MGMT20144 - Knowledge Management, Technology & Ecommerce: Amazon

This report examines Amazon's remarkable success story, attributing it to effective knowledge management strategies and the strategic use of modern technology within the realm of ecommerce. It highlights how Amazon leveraged technology to expand from an online book retailer to a global giant, emphasizing the company's ability to process vast amounts of customer data and personalize user experiences through artificial intelligence. The report also underscores the critical role of knowledge management in navigating crises and maintaining a competitive edge. By analyzing Amazon's approach, the study emphasizes the importance of knowledge management in running a successful business, especially in leveraging information for strategic advantage and averting potential disasters. The document is available on Desklib, a platform offering a wide range of study resources for students.

Running Head: Knowledge Management, Technology and ecommerce 1
Knowledge Management, Technology and ecommerce
Name:
University Affiliation:

Knowledge Management, Technology and ecommerce 2
Task 2
Current Event in Knowledge Management, Technology and ecommerce
Amazon Company broke business records when it became the world's largest publicly
traded company after surpassing Microsoft earlier this year. The company in May of this year
also became the world's largest retailer after Walmart lost the top spot following reduced growth.
Amazon is clearly one of the largest growing companies globally and an in depth analysis of the
Amazon Company can reveal some of the secrets to its success. This section of the study paper
will make a detailed analysis on Amazon Company in relation to knowledge management,
technology and ecommerce.
Amazon is the best case study in the ecommerce business since it is one of the largest
companies globally with a net worth of $797 billion as of Friday 5th February 2019. The
company was founded by its current CEO Jeff Bezos who is also the world’s wealthiest
individual. The company controls over 40% of all ecommerce transactions in the United States
of America and about 50% of the global market share (Garner, 2018). Amazon Company
initially began as an online book retailer. After success in the online market the company
expanded into other products such as home appliances, music and movies with the help of
knowledge management. These huge amounts of success can be attributed in part to the
company’s knowledge management and use of modern technology to gain an advantage over its
competition. The company seamlessly connects billions of customers to billions of products on a
daily basis when and where required without a glitch (Pauleen & Wang, 2017). Amazon since its
foundation was centered on knowledge management systems that would help them achieve their
objectives and goals while providing the customer with the best user experience possible and this
has paid off with large number of sales and revenue.

Knowledge Management, Technology and ecommerce 3
Task 3
Does Amazon Owe its Success to Technology and Knowledge Management?
Amazon Company to a large extent owes its great success to advancements in modern
technology and effective knowledge management strategies. Amazon leveraged technology to its
favour in order to expand from an online book retailer to the largest company in the world. This
section of the paper will explain how knowledge management and technology has contributed to
the success of Amazon Company.
Amazon Company is in a unique situation that requires the company to store and process
the information of hundreds of thousands of its customers on a daily basis. When dealing with
these large amounts of data Amazon has to effectively utilize knowledge management techniques
in order to gain an advantage over their competitors. Amazon Company manipulates large
amounts of information to their advantage in line with knowledge management principles (Wang
& Wang, 2016). Any user who registers with the company receives personalized reminders,
suggestions and recommendations. An artificial intelligence system has been put in place to
study the individuals and manipulate this information to provide the most relevant suggestions to
the registered user (Chaffey, 2015). The system in place creates more awareness about the
relevant products Amazon Company has and might benefit the user. This observation clearly
shows how information put to the correct use can prove beneficial to a company and earn it
profits and increased revenue.
Is Knowledge Management Vital to Running a Successful Business?
Knowledge management is critical in the operation of a company at maximal capacity;
the importance of knowledge management is however even greater in times of a crisis as it helps

Knowledge Management, Technology and ecommerce 4
an organization identify how they can use what they have to reach their objectives and goals and
in the process averting the crisis. (Akhavan, Ebrahim, Fetrati & Pezeshkan, 2016) defines a crisis
as “a process of transformation induced by a major disruption that forces the restructuring of
social, human and natural systems.” The definition offered means that a crisis can be observed as
a threat or by the more optimistic manager as an opportunity to make better systems and grow
instead of striving to return to the status quo. In the modern world of business crisis are always
emerging and any company has to be prepared to take actions that will keep the company afloat
while gaining a competitive advantage over its competition (Inkinen, 2016). This section of the
study paper will make a thorough study of the role of knowledge management in running a
successful business and how it can be used to avert disaster.

Knowledge Management, Technology and ecommerce 5
References
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Akhavan, P., Ebrahim, N. A., Fetrati, M. A., & Pezeshkan, A. (2016). Major trends in knowledge
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Barley, W. C., Treem, J. W., & Kuhn, T. (2018). Valuing multiple trajectories of knowledge: A
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Management Annals, 12(1), 278-317.
Chaffey, D. (2015). Digital business and e-commerce management. London: Pearson Education
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Garner, B. A. (2018). Amazon in the Global Market. Journal of Marketing & Management, 9(2).
Hislop, D., Bosua, R., & Helms, R. (2018). Knowledge management in organizations: A critical
introduction. Oxford University Press.