impoiantly to help select concrete knowledgemanagement aotiviG'to be introduced. In the later phases of implementation and roll-out,

'

Knowledge Map serves as a road map for analyzing the return on investment measures'

Knowledge Map--consists o.f the following six _major

areas: Technology, Culture,

Managernent Process, Business Goals' Leaming and Business Process'

Key dimensions of knowledge management programs

1. Whom to Share?2. What to Share?3. How to Share?

How to get started with Knowledge Management?Millions are spent within the companies -"increasingly over lntranets' Unfortunately

this

money g"r. **,"d if it cannot "nu6l.

people to innovaie, collaborate and make nest use of

it. It now becomes organizations responsibility to make its processes' discipline' know how

tohighqualityactions'Therearecertainstagestogetstarte'dwith:l. Creating Awareness: Desktop computing, lotus notes' Group ware'

2. Ihfrastructure: lntranet, networking'

3. Organization Behavior: Knowledge sharing' competency' sourcing'

4. Innovation: lnsight, following the norms'

24

Annamalai Business Review, Vol.4, Issue l, July - December 2013

Behavioristic Approaches to Knowledge Management:Behaviorist approaches with substantial roots in process re-engineering and changemanagement tend to view the "Knowledge Problem" as a management issue. OrganizationBehaviour and culture need to be paid more attention to make information intensiveenvironment. The role of management is very crucial and critical as nothing happens tochange unless everyone tries to. There should be an holistic approach which is musi io haveeffectiveness of knowledge management.

As knowledge management becomes increasingly embedded in the culture of anorganization, its people behavioi gets more quality oriented, they tend to respond to theirclients much more faster than before, tend to accelerate learning and skill development ofemployees, cost saving and get new products and services deployed faster. This alitogetherhelps to grow revenue and market share and helps to achievi competitive advantage in themarket.

Things to remember

l. KnowledgeManagement is costly: It requires a huge investment of money as we invest .on any other assets. Knowledge is people, money, learning, flexibility ani competitiveadvantage. But it becomes more expensive if we invest on employees who ,"k. poo,decision with faulty knowledge or we bear the cost of not knowing.2. Effective Management of Human Resource: [t is true that machines or computers aresubstitute for human labor. But what humans are best at cannot be substituted by anything?lse. So managers have a critical role in handling its human resources to manage Lffectivelythe knowledge solutions.

3. Politics: We all know that knowledge is power but sometimes managers of knowledgecultivate politics and create back-room deals. It can create gap between those who want andthose who have. So here management's attention is required to shape the governance ofknowledge so that it can be better utilized across the organization.4. Initiative by emptoyees: A knowledge management function should inspire resentmentand concern from all. As it is an integrated effort so knbwledge managers should not projectthat they are more knowledgeable than others or reveal any type of sufreme ego.

:-r

5. Encourage to share: It is a general tendency in human beings that we are resistant insharing the knowledge we possess. We should motivate employ"es to share and useknowledge so that it enters into the system naturally. We must upp.uir" the performance andcompensation to employees who apply the information and knowledge in their decisionmaking process. This strategy gives birth to innovation and high quality iork efficiency.6. An ongoing process: Gaining knowledge is an ongoing and never ending process. Soknowledge managers should always have to pace up with effective and full utilization ofknowledge. Their job is never ending as like human resource management.

Annamalai Business Review'Vol'4' Issue 1' JuIy - December 2013

TheroleofHRininstitutionalizingKnowledgeManagementinanorganization

KnowledgeManagementisessentiallyapeop.lerelateddiscipline,withfocusonstrengthening

"ottuuor;ife team

"nort to rlv'"rug!

-;tt""tive knowledge of the enterprise'

F{R has a pivotal '"1"";;;;;i' it" rno*r"ag"

tn"unuP"*T:T:tement' Kev HR processes -

Corporate Education, pJrfor*un"e Ma,ageritnt unJ nurturing (sharing' doing and caring)

culture, have a ".r,

lirr"t'aiil;;;1; * it. "o.".r"pment of the knowledge-based enterpnse'

HRhastobeakeyfacilitatorinimplem:nting.1.::panywidecommunicationofvalue behaviorr. r"Iri .*i"ii"n". workshops and process impto'"m"nt

(speed' simplicity

and excellen""l *oriori. ir" u*ongtt. i#,ffiii""t-th"t *iit roon be launched by HR to

support the culture ,irrg". fn"r.. "it,ur" Jtung" initiotives will strongly support our efforts

to become a stronger knowledge driven .";;;r, committed to business excellence'

CONCLUSION

Thereisatremendousgrowthandneedofknowledgeeconomy.Theneweraisaboutdeploying *o

"o,"iri.g ***iiiu*.udvantage from human and intellectual

assets' They have

to be treateA ,"r"'i"Jtiufiv una i" .. #;"#; ; tii;htlv oifrerent.from conventional

management. rhei ;d ; u. .onrio.rJ as strategic partner rather than considering as

employees. reoptJ ''t'"tja"L"ri ze

tha\*;Jn.v 6;^"t5 better' thev are not going to bedoing it at an. rrrev sil;rg r-nd.:p"d i;ilefi.ation

of changes in their work contexts'

An HR professioriai n."0, to take ";u-*';l;he dynamics o"' fttt employment relationship

or psychologiruf''ltungls -in

enaUfi";l;;;;tion and not only io tntutt knowledgecreation, transfer *o ,i*,i"n but alsi ilil;; ;e* that system-shourd

be given certain

il;iliiiv to build slowlv and.steadilv'REFERENCES

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Building a learning organizatk

Books, New Delhi (1997)

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