Transcript Knowledge Sharing on the Shop Floor

Knowledge Sharing on the Shop Floor a Critical Success Factor for
Vital Companies
Dr. Angelika Mittelmann
voestalpine Stahl GmbH
Personnel and Organisation Development
Division Stahl
www.voestalpine.com
Content
Background Info
voestalpine Stahl GmbH
Lessons Learned
Implementation Examples
at voestalpine Stahl
Tools and Techniques for
Knowledge Sharing
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Knowledge Sharing
on the Shop Floor
What is
Knowledge Sharing
Why Knowledge Sharing
on the Shop Floor
Background Information voestalpine Stahl GmbH
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app. 7000 employees at Linz, two-third blue collar workers

integrated steel production plant

process-oriented organisation

top supplier (in terms of quality) to European automotive, household
appliance, and construction industry
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Linz site to become steel competence center
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 What is Knowledge Sharing?
to
implicit knowledge
implicit knowledge
explicit knowledge
from
socialization
explicit knowledge
articulation
knowledge transfer by means of
knowledge transfer by means of
methaphors, analogies, concepts,
imitation, observation, and exercise
or models
internalization
knowledge building by integrating
into individual knowledge base and
mental models
combination
knowledge creation by means of
documents, meetings, telephone
calls, and virtual collaboration tools
Source: Nonaka/Takeuchi (1995)
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 Why Knowledge Sharing on the Shop Floor?

Critical knowledge for the production processes are located in the brains
of the workers, mostly not in the quality management system
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More than one-third of voestalpine‘s experienced workers will retire until
2010
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Higher productivity per person is combined with less human ressources
available
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Due to demographic developments in Europe a lack of young
professionals and rising age of retirement are expected
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Knowledge sharing leads to fewer errors, more safety, and thus in the
long run to a higher health rate
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 Some Tools and Techniques
knowledge transfer dialogues,
lessons learned workshops
process descriptions, story telling
checklists, FAQs, manuals
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increasing complexity
mentoring system
 Implementation: Knowledge Transfer Dialogue
Information talk
(all participants incl. manager)
Starting talk
(all participants incl. manager)
checklists
story telling
social network
imaging
Transfer talks (3 - 5)
(knowledge giver,
knowledge taker)
after app. 6 months
Feedback talks
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process
description
 Implementation: Mentoring System
initial phase
 Why mentoring?
(convincing all key
people)
implementation
phase
 training the mentors
 developing training
plans
 developing training
handbooks
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system
implemented
ongoing support of
newcomers by
their mentors
periodical
experience
transfer meetings
 Lessons Learned
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Ongoing management attention and confidence in the management and
the persons implementing the techniques are a key success factors
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Application of adequate tools and techniques is a must
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Orchestrated collaboration of knowledge and quality management as
well as organisation development units

Implementation needs time and ongoing effort in order to gain
sustainability
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Summary
Trust
Support by management
KM, QM, OD
Lessons Learned
Background Info
voestalpine Stahl GmbH
Time and ongoing effort
Integrated steel
production plant
2/3 blue collar workers
Implementation Examples
at voestalpine Stahl
Knowledge transfer
dialogue
What is
Knowledge Sharing
Mentoring system
Knowledge Sharing
on the Shop Floor
Checklists
Knowledge spiral
FAQs
Process Descriptions
Tools and Techniques for
Knowledge Sharing
Story Telling
Lessons Learned
Workshops
Mentoring System
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Why Knowledge Sharing
on the Shop Floor
Critical knowledge in
heads of workers
Retirements
Lack of young newcomers
Increased quality and
health rate
Knowledge Transfer
Dialogues
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Implicit/explicit
knowledge
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References

Kleiner, A. & Roth, G. (1998): Story Telling zur Konstruktion von Erfahrungsgeschichten:
Wie sich Erfahrungen in der Firma besser nutzen lassen. Harvard Business Manager, 5, 915.

Mittelmann, A. et al. (2000): Geschäftsprozesse mit menschlichem Antlitz: Methoden des
Organisationalen Lernens anwenden. Vol. 1 "Wissens- und Prozessmanagement" eds.
Gappmaier, M. & Heinrich, L. J., 2nd edition, Linz: Trauner Universitätsverlag.
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Nonaka, I.; Takeutchi, H. (1995): The Knowledge Creating Company: How Japanes
companies create the dynamics of innovation. New York: Oxford University Press.

North, K. (1999): Wissensbasierte Unternehmensführung: Wertschöpfung durch Wissen.
2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Gabler.

Probst, G.; Raub, S.; Romhardt, K. (1999): Wissen managen: Wie Unternehmen ihre
wertvollste Ressource optimal nutzen. 3rd edition, Frankfurt/Main: FAZ.

Reinmann-Rothmeier, G.; Erlach, Chr.; Neubauer, A. (2000): Erfahrungsgeschichten durch
Story Telling - eine multifunktionale Wissensmanagement-Methode. Research report no.
127 of Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich.
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