IAKM MECH9002: Knowledge Management System at ACME Aero Repairs

This case study examines the knowledge management (KM) system implemented at ACME Aero Repairs, focusing on its successes, challenges, and potential for further development. The analysis covers the reasons for considering the KM system successful, evidence of single and double-loop learning, and a diagram illustrating the decision-making process followed by engineers. It also evaluates the impact of the KM system on individual technicians and the organization as a whole, classifying the knowledge management processes involved. The study offers four suggestions for improving the KM system and addresses the challenges of selling the system to a competitor, Lingus Air Maintenance, along with strategies to minimize disruption. The case highlights the importance of integrating computerized systems with human discretion to enhance decision-making and overall organizational effectiveness.

Running head: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT ACME AERO REPAIRS
Knowledge Management at ACME Aero Repairs
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
1. Reasons to consider the new system as successful KM system..................................................2
2. Evidence of single or double loop learning in the case study......................................................2
3. Diagram stating the steps engineers in ACME Aero Repairs follow to take decisions..............3
4. Knowledge Management of KM system for:..............................................................................4
4.1. An individual technician.......................................................................................................4
4.2. The organization...................................................................................................................4
5. Classification of the Knowledge Management in the case study................................................6
6. Four suggestions to see how ACME Aero Repairs might develop their KM System.................6
7. Lingus Air Maintenance..............................................................................................................7
7.1. Challenges of the latest actions on the current KM systems................................................7
7.2. Dealing with the challenges to minimize overall disruption................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

2KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT ACME AERO REPAIRS
1. Reasons to consider the new system as successful KM system
The new KM system that ACME Aero repairs have implemented for checking the
information about the entire organization and its working, it has been found that the system had
proven to be extremely useful [1]. In several cases where a minimum change could have not
made much difference in immediate time span, but would have created a larger problem in the
future; the system tends to gather information about them all.
For every specific problem that the organization faces, even if it is a minor one, the
system generates plausible advices that would work for the benefit of the company altogether.
There have also been incidences where the organization’s previous human analysis of the minor
issues have failed to acknowledge any peril regarding the particular matter, but the new KM
system have successfully escalated the issues even if they are minor providing plausible
solutions [2]. In addition, it requires a solid reason to override the solution that the system
provides. Therefore, it is feasible to say that the KM system that ACME has implemented is
successful in its operations.
2. Evidence of single or double loop learning in the case study
The KM system that ACME had implemented is an entirely computer-based system. The
authority clearly specifies that it would not solely be based on the computerized KM System but
will also implement personal discretion while taking decision against any suggestion that the
system provides. Therefore, it is a decision that is not solely driven by a unit proposal but goes
deeply into the root cause of the issue as generated by the computerized system and provides
feedback for it by looking into the past actions [3]. The managers and frontline of the engineers

3KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT ACME AERO REPAIRS
are of the opinion that it might lead into making a mistake if the traditional methods in the
business process were changed overnight. Thus, they collectively decided that any decision
would be made by combining self-knowledge with that of the system.
3. Diagram stating the steps engineers in ACME Aero Repairs follow to take
decisions
Figure 1: Steps for Decision-Making at ACME Aero Repairs
(Source: Created by the Author)

4KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT ACME AERO REPAIRS
4. Knowledge Management of KM system for:
4.1. An individual technician
The KM system successfully detects the any minor issue that has an ability to create
problem in the organization. Starting from trivial problems found in a flickering bulb of the
aircraft to further major problems that can arise if the situation is neglected [4]. This system
suggests remedial measures that often involve the changing of the entire process. This can be
problematic as the solutions may be difficult for an individual technician. There have been
incidences noticed in the organization due to this computerized KM system which has reduced
airplane bookings of several customers causing further problems for the technicians to handle the
situation. It is the viewpoint of these technicians, especially the authorized engineers that only
the computerized KM system cannot be entrusted entirely [5]. These engineers, who have been
in the authority of making decisions based on the KM system, first takes regards of these issues
and their solution raised by the system and then taken own discretion into account for
implementing these to the organization. However, if a decision by the system is disregarded,
there must be a rational reason to be provided in justification to the system. Therefore, for an
individual technician, the new KM system is helpful as well as problematic since it is time
consuming.
4.2. The organization
The KM system has its merits as well as demerits in serving the ACME Aero Repairs.
The company is heavily benefitted and it has been a remedying approach to implement the KM
system in the business process. The organization has faced a situation due to this system where

5KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT ACME AERO REPAIRS
once the automated process had cancelled 18 out of the 200 reservation because they found
inconveniences in the bookings. Thus, the company had to go through a distinct amount of issues
to solve the matter as a whole [6]. The system also happens to generate more than 300 alerts
every day for any trivial issue or minor recommendations and conflict warning it finds while
passing through the entire business process of the organization. It has been found after estimating
the entire business process that the impact that this KM system has on the safety critical issues
and the serious errors are commendable. The error reduction in these cases has seen a reduction
range ranging from 55 per cent to 75 per cent as a whole. Thus, the system has only been
beneficial from the perspective of the organization.
Figure 2: Working cycle of the KM System

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(Source: Created by the Author)
5. Classification of the Knowledge Management in the case study
According to the given case study, the Knowledge management can be classified into the
following division:
 Knowledge Discovery Systems: The KM system skillfully detects even the slightest
disruption in the business process and technical systems.
 Knowledge Capture Systems: The issues that may seem trivial to the entire organization
and may be overlooked by human processes, this computerized KM system effectively
captures the minute issues in the system and reports effectively [7].
 Knowledge Sharing Systems: It has also been reported that the system also happens to
generate more than 300 alerts every day for any trivial issue or minor recommendations
and conflict warning it finds while passing through the entire business process of the
organization.
 Knowledge Application Systems: The integrated computerized KM system successfully
suggests remedial solutions for each problem it detects, which normally includes
changing the entire issue generating complication [8].
6. Four suggestions to see how ACME Aero Repairs might develop their KM
System
The following are the suggestions that ACME Aero Repairs might use to further develop
their KM system:

7KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT ACME AERO REPAIRS
 The organization should include a provision in the system that helps in rating the
detected issues on the basis of their severity.
 The recommendation based on these issues must not be drastic like, changing the
entire system [9]. In addition to this, the system should only suggest remedial
measures to severe issues.
 The front-line engineers are expected to feed in the knowledge in the KM system
that alerts should be sent to all the people involved in the business based on the
issue severity as well as according to the department that the issue is based on
[10].
 The KM system should be modified not to generate cancellation of customer
booking all at once but to notify them about the inconveniences that is occurring
due to these issues.
7. Lingus Air Maintenance
7.1. Challenges of the latest actions on the current KM systems
The current KM system would have several challenges if the system is sold to Lingus Air
Maintenance for managing the knowledge for the organization. The challenges are listed as
below:
 Since, Lingus is a competitor and overall the KM system has only been beneficial
to the organization lest few minor obligations; the competitor would get
benefitted by the system leaving a manual knowledge management system for
ACME.

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 ACME would not be notified further for even the minor issues in the system. This
would further become problematic as there could be further major issues if the
minor ones are neglected [11].
7.2. Dealing with the challenges to minimize overall disruption
The way by which these challenges could be dealt with can either be not selling the KM
system to the competitors at all or by substituting it with a better Knowledge management
system [12].

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References
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diagnostics in a building management system." U.S. Patent No. 9,606,520. 28 Mar. 2017.
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Theory, Practice, and Cases: Theory, Practice, and Cases. Routledge, 2015.

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[9] Girard, John, and J. Girard. "Defining knowledge management: Toward an applied
compendium." Online Journal of Applied Knowledge Management 3.1 (2015): 1-20.
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