Detailed Report: Analysis of a Failed Knowledge Management Project

This report analyzes the failure of a knowledge management (KM) project within a global company. The project, aimed at improving order handling services, failed due to various factors, including a focus on specific areas instead of cross-departmental collaboration, duplication of efforts, and over-reliance on IT systems. The report discusses the importance of addressing areas such as people, technology, structure, culture, and processes to improve KM. It suggests discovering existing knowledge sources, using informal structures, and involving users in the design and implementation of KM initiatives. The report outlines a six-step process for institutionalizing KM, including establishing a program, preparing for change, determining technology, assessing the current state, preparing an implementation roadmap, and measuring and improving the program. The conclusion emphasizes the necessity of proper KM implementation for organizational success. The report references relevant literature to support its analysis.

Take Home Exercise -7.1

INTRODUCTION
A global company has plan to implement a knowledge management programme Alpha
as company is facing many loss which is due to inefficiency of offering integrated solutions. The
Alpha was prepared in order to create a document for order handing services. But knowledge
management project prove to be a failure. The various aspects of KM will be discussed in
reports.
MAIN BODY
Several reasons lie behind the failure of KM project such as the company has enhanced
their knowledge and focuses only on a particular area within the organization the other functional
units or groups of business were not taken into consideration which resulted in the loss of
business. The main reason behind failure of KM might be duplication of efforts, increased likely
hood of errors are some of the reason behind its failure. However instead of focusing on
particular group the company should focus on encouraging cross departmental collaboration and
discussion.
There are many other reasons which has resulted in failure of KM such dependence of IT
system for knowledge management, the excess expenditure on KM (Nonaka & Toyama, 2015).
In order to deal with this company might take into consideration the following areas which are
people, technology, structure, culture, processes. As earlier the company has focuses on
particular group within organization which created a problem for company therefore if company
now develop programme and make strategies such as focusing on increasing ability of people as
well as good work process. Along with use of appropriate technology, structure and culture so
altogether result in enhancement of knowledge in respect of use of technology, encouraging
expertise, knowledge driven culture which will ensure long term success (Hislop, Bosua, &
Helms, 2018).
For designing KM: Existing knowledge sources in organization should be discovered
such as document knowledge, text mining, intelligence gathering etc., it all will be performed
using surveys, questionnaire, focus group interview etc. the company should use an informal
structure where company should focus on communities which is made up of collection of
communities. In order to successfully launch KM initiative, assessment of work practices, cost
benefit analysis etc., should be done. The user should also be involved in designing and
implementation along with technical and managerial support. By gaining an information about
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knowledge sources a company a company will be able to assess the needs of company and plan
for the KM project accordingly (Knowledge management, 2019).
Institutionalization of knowledge management
Step 1: Establishment of knowledge management programme
To establish integrated solution within organization in order to handle services to gain leadership
in market. Which will include introduction of best pracices by understanding current
management needs,
Step 2: Prepare for change
Knowledge management expertise should be recruited to encourage knowledge sharing
behaviours of employees across different departments
Step 3: Determining and prioritizing technology
Technology will be used in company which will enhance and mange knowledge mangement
activities. Based on programme objective technology should be used.
Step 4: Assessing current state
Current state of organization will be assessed focusing on five core areas which are process,
people, technology, culture and structure.
Step 5: Preparing KM implementation roadmap
Key milestones will be designed which will include short term goals.
Step 6: Measuring and improving KM programme
After implementation it is necessary to monitor the working of applied KM within organisation.
It can be done by comparing old results and new results.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that proper implementation of KM is necessary for success of
organization.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Hislop, D., Bosua, R., & Helms, R. (2018). Knowledge management in organizations: A critical
introduction. Oxford University Press.
Nonaka, I., & Toyama, R. (2015). The knowledge-creating theory revisited: knowledge creation
as a synthesizing process. In The essentials of knowledge management. (pp. 95-110).
Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Online
Knowledge management. 2019. [Online] Available through
<https://edge.siriuscom.com/strategy/8-steps-to-implementing-a-knowledge-
management-program-at-your-organization>
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