Knowledge Management and Information Systems

This report discusses knowledge management systems and information systems in the context of ASDA Company. It provides an overview of the company, evaluates its strengths and weaknesses, and analyzes different models to ascertain its position in the market. The report also offers recommendations for ASDA in terms of implementing the right knowledge management information system.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND
INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
1) Company over view.................................................................................................................3
2) Different model to ascertain the position of the business in the market..................................4
3) Recommendations for ASDA in context of appropriate knowledge management information
systems.........................................................................................................................................7
4) Different challenges which may be faced by the company at the time of implementing the
recommendation.........................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Informational and knowledge management system is a formal, organizational and
sociotechnical system that is especially created to process, gathers, store, manage and distribute
essential information. Informational system according to sociotechnical perspective is composed
by four important elements such as people, task, technology and structure. It can be said that
information is consist of data in form of number or words that can be organized to aid answer
quires and a lot to questions arise from people or consumers regarding specific products or
services.
The current report is based on ASDA Company; it is British leading supermarket retailer
and one of the most famous grocery providers in UK. This study defines short description about
chosen company, its objectives and other things. It also evaluates weakness, threat, opportunities
and strengths of company along with taking into consideration of all environmental factors
including competitors. Furthermore, this assignment clarified recommendation based on
company analysis in context of right knowledge management information system. It will define
critically analyses of three management implemented challenges faced by company while
executing suggestions.
MAIN BODY
1) Company over view
Firm Objectives-
ASDA is one of Britain’s leading supermarket chains in UK; it was founded in 1949 by
Peter and Fred Asquith. From beginnings as first United Kingdom discounter, providing
consumers the best value has been its driving force (Francis and et.al., 2018). ASDA offer
money services include car insurance, Travel money Bureaux and credit card. They provide
grocery and general merchandise products as well as financial services to local people. The
objectives of this company is to be Britain best value retailer more than clients needs always, to
manufacture goods & produce services more affordable for local people and respect for in the
individual, consumers services and quality.

Business overview-
ASDA run their business since for so long with effective and skilled workforce. They
build their venture upon listening and considering to their diverse range of buyers & offering
what they need exactly (Stones, 2016). Company commitment to cater great value for
consumers is considered again, when firm is named lowest priced retailer at Grocery Gold
Award for a 20th year record. Its estate has a range of formats including their biggest superstores
and supercentres. The outlet of company is full of surprising and amazing facts and it begins in
Yorkshire with Stockdale and Asquith families almost 100 year ago.
Corporate structure-
Organizational structure is most fundamental component to build and firm, it is essential
for business to make work departmentalization & specialization to assure distance of control and
chain of command (Offord, Gill and Kendal, 2019). The structure of company is formal
hierarchical functional structure as ASDA has so many functional departments. Organization has
a hierarchical pyramid structure with president, senior managers, and CEO at top and mid level
managers in middle, low level manager at bottom. Traditional hierarchical functional structure at
firm is useful to improve work specialization, span of control, chain of directions and
decentralization.
Business model of ASDA-
Business model is conceptual structure that aids viability of goods or organization and
explains how firm operates, makes profit and how it intends to achieve their aims. There are
varied types of business models available such as manufacturer, distributor, Franchise, Retailer
and Brick & mortar. In context of company, ASDA has retail business model its primary
operations consist of retail of products, general merchandise, clothing and other services (Jones
and Comfort, 2019). It is one of the most successful retailers in UK, who is able to sell their
goods to target market. Along with this model, management set their strategic objectives that are
to cater high quality items and reduce costs.
2) Different model to ascertain the position of the business in the market
SWOT

SWOT is the tool which is adopted by the company to find out the internal position and
viability of the company in the long run.
Strength:
 Goodwill: It is the biggest strength of the company in the market, as it has been identified
that company is able to earn a good name in the market with the help of the good quality
of the product which is being sold by the company in the market.
 Product Variant: Product variant is strength of the company as it has been identified that
organization used to sold a good variant of the product in the market. This eventually
used to help the company in attracting good number of the customer toward
organizational store.
Weakness:
 Profit margin: Asda has to suffer a good amount of the profit margin in the market as it
has been analysed that Asda used to offer the product at as low price as possible to be
competitive in the market, this eventually used to impact the profit margin of the
company in a long run.
 Outdated technique: It has been also find out that Asda used to use outdated technology
in the organization to carry out the operation of the business in current scenario. This
used to create variety of issue such as data storage, information management etc.
Opportunity:
 Expansion: Asda has good sort of the opportunity to expand their business to new
location to build good customer base of the company in the market.
 New technology: It is another opportunity in front of the company has to make sure that
they used to procure the new technology in the organization to carry out different
operation of the business in the market (Perera, 2017).
Threat:
Competition: It is the one of the biggest threat in front of the company as there is huge
number of the company who used to work in the industry.

Legal Factor: It is another threat which is in front of the company. As it has been
identified that there are many different legal formality which has to be filled by the company in
the market, this used to create variety of legal issue for the company.
PESTEL Analysis-
PESTLE is the tool which is generally used by the organization to uncertain the external
position of the business in the market.
Political factor: This factor is very much favourable for the company in the market, as
there is good amount of the political stability in the organization. At the same time decision like
Brexit will create a negative impact. Organization has to see good amount of restriction at the
time of dealing with neighbour country.
Economical Factor: This factor is moderate for the company, as interest rate and
inflation rate are very much favourable in the country. At the same time rate of procuring water
and diesel is to high that it used to generally increases the cost of the company in the long run of
the business (Ervural and et.al., 2018).
Social Factor: Social factor is not the favourable for the company, as it has been seen
that need and preference of the consumer in the market used to change on regular basis, this
eventually used to ask the Asda to change their operation on regular basis to be competitive in
the market in a long run. Good product variant of the company generally help the company in
overcoming the same issue in the market.
Technology factor: This factor also used to create the variety of the issue for the
organization as it has been find out that company is using the outdated technique in the
organization to carry out the different operation of the business, this eventually used to impact
the efficiency of the business in the long run.
Environmental Factor: This is the factor which used to offer variety of the challenges but
organization used to overcome all the challenges very easily in the organization. As it has been
find out that Asda uses the recycled raw material in the packaging of different product of the

company in the market. This eventually used to help the company in overcoming the variety of
the environmental factor. This eventually used to help the company in building good image of
the company in front of the consumer in the market (Gürel and Tat, 2017).
Legal factor: This factor is not that favourable for the company. Company used to operate
at the Global level and all the countries used to follow the different rules and regulation in the
nation. This eventually used to create the variety of the issue for the company as company has to
compile all the operation of the business with different rules and regulation. This eventually used
to impact the efficiency of the business as it requires good amount of the permission to be taken
by the company in the market.
Porters Five
Porter’s five is the framework in the organization which used to highlight the competitive
position of the company in the market. Different forces are as follows:
Threat of new entrant (Medium): Threat of new entrant is very much in control for the
company as company has build a good name in the market due to the quality of the product
offered in the market. At the same time new entrant always come with new innovation in the
nation, this eventually used to create the issue of managing impact of the same in the market.
Threat of Competition (High): Threat of competition is very high in the market, as it
has been analysed that there are many different type of the organization who used to operate in
the market, this used to create the good threat of the competition in the market to carry out
different operation of the business (Achinas and et.al., 2019).
Threat of substitute product (Low): Threat of substitute product is very low for the
business as it has been identified that most of the substitute product of the company is generally
offered by the company in their store. This eventually used to help the company in attracting the
customer toward the product of the company.
Bargaining power in supplier (Low): As there are many supplier in the market who can
provide the raw material to the company it used to reduce the power of bargaining from the hand
of the supplier in the market.

Bargaining power in customer (High): As there are many different competitor in the
market who used to offer the same product in the market, this eventually used to give power in
the hand of the consumer in context of purchasing different product.
3) Recommendations for ASDA in context of appropriate knowledge management information
systems
Knowledge management systems refer to any type of IT programme that aid to retrieves
and stores knowledge, locates information sources, improves collaboration, mines repositories
for captures, info and utilizes knowledge or in some other manner enhances KM procedure.
There are varied types of knowledge management information systems accessible in current
digital world that can be used by many companies in order to stores their essential data for long
period.
Data Warehousing -
Warehousing data is based on ASDA that quality of manager’s decision is relying on at
least in part on quality of data. The aim of storing data in a centralized programme is thus to have
way to cater them right building blocks for sound knowledge and information. It contains info
ranging from measuring of business performance to competitive intelligence (Swetha and et.al.,
2018). Techniques and tools of data mining can be utilized to search stored data and information
for patterns that may be leads to new insights. It is typically known as driver of data driven
decision support programmes, discussed in following subsection. Data warehousing is one of the
best knowledge management information systems that pulls together data from several different
sources within a company for analysis and reporting.
Reports developed from difficult queries within a data warehouse are utilized to make
decision in context of business. It is centralized data storage programme that helps to permit
firms to integrate data from several sources & applications into one location. Warehousing also
permit management to manage large amounts of difficult data in an effective manner.
Content management systems-
Along with above knowledge management knowledge systems, CMS is also beneficial
for ASDA that they can use to improve business performance rather than before. They are very

suitable to knowledge management since they are accountable for administration, creation and
distribution of content on extranet, websites and intranet (Goldberg, Asok and Lee, Box Inc,
2017). This system is a discipline in itself so this part can be relatively brief only outlining
common considerations. It consist some following functions that impact on growth of business
rather than before. For example, content management system cater template for publishing, tag
content with metadata and permit for collaborative work on content. It comes in varied forms and
a company must carefully examine what it needs. It integrated document management
programmes, permitting for parallel content development and caters extensions & plug-ins for
maximized functionality. Content management system tools aid ASDA build their online site
right from scratch without any issues. It helps to keeps control and manages intact, permits
flexibility, and offer the best security features that protect business account & websites from
hackers.
Decision support systems-
It is computerized system used to help determinations, decisions and courses of action
take in company or a business. DSS moves through and examines massive amounts of data,
compiling comprehensive info that will be used to solve issues and enhance decision making
process. There are varied forms of such programmes, however data driven decision support
systems is considered as the best one (Seneviratne and et.al., 2019). To manipulate and access
data is the role of this system and mostly work with a data warehouse use an online analytical
procedure system. Common info used by this system includes tasked or target revenue, sales
figures and other inventory related data. It helps of collects and analyzes data, synthesizing it to
produce comprehensive info reports. In this manner as a data application, a decision support
system different from an ordinary operations app whose act is just to gather data. It can may be
powered by humans or completely computerized, but in some cases it might be combine both
that is quite beneficial for ASDA when they use it. Ideal systems analyze info and actually make
decisions for company, at very least they allow management to make more statistic or informed
decisions at a faster pace.
Document management systems-

It is a knowledge management information system especially utilize, manage, track and
store important documents and reduce paper work (Millefiorini and et.al., 2018). Most systems
are able of keeping a record of different versions changes and created by varied users. It is use of
computer software and programmes to store, track and manage electronic documents based info
captured through utilize of a data scanner. It is how ASDA can stores, organize and monitor their
electronic images of paper and documents. It defines as software that organizes and controls
important reports throughout company. Document management systems incorporate files and
workflow, document repositories, content capture, output systems. It also processes utilized to
control, keep and analyze documents.
Knowledge work system-
It considered as set of procedures developed in firm to create, store, collect and
disseminate ASDA knowledge. Main knowledge systems that help supermarket systems and
knowledge management, group collaboration programmes, knowledge work and artificial
intelligence systems (Rinta-Kahila and et.al., 2018). It aid integrate and support to create
knowledge within firm. It codify data and experience, make gathered data available when and
where it is require by organizations and cater links to external sources of information. CAD,
human resource systems, virtual reality and investment workplace are the examples of
knowledge work system.
After analyzing the above information it has been determined that ASDA is facing many
challenges that impact on its productivity and profitability as well as business growth rather than
before. For example, Company offer their grocery goods and daily basis products to its
consumers with low prices to gain competitive advantages. But it impact on its profitability and
market share negatively. Furthermore, along with this issue organization was unable to gain
attention of new buyers and retain the existing consumers with them because of using outdates
technologies in context of knowledge management and data storage. Intense competitive
environment also create another biggest challenge for company that affect sales and profit
margin of ASDA.
 To overcome these problems or challenges firm recommended adopting the most
effective and suitable knowledge management information systems.

 They must use content management system, because it improve current business practices
and also beneficial in the future. It keeps info safe and secure for long period of time as it
provides total control over websites content in site. In recent time, it is quite difficult for
companies to manage document related to business.
 Content management systems help firm to achieve their objectives as it permit flexibility
which can be added unique features & modules as per needs that makes ASDA business
websites highly scalable.
 Company should use this latest KMIS over their current one because it updated websites
on a regular basis such as content & design keep websites highly secured and better SEO
ranking in context to freshness of content.
 It is very essential for company to create a good marketing content which require latest
technology or system. By using content management system tool ASDA built their
websites that are not restricted to any count of number of pages. It allow firm to acquire
access to numerous features and pages.
 Content management system makes it possible for ASDA workers to work on site no
matter where location is as it helps to manage current business knowledge on websites
without facing issues like hacking. This system has best security features that protect firm
websites and content from cybercriminals.
 ASDA also must use documents management systems within their current IT department
as it help to protect documents for long regarding sales, consumers and import & export
functions. It is quite expensive to store paper files for long time which impact on current
and future business practices. DMS help in context it, as it reduces need for document
cabinets, storage bins and boxes. It is valuable and effective asset to company, freeing up
earlier office space.
4) Different challenges which may be faced by the company at the time of implementing the
recommendation
Employee resistance: This is one of the biggest management issues which will may be
faced by the company at the time of implementing the new technology in the organization. As
bringing something new in the organization will eventually create the variety of the issue for the
employee to understand the same in the organization (Wellner and Lakotta, 2020). This
eventually will create the variety of the issue in the organization to implement the new

technology in the organization. This issue can be overcome by the company in the market by
offering good amount of the training to the employee in the organization to carry out different
operation of the business in the market. This will eventually help them in resisting the different
changes and understanding the different operation of new machinery very easily in the market.
Financial issue: It is another issue which can be faced by the company at the time of
implementing new technology in the organization. As it has been find out that organization will
require a good amount of the finance for procuring the technology and managing the same in the
organization that easily. To overcome the same issue in the organization, organization has to
make sure that they used to make good amount of the capital reserve in the organization to have
a good amount of the fund in the market all the time in the market to carry out different operation
of the business that easily in the market (Lewis, 2017).
Policy change: It is another issue which can be faced by the company at the time of
implementing the IT infrastructure in the organization. Organization has to make sure that they
used to bring the variety of the new policy in the organization to carry out different operation of
the business in the organization. As it has been identified that different policy need to make in
the organization to carry out the different operation of the business. To overcome the same issue
in the organization, organization has to make sure that they used to look at the different
alternative in the organization to make the variety of the different policy in the organization to
overcome different operation in the organization.
CONCLUSION
From above discussion it has been concluded that ASDA Company operates their
business with skilled and talented applicants who are able to cater their services and offer
products according to the need of consumers. By taking right action and using content
management as well as document management systems organization achieve business objectives
as it help them to protect their documents from hackers and keep it store.
Furthermore, it has been summarized that by using PESTLE, SWOT and Porter five
forces models company determine their weakness, factors that impact business and its
competitor’s power. After determining all these things they can take decision in effective manner

about how to overcome within it which is beneficial for firm in term of increasing profitability
and productivity level.

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