Diploma in Business: Advanced Sustainability - KCA Report Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the knowledge management system at Kimberly Clark Australia (KCA). It begins by identifying key forms of knowledge creation within KCA, including manufacturing, marketing, sales, and corporate functions, and then delves into the benchmarking processes that drive cultural change. The report highlights the importance of knowledge sharing and the role of the syndicate team in managing knowledge. It then evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of KCA's current system. Part B of the report presents a detailed knowledge management plan, including an executive summary, aims and objectives, data analysis, knowledge creation and sharing strategies, management processes, staff development needs, and contingency measures. The report concludes with an evaluation of the system and includes references and appendices with supporting data and analyses. The report provides a thorough overview of KCA's knowledge management practices and offers a strategic plan for improvement.

Running head: DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS: ADVANCED SUSTAINABILITY
Knowledge management system of Kimberly Clark, Australia
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS: ADVANCED SUSTAINABILITY
Table of contents
Assessment 1..............................................................................................................................2
Part A.........................................................................................................................................2
Key forms of knowledge created by KCA.............................................................................2
Benchmarking process of KCA leading to cultural change...................................................3
Need for sharing knowledge..................................................................................................4
Syndicate team’s approach towards knowledge management of KCA.................................4
Key strengths and weakness of knowledge management system of KCA............................5
Part B..........................................................................................................................................6
Knowledge Management Plan...................................................................................................6
Executive summary................................................................................................................6
Aims and objectives...............................................................................................................6
The need for knowledge management...................................................................................6
Summary of data analyses and trends....................................................................................6
Knowledge Creation...............................................................................................................6
Knowledge Harnessing and Sharing......................................................................................7
Knowledge Management Processes.......................................................................................7
Staff learning and development needs and plans...................................................................7
Knowledge Management resources.......................................................................................7
Perceived constraints and contingency measures..................................................................8

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DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS: ADVANCED SUSTAINABILITY
Evaluation of Knowledge Management System....................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................10
Appendices...............................................................................................................................12
Appendix 1...........................................................................................................................12
Appendix 2...........................................................................................................................12
Appendix 3...........................................................................................................................13

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DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS: ADVANCED SUSTAINABILITY
Assessment 1
Part A
Key forms of knowledge created by KCA
Knowledge sharing is important for organizations like KCA in terms of gaining an
insight into the needs of the clients and the customers. On the other hand, sharing knowledge
enables KCA to measure the feasibility of the developed knowledge in terms of the identified
aims and objectives (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018). For securing the position in the market,
KCA creates and shares the following knowledge:
 Manufacturing- enhances the preconceived knowledge of the employees about
patents, copyrights, technologies and innovative products. Innovation in the
manufacturing process helps KCA in gaining competitive advantage
 Marketing- Market research helps in gaining an insight into the competitors. This
insight is assistance in terms of preparing strategies for aligning with the competitive
pace. Information about the competitors enables KCA to increase the demands for the
healthcare products.
 Sales- Here, knowledge regarding customer relationship management is created.
Within this, knowledge about the needs, demands and requirements of the customers
are shared with the clients (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).
 Corporate- Financial knowledge is gained for assessing the drawbacks. This
assessment is assistance in terms of formulating effective strategies for upgrading the
standards and quality of the performance.
Research and development team plays a major role in shaping the knowledge. As a matter
of specification, R&D team members seek innovative designs for manufacturing the

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healthcare products. This innovation is one of the effective means for achieving satisfaction
from the customers. Information about the local market, competitors and consumers helps
KCA in assessing their position within the area in which they are operating. This knowledge
is assistance in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of the adopted marketing strategies
(Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).
Benchmarking process of KCA leading to cultural change
Like all other brands, KCA sets benchmark against 180 corresponding plants. As a
matter of specification, the benchmarking process involves access to the consolidated
database, which consists of the essential information of the manufacturing plants. Along with
this, it also includes the information about the other plants. Presentation sessions enhance the
awareness of the clients about the developed standards of business mechanisms. Along with
this, mention can be made of common performance management, which is an integral
component of the business operations of KCA. The speed with which the business activities
are conducted and the wastes generated are considered for reviewing the current strategic
condition. This review helps in setting the standards for upgrading the efficiency (Kimberly-
clark.com.au 2018).
Regularity within the data entries is assistance helps the managers to compare their
performance with that of the other plants. These entries prove beneficial in assessing the
extent to which KCA has been successful in reaching to the benchmark level of performance.
In reaching to the benchmark level of performance, the clients help KCA members.
This alliance enhances the cultural diversity of the workplace. Contacting with the clients
proves fruitful for KCA in terms of seeking effective means for improving the nature of
business. Mention can be made of the plans to utilize the shop floors to increasing the
production line. Transparency in the business operations enhances the stability between the

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relationship between the clients and the personnel (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018). Offshore
management has helped KCA to enhance the supply chain network, diversifying the business
operations. This type of management has resulted in upgrading the standards and quality of
the knowledge created within the workplace.
Using social media marketing has enabled KCA to increase the trafficking of
audience towards the brand image. Within this, use of security cookies and policies reflects
the workplace culture in terms of ensuring the wellbeing of the clients and the customers.
Feedbacks and surveys through the social networking sites have improved the parameters of
corporate communication. Safety policies for the employees reflect the conscious approach
towards risk assessment, making the workplace of KCA congenial for the clients and the
customers (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).
Need for sharing knowledge
Sharing knowledge is an integral part of the business operations in KCA.
Transmission of knowledge helps in reducing the knowledge gaps, which is essential in terms
of executing the operations in an efficient and effective manner. Sharing the current sales
trends with the clients enhances the awareness of the personnel about the market
requirements. This sharing act improves the communication with the customers. Typical
example of this is the social media, where knowledge about the newly manufactured
healthcare products is shared with the clients. Emphasizing on the innovation within the
products is beneficial in terms of improving the efficiency (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).
Syndicate team’s approach towards knowledge management of KCA
Syndicate plays a major role in conducting the business operations of KCA across
Australia. Different and wide ranging programs are planned for improving the efficiency.
This is through the means of sharing the market information. Typical example of this is

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offshore management, which widens the scope and arena of the organization. Problem
solving cycle is an essential component in the functions of Syndicate team. Assistance in
training and development programs is accounted as an important part of Syndicate’s
functionalities towards the business of KCA (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).
Key strengths and weakness of knowledge management system of KCA
Strengths
 Wide supply chain network
 Skilled and qualified salesperson, which is useful for increasing the sales growth
 Assistance in achieving the benchmark for sales
 Cost effective for enhancing the efficiency of the production of healthcare products
 Increases the satisfaction of the workers through reducing employee turnover
Weakness
 Dependence on shareholders and stakeholders for collecting knowledge
 Lack of understanding regarding the adopted processes
 Absence of security cookies and policies
 Lack of understanding towards effective handling of data (Kimberly-clark.com.au
2018)

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Part B
Knowledge Management Plan
Executive summary
Planning is crucial for KCA in terms of ensuring whether the adopted knowledge
management system is effective or not. Taking into consideration the short, medium and long
trends would be effective in securing the market position.
Aims and objectives
The aim of this plan is to assess the impact of knowledge management systems on the
overall productivity of Kimberly Clark, Australia. Based on the aim, the objective would be
to excavate the feasibility of the techniques through knowledge is shared, harnessed and
created in the workplace of Kimberly Clark, Australia.
The need for knowledge management
Management of knowledge is needed in terms of estimating the progress of KCA with
the current strategic condition. Using knowledge management systems would reduce the
individual labour of the managers and add automation within the operations.
Summary of data analyses and trends
The graphs project fluctuation in the trends in revenue of Kimberly Clark through the
financial years of 1999 to 2017. The major drives behind this are increase in workforce and
adoption of social media, which have enhanced the supply chain network (refer to appendix).
Knowledge Creation
Knowledge regarding sales, production, marketing and the current trends need to be
created. This is in terms of enhancing the awareness of the clients about the proposed plans.

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Presentations would be an effective means for transmitting this knowledge to the clients and
the customers.
Knowledge Harnessing and Sharing
Developing training and development programs for the employees would be effective
in terms of sharing the knowledge. Uploading the information on social networking sites
would strengthen the customer base for KCA. Contacting the clients would upgrade the
standards of information. Involving the customers within this process would uplift the
standards and quality of the business operations.
Knowledge Management Processes
At the initial stage, research would be conducted on the subject matter. Observations
and experiments would be carried out by KCA. After collecting the required data, its
appropriateness would be checked. Upon the completion of the evaluation, the managers
would share the information with the clients and the customers. After this, feedbacks would
be collected for checking the feasibility of the information in terms of the identified and the
specified aims and objectives.
Staff learning and development needs and plans
The top level managers need to take the initiatives towards identifying the needs of
the staffs. For this, performance appraisal needs to be conducted. This appraisal would help
in identifying the drawbacks, which needs to be modified. This insight would help the
managers of KCA to plan effective training programs for the employees. These trainings
would enhance the preconceived skills, expertise and knowledge of the employees, indicative
of enhancing efficiency and productivity.
Knowledge Management resources
The following are the important knowledge management resources of KCA:

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 Story telling session
 Mentoring/Coaching classes
 Training programs
 Group discussions between teams
Perceived constraints and contingency measures
Constraints
 Time
 Finance
 Lack of understanding from the employees
 Lack of adequate resources
 Communication gaps
Contingency measures
 Extensive research
 Review of the current strategic condition
 Planning
 Adopting advanced technologies
Evaluation of Knowledge Management System
Comparing the current knowledge management systems would help KCA to assess
the effectiveness of the harnessed knowledge. Tracking the performance of the employees
would reflect proper utilization of the knowledge management systems. Continuity needs to
be maintained in the monitoring process.

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References
Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018. Leading the world in the essentials for a better life. Available
at: http://www.kimberly-clark.com.au/ [Accessed on 28th Nov 2018]

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Bibliography
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processes. Routledge.
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formulation and implementation of organization strategy. Journal of Knowledge
Management, 21(2), pp.308-329.
Del Giudice, M. and Maggioni, V., 2014. Managerial practices and operative directions of
knowledge management within inter-firm networks: a global view. Journal of Knowledge
Management, 18(5), pp.841-846.
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.
Geisler, E. and Wickramasinghe, N., 2015. Principles of Knowledge Management: Theory,
Practice, and Cases: Theory, Practice, and Cases. Routledge.
Hislop, D., Bosua, R. and Helms, R., 2018. Knowledge management in organizations: A
critical introduction. Oxford University Press.
Martín-de Castro, G., 2015. Knowledge management and innovation in knowledge-based and
high-tech industrial markets: The role of openness and absorptive capacity. Industrial
Marketing Management, 47, pp.143-146.