Swinburne University: INF80040 Knowledge Management Report

This report delves into the crucial role of leadership and top management in knowledge management within modern organizations. It begins with an executive summary highlighting the significant association between leadership actions and knowledge management. The introduction defines knowledge management as a process of sharing, creating, managing, and utilizing organizational knowledge, emphasizing its multidisciplinary approach. The body of the report discusses the impact of leadership on knowledge management, emphasizing how leadership qualities influence knowledge levels, employee motivation, and overall business performance. It also explores the role of top management in supporting knowledge creation, aligning knowledge management activities with corporate strategy, and improving employee relations. The conclusion underscores the intertwined influence of leadership and top management on effective knowledge management and organizational profitability, emphasizing the importance of their coordination in maximizing knowledge utilization within the industry.

Running head: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive Summary
This report is built on analysis of the role that is played by the leadership and top
management in the knowledge management process in the modern organizations. The review
of previous literature has been able to depict an effective association between leadership and
knowledge management related actions. The relationship which has been developed between
knowledge management process and top management has also been discussed in the literature
review. The analysis has been able to depict that both top management and leadership are
able to play a key part in the knowledge management. Knowledge management also plays a
significant part in the proper operations of modern companies.

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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................3
Discussion based on the role played by leadership in knowledge management............3
Discussion based on the role played by top management in knowledge management..5
Conclusion......................................................................................................................6
References......................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Knowledge management is mainly considered to be a process which can be used for
the purpose of sharing, creating, managing and using the knowledge or the information of the
organization. This is mainly based on the multidisciplinary approach that can help in the
achievement of various organizational objectives along with the proper usage of knowledge.
The discipline of knowledge management was established in the year 1991 which has been
included effectively in the field based on the business administration. The research based on
knowledge management thereby includes many different fields like, computer science, public
policy, public health and the media and information (Birasnav 2014).
The literature review will be based on the role that is played by the leadership and the
top management of an organization in the proper application of knowledge management
based systems in modern companies. The resources of the many organizations are dedicated
in an effective manner on the knowledge management related activities.
Discussion based on the role played by leadership in knowledge management
As discussed by, Donate and de Pablo (2015), leadership in an organization plays a
significant part in the effectiveness of the operations. Leadership is thereby considered to be a
trait which is mainly inbuilt in nature or can be acquired effectively as well. Leadership is
mainly based on the human psychology and the tactics which are used by the experts. The
leaders of the organizations should not dominate over their subordinates. The ways by which
a person is able to lead and manage the employees or members of team who operate under
him is an important aspect of leadership based qualities. The leaders are able to play a major
part in the ways by which the knowledge is levels are managed within the organization. In the
modern environment knowledge plays a main part in increasing the levels of profitability and
revenues as well.

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According to, Dong et al. (2017), knowledge and learning act as important factors
which also act as driving forces for the competitiveness and success of the business
operations. The knowledge intensive organizations are thereby able to use the knowledge
levels effectively to operate in the industry. The knowledge management process has thereby
become much more intense in the modern organizations which operate in the 21st century.
The companies can thereby obtain sustainable advantage in an effective way with the proper
usage of available knowledge. The leaders are capable of achieving the highest levels of
business performance and climate in the country.
As argued by, Inkinen (2016), the sharing of knowledge and information is based on
the ways by which leaders are able to motivate the employees in an effective manner. The
motivated employees are only able to receive knowledge in such a manner which can help
them to provide efficient services to the organizations. The commitment and leadership is
thereby highly important for the effective knowledge management in the organizations.
Leadership is thereby able to play a major role on the proper management of knowledge in
the modern organizations. The success of leaders is thereby based on the proper division of
knowledge. Leadership is thereby considered to be a procedure which is researched in a
frequent manner in the 21st century.
As discussed by, North and Kumta (2018), knowledge is thereby considered to be a
major factor based vitality and innovation within the organizations. The performance of the
organizations is thereby based on knowledge that are possessed by the employees in an
effective manner. Charismatic leadership is the most favourable in modern organizations to
manage the levels of knowledge efficiently. The major characteristics which are possessed by
the charismatic leaders are based on three major factors which include, articulation and
vision, the personal risk levels and the levels of sensitivity to the needs of followers.

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The charismatic leaders are able to possess clear levels of vision and capacity to
influence the employees as well. Knowledge management is thereby possible with the help of
charismatic leaders of the modern organizations who are able to manage the employees and
their levels of knowledge in an efficient manner. Knowledge management can also be
considered to be a major promotion of organizational performance and application of
systems, structure and the culture which is able to support the knowledge levels in an
effective manner. The need for knowledge management is an important part of the
responsibilities that are managed by the effective leaders of modern companies (Obeidat,
Zyod and Gharaibeh 2015).
Discussion based on the part played by top management in knowledge management
The top management of the organizations are able to provide support to the process of
knowledge creation. The effectiveness of knowledge management based practices are quite
low if support is not provided by top management. The guidelines that are provided to the
employees can play a major part in the ways by which knowledge can be managed
effectively. The support of top management is also based on the presence of effective leaders
or managers. The leaders thereby play a major part in the process of proper development of
knowledge (Overall 2015).
The dynamic nature of the knowledge is quite difficult to manage by the
organizations. The success of knowledge management can be measured effectively by the
different outcomes of knowledge process that take place within the organizations. The top
management will thereby play a major role in aligning the knowledge management related
activities with the corporate strategy. The implementation of knowledge management in a
proper manner is based on the improvement of employee relations, competitive advantage,
lower costs and innovation (Sadeghi and Rad 2018).

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Conclusion
The discussion can be concluded by stating that the process of knowledge
management is affected by the leadership and top management of the organization as well.
The managers or leaders thereby need to coordinate the process of knowledge management in
such a manner which can be profitable for the organization. The leaders are thereby able to
affect the entire process of managing the knowledge levels of the employees and using them
efficiently for the organizational profitability within the industry of its operations.

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References
Birasnav, M., 2014. Knowledge management and organizational performance in the service
industry: The role of transformational leadership beyond the effects of transactional
leadership. Journal of Business Research, 67(8), pp.1622-1629.
Donate, M.J. and de Pablo, J.D.S., 2015. The role of knowledge-oriented leadership in
knowledge management practices and innovation. Journal of Business Research, 68(2),
pp.360-370.
Dong, Y., Bartol, K.M., Zhang, Z.X. and Li, C., 2017. Enhancing employee creativity via
individual skill development and team knowledge sharing: Influences of dual‐focused
transformational leadership. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(3), pp.439-458.
Inkinen, H., 2016. Review of empirical research on knowledge management practices and
firm performance. Journal of knowledge management, 20(2), pp.230-257.
North, K. and Kumta, G., 2018. Knowledge management: Value creation through
organizational learning. Springer.
Obeidat, B.Y., Zyod, D.S. and Gharaibeh, A.A.H., 2015. The Associations among
Transformational Leadership, Transactional Leadership, Knowledge Sharing, Job
Performance, and Firm Performance: A Theoretical Model. Journal of Social Sciences
(COES&RJ-JSS), 4(2), pp.848-866.
Overall, J., 2015. A conceptual framework of innovation and performance: The importance of
leadership, relationship quality, and knowledge management. Academy of Entrepreneurship
Journal, 21(2), p.41.

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Sadeghi, A. and Rad, F., 2018. The role of knowledge-oriented leadership in knowledge
management and innovation. Management Science Letters, 8(3), pp.151-160.