Knowledge and Innovation Management: Case Study Analysis Report

This assignment provides a comprehensive analysis of knowledge and innovation management within an organization facing strategic challenges. It begins by addressing three key arguments related to the importance of imagination versus knowledge, the role of research in creating new knowledge, and the potential for innovation in both beginners and experts. The assignment then delves into a case study of Snapshot Industries, examining issues related to mismanagement, knowledge types, the impact of leadership changes, and the implementation of knowledge management principles. Specific answers are provided to questions regarding the company's challenges, including employee resignations, the effectiveness of leadership, and the need for strategic knowledge management to improve organizational performance and foster a more collaborative and innovative environment. The analysis utilizes models like Kurt Lewin's change management theory to suggest practical improvements and strategies for the organization.

knowledge and innovation management

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Argument 1- Imagination is more important than knowledge...................................................2
Argument 2- Research is creating new knowledge....................................................................3
Argument 3- In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's there are few4
Case study..................................................................................................................................5
Answer 1.................................................................................................................................5
Answer 2.................................................................................................................................5
Answer 3.................................................................................................................................6
Answer 4.................................................................................................................................6
Answer 5.................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The age of uncertainty strategic development of organisations is important as it sets
up long term goal for an organisation. The objective of an organisation is analysed and all the
barriers that are faced by expanding the product is analysed. The goal of company is ahead
and path of success is planned by conducting a market and competitive analysis of all the
target audience. In addition it is important to know about the competitor’s strategies and
plans as it helps organisation to build up leadership for the organisation. Thus report is a
complete research about the critical issues that are faced by organisations and the strategic
development of organisations in the age of uncertainty. To deal with such uncertainties
strategic planning in an organization is carried out for management of activity. It is used to
set priorities and focus upon all the resources, strengthens operations and also ensures
that employees and other stakeholders are working toward common objectives. So that
outcome due to changing environment is not affected on the organisation. It is a disciplined
effort that is taken by companies to undertake fundamental decisions and actions. Effective
strategic planning articulates not only where an organization is going and the actions needed
to make progress, but also how it will know if it is successful.
Argument 1- Imagination is more important than knowledge
I completely disagree with the saying that Imagination is more important than
knowledge. Both knowledge and imagination are the keys to success but knowledge is a
necessity. Knowledge helps a person to achieve what he has already imagined. Knowledge is
more important as it supports in conversion of the beliefs that he had imagined into the
reality. No doubt, imagination is essential as it brings out more creative and innovative ideas.
On the other hand, it does not bring out any positive outcome. If a person has proper
knowledge it is sure he will go in a right direction. Imagination can take a person in a wrong
direction and also there is no surety of success. Imagination can allow an individual to think

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about millions of things but knowledge helps in making it true and real. Imagination doesn’t
bring out any productive output but the possession of true and appropriate knowledge by a
person to choose a right path. Imagination is all based on fiction values as well as knowledge
is based on some fact and figures. Thus a person with knowledge will always result in correct
outcome on the other hand outcome of imagination is not certain. Knowledge is helpful in
every way as it promotes a person to make their life easier in every sector. Imagination can
never help a person to go for longer run but knowledge can assist a person to achieve great
success. Knowledge is the power and strength that takes a person in right direction and is
always superior to imagination. Imagination cannot give the power to a person to achieve
specific goals but knowledge allows a person to bring imagination into reality a person
without knowledge cannot survive I this world but a person without imagination can survive.
For example, Mark Zuckerberg owner of Facebook when kept the idea in his mind was of no
value but with its knowledge it made the idea come true. Thus it can be stated that knowledge
is more important that innovation.
Argument 2- Research is creating new knowledge
I completely agree on the fact that Research is creating new knowledge. Research is
always about bringing advanced technology in the market that makes the life easy of a person
in the society. It brings out advanced knowledge for the people but bringing high quality of
services. The discovery of new techniques and knowledge is important as it inbuilt
characteristics for the society. In today’s era, it is important to create knowledge rather than
using it. The advancement in knowledge helps in uplifting the overall growth by innovating
new ideas. Research is always beneficial as it brings out something new that makes the life
better and easier. Research helps in exploring new facts and data and helps in knowing about
the things that are unaware in the market. Research in short helps in bringing out the future
trends and removing the shortcomings from the present scenario. Research is mostly carried
out to bring long term success and acquiring new knowledge and implementing in the form of
services. Research enables audience to gain better clarity and confidence. Research helps a
person in identifying the future variables but looking at all the shortcomings in the present

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environment. Research helps a person to gain depth knowledge about a particular situation. It
helps them to gain knowledge in all the directions by analyzing the habits of target audience.
It is completely true that research is all about creating new knowledge rather than using old
facts and figures. Research helps a person to bring out some new technology, technique or
idea that is not available in the market. Research helps a person to analyses the situation from
all the direction so that a right outcome can be figured out. It provides greater transferability
and also helps in bringing out new control variables. For example, the health sector has
become advanced these days because of new technologies that are researched in the market.
Argument 3- In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in
the expert's there are few
I disagree from the saying that in the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in
the expert's there are few. Beginners mind do have many possibilities, they do have
innovative and creative ideas in their mind but they are without any knowledge and
experience. One a person is expert in some field they have wider perception of things and
knowledge. That allows expertise to think in all the direction by bringing out new ideas and
different possibilities. Experts have wider range of scope as they are have more knowledge
and practical experiences. Wherein, the beginners have less research about any field and
sector that results in lesser scope. The practical knowledge in beginners is very less thus the
possibilities in their mind is also limited. As they can think in a narrow way but once a person
gets experience it allow them to think in broader possibility. Experts think in an authenticated
manner and rely on true facts. In the beginners mind there are less possibility as they are
unaware about the practical knowledge wherein experts is aware about all the practical
experiences. Beginners are new to the industry thus they are unaware of various things and
have less knowledge about things but experts have seen all the loopholes. Thus there are

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many possibilities in experts as they have experienced much and are aware of all the
loopholes. I completely disagree on the fact that beginners have more possibilities in fact they
are not even aware about actual facts. Experts know about every detail thus it helps them in
exploring to greater possibilities. For example, an employee joined an organization will have
few possibilities regarding new views for the project wherein the experienced employee will
have more possibilities.
Case study
Answer 1
Yes the problem is linked with the miss management as when Jim handled the
company he didn’t look for the present scenario. Thus he didn’t manage all the employees
in the company properly, which led to conflict among old and new employees. Miss
management was the old employees either should be provided with using new techniques
as they were not aware about using online portals. Thus lack of training caused stress in
the environment. On the other hand poor interaction between old and new employees
created stress. Thus miss management by Jim in the company degraded the overall
performance and growth of the company.
Answer 2
The types of knowledge that can be found in the snapshot industry is training, using
advanced technology. The elements of strategic knowledge are knowledge creation,
decision making, sense making as well as construction a mutual understanding between
the employees. Thus to maintain all these elements will help in companies growth.
Company’s growth is dependent on strategic knowledge factors because it underlines the

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organizational ability to sustain all its operations. Thus three main elements of strategic
element combine all the finance related plans or external focused plans. Snapshot need to
focus on better employee relation strategies, programs of training about advanced
learning and a communication between staff and managers. The loophole for the failure
was due to use of advanced technology that increased the sale. Thus it was important in
organization to maintain knowledge and innovation in the organization simultaneously.
Answer 3
The resignations and retirements problem increased in the company due to the
increase in stress and work pressure. The stress in the working environment also decreased
the overall productivity of the employees. Thus to improve the resignations and retirements
problems proper training as well programs need to be launched to make a healthy and
friendly environment in the company. Jim leadership has negative impact on the firm as it
was not adopted by employees easily.
Answer 4
Jim leadership has affected the company after the death of Sam as he introduced new
methods and policies which were difficult to adapt by old people which decreased the work
of employees. The leadership of Jim had negative effect on the employee. Thus this can be
improved by removing stress in an organization. Thus this could be improved by having a
formal but a friendly environment with employees and also by improving employee to
employee relation. Thus to maintain principals in an organization it follows Kurt Levin’s
change model that works on three steps that is unfreezing, changing and refreezing. The
perception of making change is understood and they the situation is changed. After making
changes refreezing step is followed for implementation of change. This is a change
management theory which is operated by many people. It works on three stages of change.

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The first phase is unfreezing in which active efforts are made to resist to changes. The second
phase is transition period in which reassurance is needed for the process to be successful. The
last phase is refreezing in this all changes are accepted so that the method becomes stable
again. There are various approaches that focus on plan of action. It is an ongoing process that
requires time, dedication and efforts to implement and run the plan. Change management is
beneficial for every organization as it helps in figuring out the area where change is required
and how it will be beneficial for the company.
Answer 5
Knowledge management principal is especially needed in enduring set of guidelines
for managing knowledge as well as establishing programs in an organization to enhance team
work. The knowledge management principal is basically used to improve the social culture of
the company. The knowledge management principal that is continuous learning is used to
retain all the organizational policies by managing the retention so that quality services are
maintained in an organization. The knowledge management principal states that management
should be effective that requires a hybrid solution between both technology and people.
Snapshot also makes use of various knowledge management principals so that there is an
effective vision and value. It helps the firm to work on a knowledge driven approach.
The principal of knowledge helps in identifying all the existing knowledge sources so that
customers and partners are maintained. It includes tool like surveys, questionnaire, and
network analysis of the company.

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Conclusion
It can be concluded that uncertainties in business can led to various challenges for
business. Thus to maintain a strategic development it is necessary to know about the
competitors in the market. While business expands their business in international market they
face the issue of competitors in the market, innovation and new geographical market. It can
be stated that business face conflicts while starting up in new market due to various
competitors that are already present in the market. Apart from that all the businesses look for
innovating new process so that they could stand out in the market. It can be concluded that
uncertainties in business brings out a lot of discomfort in the operations. Thus to cope up with
all the uncertainties in the market an effective approach or tool need to be used to deal with
some situations.