Knowledge Management Report: Analysis of KCA Case Study

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of KCA's knowledge management practices. It examines how KCA creates knowledge through market research and R&D, shares knowledge internally and externally, and utilizes a consolidated database for benchmarking. The report explores the impact of knowledge management on product development, collaborative functioning, and the efficiency of operations. It also discusses the role of legislation in knowledge management, the AS 5037-2005 framework, and the syndicate team approach for knowledge transfer. The report highlights both the strengths of knowledge sharing, such as increased transparency, and potential weaknesses, such as data privacy concerns. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of knowledge management for organizational success and provides insights into how KCA manages and shares information to enhance its business performance.

Running head: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Assessment 1
Part A
Answer to question 1
The concerned organization, KCA, creates knowledge through a variety of ways and the
knowledge helps the organization in developing the products and services as per the needs of the
customers. The different aspects of change that are undertaken by the organization are dependent
on the smooth functioning of the R&D operations. In this relation, the concerned organization
recruited a team of market consultants for identifying the market and competitor trends (Hall
2003). On the other hand, the identification of the diverse needs of the customers has helped the
concerned organization in upholding the efficiency of the research and development activities for
modifying the range of product and service offerings as per the needs of the consumers. In this
relation, the key changes that are undertaken by the organization are based on the strengthening
of the R&D departments, which assisted the business in maintaining the efficiency of the
operations as per the requirements and preferences of the customers.
The major facility of R&D department of the organization is located in Neenah. The
knowledge of the local markets has helped the organization in improving the operations that arte
undertaken by the R&D department of the same. On the other hand, the different changes that are
undertaken by the organization is dependent on the assessment of the needs of the customers.
Therefore, the market research that is being undertaken by the organization acts as an efficient
means of creating knowledge for the organizational operations.

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The organization also undertook steps to share internal knowledge among the different
internal divisions and departments for the collaborative functioning of the employees in
accordance to the organizational needs. On the other hand, the organization shared external
knowledge with its customers, typically retailers, in order to keep the same aware of the different
propositions that are made by the same. Hall (2003) stated that communication is one of the
most familiar ways of knowledge transfer which helps an organization in making the concerned
people aware of the modifications. Therefore, the concerned organization has taken steps to
share knowledge through communication of the modifications as per the needs of the business.
Answer to question 2
The concerned organization holds a consolidated database, which helped the business
venture in benchmarking the operations that are planned by the same. On the other hand, the
concerned organization has undertaken steps to maintain Common performance measures for all
the activities, which has helped the business in assessing the operations that are undertaken by
the same. On the other hand, the plants under the organization undertake routine checks of the
performance data, which helped in maintaining the efficiency of the operations (Hall 2003). The
creation of the common performance measures and the utilization of cloud computing
technologies have helped the business in maintaining the equality of the knowledge among all
the departments. It has helped the business on maintaining the collaborative functioning of the
departments as per the concerns of the smooth functioning of the business.
The benchmarking procedure of the organization has brought about a change in the
culture of the business related to share of knowledge principles. The share of knowledge among

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the department of the organization has helped in developing a collaborative culture in the
business venture, which helped in boosting the productivity of the business.
Answer to question 3
The concerned organization is required to create and share knowledge with the purpose
of facilitating the smooth operations of the business. Knowledge on the needs of the customers
and the market trends will be helping the organization in bringing forth developments in the line
of product offerings. On the other hand, the knowledge that is being shared between the
different departments of the organization will help the same in facilitating the collaborative
functioning of the departments towards the common objectives of the business. Hall (2003)
stated that the uniformity of the knowledge among the different departments ion the processes
helps an organization in maintaining the collaborative functioning of the employees. On the other
hand, sharing knowledge with the customers will help the business in making the same aware of
the propositions. Knowledge creation and sharing will help the organization in identifying the
target market base and the chief requirements, which will assist the business in bringing forth
developments in the line of products and services.
Answer to question 4
The syndicate team approach that is being undertaken by the organization through which
the new recruits are placed near the experienced employees and thereby facilitate transfer of
knowledge. The syndicate team approach has helped the organization in retaining the knowledge
of the employees even after the retirements and thereby reduce the costs relating to induction and
training (Hall 2003). On the other hand, the extensive learning and development programs that
are undertaken by the organization have helped the same in making the new talents aware of

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their job roles and responsibilities in accordance to the needs of the business organization. Hall
(2003) stated that the key modifications that are undertaken by the business is dependent on the
knowledge of the employees and the design of the processes. In this relation, the concerned
organization has undertaken the syndicate team approach, which helped the business in
maintaining the efficacy of knowledge sharing attributes. The syndicate approach of the
organization helped the same in achieving the immediate results of training and inducing the
employees as per the needs of the business. On the other hand, the approach has helped the
organization in reducing cost of training and retaining the knowledge gained by the experienced
employees.
Answer to question 5
The system of knowledge management and sharing has a coherent influence on the
collaborative functioning of the business systems. The major strength of knowledge sharing
between the different departments of the organization helps the same in maintaining the
transparency of operations as per the concerns of the business. On the other hand, the major
weakness of the knowledge sharing aspect is based on the privacy of the organization’s
confidential information. The cloud computing technologies and the wider availability of
information might result to data breach that might affect the brand image of the business.

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Assessment 2
Answer to question 1
Knowledge management is a multidisciplinary approach, which is based on the creation,
sharing, utilization and management of important information as per the needs of the
organization. Donate and de Pablo (2015) stated that the key developments that are undertaken
by the organizations are dependent on the knowledge that is being created and shared among the
different departments. On the other hand, Andreeva and Kianto (2012) referred to knowledge as
one of the major aspects through which an organization operates in an environment. The
different aspects of organizational management are dependent on the knowledge of the processes
and the collaborative functioning of the departments through efficient transmission of the
knowledge. In this relation, Knowledge management works as an efficient tool for enhancing
the operations of the business as per the concerns that are faced by the business. Durst and
Runar Edvardsson (2012) stated that the proficient knowledge management mechanisms in an
organization helps the same in maintaining the efficiency of the operations as per the concerns
that are faced by the same.
Answer to question 2
The legislations that advocated knowledge management practices in Australia are
Archives Act 1983, Archives Regulations and Privacy Act 1988. The legislations clearly
enumerate the different activities that might be followed by organizations while managing the
knowledge elements (Naa.gov.au., 2019). The Archives Act 1983 aims at empowering the
National Archives of Australia related to recordkeeping practices in the Australian Government.
The act also aims at maintaining a standard for managing Commonwealth records (Section 2A).

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The different elements of the act aims at maintaining the efficiency of the knowledge
management perspective as per the privacy concerns. The Archives Regulations requires the
Australian Government agencies in providing the Archives with documentation. It also aims at
advising the supporting agencies’ activities related to dealings. The act aims at maintaining the
secrecy and privacy of the archives while operating on the management elements of knowledge
in the industry. The Privacy Act 1988 aims at regulating and handling personal information about
individuals (Naa.gov.au. 2019). The act aims at providing the different organizations with a
consolidated framework related to the utilization of personal information of individuals without
compromising the secrecy of the same. The legislations aimed at maintaining the efficiency of
the knowledge management operations related to recordkeeping and privacy that are undertaken
by organizations in order to maintain the efficiency of sharing, creation and utilization of
knowledge without tampering the interests of the stakeholders. The code of practice that is
adhered by the managers are dependent on the adherence to the ISO 30401:2018 (Naa.gov.au.,
2019). The different activities that are undertaken by the organizations are dependent on the
privacy needs of the businesses. In this relation, the systematic development of the KM systems
in Australia is dependent on the regulations that are imposed in order to maintain the privacy of
the information that is being utilized by the organizations for maximizing the operations.
Answer to question 5
The standard that is being followed in Australia for managing knowledge is AS 5037-
2005 (Ferguson 2006). The concerned framework, AS 5037-2005, is cyclical which comprised
of three phases labeled Mapping, building and Operationalizing. The main feature of the
framework is based on the different needs of an organization. The development of the phases in
an organization helps the same in maintaining the efficiency of the KM process in accordance to

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the need of the same. The chief feature of the framework is dependent on the provisions that are
created by the same for the managers to identify the different systematic steps that might be
undertaken by the same in order to maintain the efficiency of the KM procedure. On the other
hand, the framework has also undertaken steps to simplify the complexity of the knowledge
management procedures and thereby assisted the managers in maintaining the efficiency of the
operations.

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References
Andreeva, T. and Kianto, A., 2012. Does knowledge management really matter? Linking
knowledge management practices, competitiveness and economic performance. Journal of
knowledge management, 16(4), pp.617-636.
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.
Durst, S. and Runar Edvardsson, I., 2012. Knowledge management in SMEs: a literature
review. Journal of Knowledge Management, 16(6), pp.879-903.
Ferguson, S., 2006. AS 5037–2005: knowledge management blueprint for Australian
organisations?. The Australian Library Journal, 55(3), pp.196-209.
Hall, R., 2003. [online] Businesschamber.com.au. Available at:
http://www.businesschamber.com.au/NSWBC/media/Misc/Ask%20Us%20How/Knowledge-
Management-in-the-New-Business-Environment-Case-Studies.pdf [Accessed 12 Mar. 2019].
Naa.gov.au., 2019. Legislation, policies, standards and advice – National Archives of Australia,
Australian Government. [online] Naa.gov.au. Available at: http://www.naa.gov.au/information-
management/information-governance/legislation-standards/index.aspx [Accessed 12 Mar. 2019].