Transcript Lectures on Knowledge Management Khurshid Ahmad Professor of Artificial Intelligence

Lectures on Knowledge
Management
Khurshid Ahmad
Professor of Artificial Intelligence
Centre for Knowledge Management
March 2003
1
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
grapeVINE Technologies
A Knowledge Management organisation that was taken over:
iPlanet and Sun Microsystems announce Sun’s
Acquisition of grapeVINE Technologies.
grapeVINE’s industry leading Knowledge Management
technology will integrate with iPlanet Portal Server to bring a
new level of intelligence to e-commerce portal platforms.
2
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
WORKFLOW & KNOWLEDGE FLOW
Current knowledge management systems can be
viewed as workflow systems that deliver work on
time to the relevant persons and results despatched
in time, efficiently and cost effectively from the
workers to the managers. There is an increase in
productivity, and innovation is facilitated by easy
and timely access to information about products,
services, human resources and the documents
produced by and related to the organisation. 3
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Challenge of Knowledge Management
• To efficiently capture trace of knowledge (to process, index
and retrieve text/images)
• To encourage people to record their knowledge based on
experience i.e. produce a trace, and to use other people’s trace of
knowledge
• To reward (punish?) people for sharing (or not sharing) their
knowledge
•To keep the traces updated:
 Motivate the knowledge creation ‘crew’ to work as a team
 Encourage the knowledge creation ‘crew’ to share values and
aspirations
4
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
WORKFLOW & KNOWLEDGE FLOW
The knowledge management of the future should
facilitate the work of the knowledge engineer in
addition to facilitating the flow of documents. This
suggests that a knowledge management system
should have some comprehension of the notations
and conventions used by humans in communicating
orally or through documents.
5
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
KNOWLEDGE IN TEXT
If any essence or trace of the
knowledge of the individuals is left
behind then it is usually found in
documents, comprising words,
illustrations and drawings,
mathematical and other symbols.
6
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
KNOWLEDGE IN TEXT
•Usually, a tangible trace of specialist knowledge
may be found in the document archives.
• Knowledge management systems should be
based on how humans disseminate knowledge
through text.
•The effective management of the documents
emanating from organisations, is perhaps the first
step in the effective organisation of knowledge.
7
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
grapeVINE Technologies
A Knowledge Management organisation that was taken over:
iPlanet and Sun Microsystems announce Sun’s
Acquisition of grapeVINE Technologies.
grapeVINE’s industry leading Knowledge Management
technology will integrate with iPlanet Portal Server to bring a
new level of intelligence to e-commerce portal platforms.
8
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
PROACTIVE SYSTEMS: KNOWLEDGE IN TEXT
Knowledge management systems track the growth of knowledge
within organisations by a systematic and continuous examination
of the documents within an organisation and across organisations.
Computer systems capable of:
•Capturing, analysing & summarising texts
•Hyperlinking, classifying, updating texts
•Extracting terms and names from texts, and
•Securing and routing texts,
are being used to study how concepts are transformed into
artefacts and how artefacts help in creating and revising concepts.
9
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
PROACTIVE SYSTEMS: KMS INC.
Knowledge Management Software (KMS) Inc. is a
software developer in the knowledge management
market (www.kmsoftware.com). The new website has
led to a ‘significant improvement in the company’s
ability to service its customers by shifting 85% of all
incoming help desk calls to the site, where questions
are answered automatically using the company’s
pioneering Deskartes knowledge management
technology’.
10
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
KNOWLEDGE IN TEXT
Knowledge management systems track the growth of
knowledge within organisations by a systematic and
continuous examination of the documents within an
organisation and across organisations. Computer systems
capable of
•capturing, analysing & summarising texts
•extracting terms and names from texts, and
•routing texts,
are being used to study how concepts are transformed
into artefacts and how artefacts help in creating and
revising concepts.
11
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Microsoft have developed the SharePoint system:
a set of two new technologies from Microsoft that
were developed to facilitate information sharing
both within organizations and over the Internet,
•
•
SharePoint Portal Server 2001 and
SharePoint Team Services.
Microsoft Sharepoint System is an innovative way
of looking at how workers in an organisation
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share knowledge.
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Knowledge management case studies clearly show that in
any given enterprise small and ad hoc teams share
information in very different ways than do large teams.
•Small or ad hoc workgroups need informal means to
work together on group deliverables, share documents,
and communicate status with one another.
 Microsoft suggested solution SharePoint Team Services–based
Web sites.
•Large workgroups with structured processes need
greater management over their information and require
features like formal publishing processes and the ability to
search for and aggregate content from multiple data
stores and file formats.
13
 Microsoft suggested solution SharePoint Portal Server 2001
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Microsoft SharePoint Team Services:
•To create Web site for sharing information such as
documents, calendars, announcements, and other
postings.
Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server 2001
•To aggregate content
•To manage documents
•To create Web Portals
Technology used: E-mail, File Servers, Office XP, Browsers,
Front Page, Text and Image Search DBMS, Document
Management Systems, OLE DB, Microsoft ActiveX® Data
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Objects (ADO), Extensible Markup Language (XML)
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
•E-mail
•File Servers,
•Office XP,
•Browsers,
•Front Page,
•Text and Image Search DBMS,
•Document Management Systems,
•OLE DB,
•Microsoft ActiveX® Data Objects (ADO),
•Extensible Markup Language (XML)
E
1
E
E
E
2
1
7
2
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COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Team Services
Portal Server
Core Function
Ad hoc information sharing
Enterprise Search
Web Site
Team Web sites
Portal Web sites
(5–75 users)
(75+ users)
Search Capabilities
Documents within team Web site and sub
Webs
Discussion and
Notifications
· Discussions
Across multiple servers
and data types
Customization
· Notifications
Document
Management
· Surveys
Client Applications
Browser-based, Microsoft FrontPage®
version 2002, and SDK
· Check-in, check-out
Roles-based Security
· Publishing
· Versioning
Storage
Browser, Office XP, FrontPage 2002
· Routing
· Discussions
· Notifications
Web Parts and SDK
16
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Integrated Document Management
The process from document creation through intranet
publishing can be a string of disjointed actions, unconnected
with business processes.
SharePoint Portal Server includes features like document
locking, versioning, and publishing and makes these
features accessible to the average user. It delivers easy-touse, document-management features that are integrated
with the tools and applications that are used to create and
manage documents, with Microsoft Windows® Explorer and
Microsoft Office 2000 applications like Microsoft Word,
Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint®.
17
COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Team Web Site Template
Out of the box, SharePoint Team Services creates
fully-functional, fully-designed, and configured
team Web sites.
Browser-based Authoring
Team members with appropriate permissions can
author to the Web site using their 4.0 level or
higher browser.
Pre-Formatted Team Lists
Share team information in a structured and
uniform way using built-in lists such as events,
announcements, discussions, and tasks.
Document Libraries
Document libraries allow you to upload
documents, assign templates to libraries, and
custom properties to documents within libraries.
Subscriptions and
Notifications
Subscribe to lists and document libraries and
receive notification when changes meet the
criteria you set.
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COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Document Discussions
Team members can use the discussions feature to conduct
inline discussions on documents and other Web pages
without affecting the source document.
Surveys
Get a sense of where your team stands on issues that affect
them by creating a team survey.
Delegated Administration
Site owners and those with administrative privileges can
set up user accounts for team Web sites through the
browser.
Three-Click Installation
SharePoint Team Services automatically sets up the
software required to search (Index Server) team Web sites
and store data (MSDE).
Roles-based Memberships
SharePoint team Web sites allow site owners to assign five
different levels of permissions to team Web sites and to
customize the permissions within those roles.
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COMPUTER-BASED
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Sharepoint
Browser-based
Customization
Members can customize existing lists using
the browser to add new properties to lists and
document libraries, specify custom views, or
create entirely new lists and document
libraries with unique properties.
Office XP Integration
Microsoft Office XP integration gives users the
ability to easily share information from their
desktop to their team Web site and vice
versa.
FrontPage Version 2002
Integration
Microsoft FrontPage® 2002 provides
additional opportunities for advanced
customization of SharePoint team Web sites.
ISP/ASP Support
SharePoint Team Services is supported by
Web Presence Providers for FrontPage.
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COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
The conventional ‘waterfall approach’ to
software development
Requirements Specification
Detailed Design (modules)
21
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
The conventional ‘waterfall approach’ to
software development
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
Requirements Specification
Detailed Design (modules)
Module Construction & Debug
Module Construction & Debug
Module Construction & Debug
Integration and System Test
22
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
The conventional ‘waterfall approach’ to
software development
Requirements Specification
Detailed Design (modules)
Module Construction & Debug
Module Construction & Debug
Module Construction & Debug
Integration and System Test
Module Rework
Module Rework
Module Rework
Re-integration and System Test
23
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
•“SYNCH-AND-STABILIZE” DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Planning Phase
Vision Statement;
Outline & Working Specification;
Development Schedule;
Feature Team Formation
Development Phase
Feature Development in 3 or 4 Milestones
Stabilization Phase
Code Completion;
&  Testing;
Final Stabilization;
Ship Software
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•“SYNCH-AND-STABILIZE” DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
Planning Phase
VISION STATEMENT
E.g. 15 Features and Prioritisation
Done by Product (& Program) Management
OUTLINE & WORKING SPECIFICATION
Done by Program Managers with Developers.
Define Feature Functionality, Architectural Issues & Component
Interdependencies
DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE &
FEATURE TEAM FORMATION
A big feature team will have 1 Program
Manager, 5 Developers, 5 Testers
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COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
•“SYNCH-AND-STABILIZE” DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Planning Phase
VISION STATEMENT
E.g. 15 Features and Prioritisation Done by Product (& Program) Management
OUTLINE & WORKING SPECIFICATION
Done by Program Managers with Developers. Define Feature Functionality, Architectural
Issues & Component Interdependencies
DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE & FEATURE TEAM FORMATION
A big feature team will have 1 Program Manager, 5 Developers, 5 Testerm
Development Phase
FEATURE DEVELOPMENT
IN 3 OR 4 MILESTONES
Program Managers: Evolve the Specification
Developers: Design, Code, Debug
Testers: Test, Paired with Developers
26
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
MICROSOFT’S “SYNCH-AND-STABILIZE” DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Time: Usually 12- or 24- month Cycles
Planning Phase
Development Phase
FEATURE DEVELOPMENT IN 3 OR 4 MILESTONES
Program Managers: Evolve the Spec
Developers: Design, Code, Debug
Testers: Test, Paired with Developers
Stabilisation Phase
Feature Complete
CODE COMPLETE
and  TEST, FINAL STABILZATION & SHIP
Program Managers: Monitor OEMs, ISVs, Customer Feedback
Developers: Final Debug, Code Stabilization
27
Testers: Recreate and Isolate Errors
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
Development Phase Milestones Breakdown
MILESTONE 1 (first 1/3 features)
Development (Design, Coding. Prototyping)
Usability Lab
Private Release Testing
Daily Builds
Feature Debugging
Feature Integrations
Code Stabilisation (no severe bugs)
Buffer Time (20-30%)
28
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
Development Phase Milestones Breakdown
MILESTONE 1 (first 1/3 features)
Development (Design, Coding. Prototyping)
Usability Lab, Private Release Testing, Daily Builds
Feature Debugging, Feature Integrations, Code Stabilisation (no severe bugs), Buffer Time (20-30%)
MILESTONE 2 (next 1/3 features)
Development
Usability Lab
Private Release Testing
Daily Builds
Feature Debugging
Feature Integrations
Code Stabilisation
Buffer Time
29
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
Development Phase Milestones Breakdown
MILESTONE 1 (first 1/3 features)
Development (Design, Coding. Prototyping)
Usability Lab, Private Release Testing, Daily Builds
Feature Debugging, Feature Integrations, Code Stabilisation (no severe bugs), Buffer Time (20-30%)
MILESTONE 2 (next 1/3 features)
Development, Usability Lab, Private Release Testing, Daily Builds
Feature Debugging, Feature Integrations, Code Stabilisation
Buffer Time
MILESTONE 3(last 1/3 features)
Development, Usability Lab
Private Release Testing, Daily Builds
Feature Debugging, Feature Integrations
Feature Complete
Code Complete
Code Stabilisation
Buffer Time
Zero Bug Release
Release to Manufacturing
30
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Microsoft Inc.
Synch-and-stabilise
Waterfall Development Model
Spec, development, testing in
parallel
Separate phases in “waterfall”
sequence
Vision statement and evolving
spec (spec = output not input)
Complete spec and detailed design
before coding
Prioritised features built in 3-4
milestones
Build all pieces of a product
simultaneously
Frequent synchs (daily builds) and One “Late and Large” integration and
intermediate stabilisations
test phase at project end
(milestones)
Customer feed back during
development
Feedback as inputs for future projects
Large Teams work like small
teams
Many individuals work in functional
groups
31
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG1
During the 1980’s Siemens AG, a multinational,
faced major challenges precipitated by political,
economic and technological developments of the
time.

Siemens is conglomerate in an old fashioned sense: its
business ranges from global telecommunications to
advanced chip manufacture, and from building/factory
systems to health & medical systems.
Various constituents of the conglomerate have
reported the use of knowledge management to
transform its business from a centralised to a
diversified and lean business.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG1
Within Siemens AG, a number of its conglomerates have
developed methods and systems to manage knowledge:
Organisation
Siemens Information &
Communications Networks:
Business Area
KM System
Global Telecommunications projects:
end-to-end solutions for voice, data
and mobile networks
Share Net:
Building and factory systems: Control
systems for building environments,
factory automation
Know-How
Exchange:
(60 countries; 34000
employees)
Information Systems and e-business :
Consultancy, implementation &
integration
‘Communities
of Practice’
Siemens Information &
Communication Mobile
partnerships with Fujitsu &
Toshiba
Mobile communications devices and
network products, inc. phones, radiobase stations, Internet switches and so
on.
Mergers &
Acquisitions
Knowledge
Exchange
(60 countries; 60000
employees)
Siemens Industrial Services
(70 countries; 22000
employees)
Siemens Business Services
Davenport and Gilbert Probst. (2000) (Eds.) Knowledge Management Case Book –
Siemens Best Practises. Munich: Publicis MCD Verlag. pp 22-39
1Tom
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management



Until the 1980’s the principal customers of
telecommunications equipment were large
(near) monopoly state PT&T companies or Bell
in the USA  Post 1980’s telecomms markets
were DEREGULATED and the monopolies were
unbundled.
The use of computers for switching and routing
changed the equipment market altogether.
New entrants challenged former monopoly
suppliers with new cheaper products and
services
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management- ‘Conceptual
elements constituting a telecommunication solution.
Sales Project:
Complete Customer Solution
Material &
Physical
components
Switches
Routers
Base Stations
Technical
solution
(knowledge)
Integration of
Complementers;
Architecture
Configurations
Functional
solution
(knowledge)
Leasing contracts;
Business case
Pricing Scheme
Customised
components
(system
integration)
Integration into
network of customers
New knowledge
products
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management



‘ShareNet is an interactive knowledge
management tool through which global
network of shared knowledge could be
established’1.
Share Net is a ‘business application system’
that allows to share knowledge and
innovation on a global basis.
Share Net was designed to ‘foster the
emergence of best practice sharing’2
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management


Typical KM systems are often ‘intranet
based [..] “document repositories”’2.
Share Net is an interactive medium
designed to act as a business application
used to dissemintate experience based
knowledge.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Criticial Success Factors3
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
Leadership
 Organisational Structure and Roll-out
 Motivation and rewards
 Organisational Culture and Change
 Viable Business Case

COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Criticial Success Factors3
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management

Leadership:
 The ShareNet Committee comprising 1
Siemens ICN Board Member; two
Business Transformation Partners; 8 ICN
local companies representatives (offices
in 160 countries)
The Knowledge Officers comprised
Share Net Committee.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Criticial Success Factors3
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management

Organisational Culture and RollOut:
 Input of (undocumented) knowledge and the re-use of the
elicited knowledge was the key. Leading experts acted as
Contents Editors of the knowledge that was supplied by the
knowledge workers.
 Share Net had local consultants, acting as trainers in
and facilitators of ShareNet, had IT support and email hotline
 ShareNet Committee held a bootcamp, campaigns to
precipitate structural change within the organisation.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Criticial Success Factors3
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge
Management

Organisational Culture and
RollOut:
 Avoid the creation of a document repository;
 Avoid brochureware – sales/marketing hype
 Create a knowledge-base rather than an
information-base or data base
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Criticial Success Factors3
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management

Motivation and Reward System
 The ICN ShareNet Quality Assurance and Reward System was
designed to encourage the capture and re-use of knowledge
 A frequent-flyer/loyalty card scheme was set in place: More
knowledge deposited and more knowledge re-used was rewarded
by shares in Share Net. Shares were convertible into places on
conferences or into ‘telecommunications equipment.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
ShareNet was organised in four concentric layers:
 Share Net Committee --- the innermost layer; the
highest decision making body for the developemnt of
Share Net
 the Technology/Support Layer -- Global Editor;
User Hotline; IT Support
 ShareNet Managers --- Supports contributors in
capturing project experiences and marketing knowhow, drives the development of reusable knowledge
 Contributors --- Sales and Marketing people
worldwide contirbuting their project experiences and
methods into the ShareNet knowledge base.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
C
C
C
Global
Editor
C
C
User
Hotline
ShareNet
Committee
C
IT
Support
C
C
C
C
C
C
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Ars Digita built Share Net for ICN
www.arsdigita.com/customers/casestudies
/siemens090700
C
C
C
Global
Editor
C
C
User
Hotline
ShareNet
Committee
C
IT
Support
C
C
C
C
C
C
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
ShareNet – a business application system
ShareNet was designed to emphasise in-depth business
understanding rather being IT-focussed.
Gibbert et al argue that the focus on IT had ‘proved to be a pitfall
of many similar knowledge management systems.’ (2000:31).
ShareNet provides a network that has been explicitly designed as
an interactive medium rather being just a conduit to ‘document
repositories’.
ShareNet functions as a business application, designed to dovetail
‘with employees’ ways of solving customer problems.
46
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
ShareNet – a business application system
A data-base requires an application program for the data to be
used effectively that is the data be processed according to the
user needs and requirements.
A business application program helps to access and to some
extent to interpret the data (in a data base)
47
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
•ShareNet attempts to cover both the explicit and tacit
knowledge of the sales value-creation process.
•This includes project know-how, technical- and functional-solution
components, and knowledge about the business environment (e.g.,
customer, competitor, market, technology and partner knowledge).
•ShareNet was designed to emphasise experience-based knowledge.
•Knowledge about the different steps of the value-creation chain
was transferred to ShareNet solution objects (e.g., technical- or
functional-solution knowledge) and ShareNet environment objects
(e.g., customer or market knowledge).
•ShareNet’s focus is less on ‘brochureware’, than on personal statements,
comments, the ‘field experience’ of sales employees, or the real-life tested
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pros and cons of a solution.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
•Share Net developers chose four ‘areas of
intervention’:
• Cognitive knowledge or know what
• Skills or know-how
• Systems understanding or know-why
• Self-motivated creativity or care why1
The first three are different types of knowledge and
the fourth refers to the knowledge creation process.
1.
Gibbert et al (2000) pp 33.
49
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
Knowledge Typology
COGNITIVE KNOWLEDGE
or know-what - includes basic
technical mastery and is achieved
through extensive training and
certification.
SKILLS
or know-how – refers to the
effective execution and application
of abstract rules and regulations in
the real-world context.
Share Net Solution
Share technical
knowledge, for example
in the form of pricing
concepts. For Share Net
this represents an essential
but not complete aspect to
ensure commercial viability.
Share the feedback given
by sales professionals in
de-briefing projects.
50
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN - Global Knowledge Management
Knowledge Typology
SYSTEMS UNDERSTANDING
or know-why – refers to the casue and
effect underlying an experience.
SELF-MOTIVATED CREATIVITY
or care why – refers to an active and
caring involvement in a given ‘cause’
Share Net Solution
Share the knowledge
of experienced
account managers
for anticipating
subtle aspects in
interaction with a
customer.
ShareNet identifies
and promotes highly
motivated and
creative employees.
51
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN: Global Knowledge Management
– Key Lessons
1. The ShareNet attempts to demonstrate ‘the
importance of finding the right balance between IT
solutions for capturing explicit codified knowledge
and leaving enough room to allow direct personal
exchange of more implicit forms of knowledge.’
2. The ICN ShareNet Quality Assurance and Reward
Systems was important for motivating the workers to
participate in the knowledge management initiatives.
The Reward System is an essential complement to the structural arrangements that
facilitate knowledge sharing and an organisational culture that supports such an
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initiative.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN: Global Knowledge Management –
Key Lessons
3. For a global organisation knowledge sharing has to
be facilitated within and between the constituent
national organisations, and between different
market stages.
4. Telecommunication solutions for a given country
have to address the level of economic development
of the country and the level of de-regulation of the
markets in general and telecomms markets in
particular.
53
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN: Global Knowledge Management –
The 2001 Aftermath
Focus was on high-bandwidth solutions and for
infrastructure to support it.
However, the customers did not
understand/appreciate/like broadband
communications system  the market collapsed
Siemens was restructured and the Share Net Unit was
absorbed in to a new Competence and Knowledge
Management Division.
54
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN: Global Knowledge Management –
The 2001 Aftermath
Share Net System was focused on sales and
marketing. This was important to deal with new
deregulated markets, as the sales/marketing
knowledge was largely based on regulated
markets.
Share Net was extended to help the R&D Division of
Siemens of ICN. Why?
55
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens ICN: Global Knowledge Management –
The 2001 Aftermath
Share Net was extended to help the R&D Division of
Siemens of ICN. Why?
The time-to-market a good idea was long within
Siemens ICN. Can Share Net help in doing that?
Perhaps, but only after the system was resturctured to
take into account the business of R&D which is
not the same as the business of Sales and
Marketing.
56
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange1
• Siemens Industrial Services provide services for the
electrical and electronic equipment users, like
engineering, installation, maintenance and repair.
• Sales representatives and service technicians who
respectively secure and work on service contracts
have accumulated a significant depth of experience –
largely tacit knowledge of large engineering systems.
• There is explicit knowledge of geography, people,
and engineering artefacts.
57
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
• For Siemens Industrial Services this tacit and explicit
knowledge is crucial in securing new contracts and for
executing existing contracts.
• There is significant duplication of effort when this
knowledge is not recorded: each contract is prepared
and executed ab intio.
• SiemensIndustrialServices created a knowledge
exchange for recording and re-using knowledge.
58
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
•The expertise and know–how within Siemens
Industrial Services is multi-faceted:
• Industrial Sector
• Products and Systems
• Tools
• Technology
•The expertise and know-how may be with a person or a
group within a regional Siemens company or within
collaborating organisations.
• Free exchange of knowledge – freely given and
received without any cost.
59
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
Objectives and Aims
•Know-How Exchange is expected to become virtual
Centre of Excellence, available to every employee at
Siemens Industrial Services, and possibly even further afield.
•By connecting geographically distributed service
offices, the know-how-transfer process, supported by the
Know-How Exchange, may provide a competitive advantage
•The introduction of a specific tool for know-how transfer
should not impose an additional barrier for the users. A
user-friendly tool and a reliable support team could avoid
60
this.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
Know-how Exchange:
• Available through the SIS Intranet
• Search and retrieval facilities
• Multi-lingual user interface
• Maintenance Facilities
61
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
Know-how Exchange comprises
•
An extensive database of contracts and service notes
compiled by sales representatives and service engineers
•
‘References’ related to the description and the use of
Siemens products
•
‘Yellow’ Pages comprising details of experts within
SIS, with elaborations on their qualifications and
competencies.
Know-how Exchange being used by
•
1200 users per month searching through 5500 knowhow entries and 1500 references1
62
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
‘Employees at SIS were ‘prodded, cajoled and
motivated through newsletters, the Intranet
and employee newspaper, through personal emails, congresses and conferences to get
involved by contributing their know how to’
the Exchange (D’Oosterlink, Freitag, Hartmut.,
& Graff, 2000:43-44).
63
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
Competence
Document
Experience
Evaluate
Knowledge
Publish
Location A
Innovate
Transfer
Collaborate Discuss
Share
Search
64
Location B
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
SiemensIndustrialServices: Know-how exchange
‘An area that certainly warrants attention now, and will
do so increasingly in the future, is the standardising and
structuring of the knowledge shared on the database. A
certain level of knowledge quality is necessary to ensure
its utility. Who will perform this gate-keeping task and
what criteria should be used? These are questions that
must still be answered if this tool is going to realise its
full potential.’(D’Oosterlink, Freitag, Hartmut., &
Graff, 2000:52, my emphasis).
65
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Business Services: Standardized KM
Siemens Business Services is a core businessdriven unit within Siemens focussing
exclusively on services.
SBS is a vendor of ‘full service’, consulting
services, systems integration, operational
services and outsourcing on an international
level.
Ramhorst, Dirk. (2000) ‘A guided tour through the Siemens Business Services
Knowledge Management Framework.’ In (Eds) Tom Davenport and Gilbert Probst.
pp 126-140.
66
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Business Services: Standardized KM
Aims and Objectives
•Integrate competencies and experiences from the
technical/engineering business with management consultancy
within SBS
•Cope with rapid and strong organisational growth:
as many as one in three employees were new employees.
•Deal with the results of a major merger in 1990’s
between Siemens and Nixdorf and subsequently in 1995 a
demerger of core units in SiemensNixdorf Informationssyteme
67
AG.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Business Services: Standardized KM
Standardised KM requires Knowledge Brokers: These
Brokers are human search engines that can be accessed
whenever anyone in the organisation has a question
about a specialist area, or is looking for an expert.
The Knowledge Broker is responsible for:
•
The classification, categorisation, storage and management of the
relevant information and knowledge (librarian)
•
Co-ordinating or doing research
•
Monitoring the results of expert forums
•
Acting as a change agent for further cultural development
•
Introducing new platforms or functions.
68
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Business Services: Standardized KM
•Knowledge Maps are an important content-related
element of SBS KM.
•Knowledge Maps are the graphic display of knowledge
flows and competency networks.
•Different colours describe various competency implementations, while
connectors show the intensity of the knowledge flows. The size of these
networks is shown, the interfaces to partners and, for example, schools and
special, possibly critical, node points in the organisation.
•Knowledge maps have made the implementation of
expert networks (Communities of Practice) in
organisations possible.
Ramhorst, D. (2000) pp 135.
69
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Business Services: Standardized KM
The technologies used form KM within SBS can be
described in four clusters:
Knowledge
libraries
Knowledge
maps
Project and knowledge repositories
based on documents
Portals, search engines, knowledge
maps, Yellow Pages, skill databases.
Communities of Collaboration applications, virtual
teaming applications, etc.
Practice
Knowledge-flow Newsboards, workflows, and email.
Linkages
70
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
•The transfer of existing knowledge is referred to as the
sharing of ‘best practices’.
•Sometimes using ‘best practice’ is an antidote to R&D
that may lead to the creation of new knowledge which,
in effect, may not be as new as the inventors may like it
to be.
•Siemens Medical Services created a Best Practice
Sharing Marketplace.
• ‘In this marketplace, through the economics of supply
and demand, best practices within Siemens could be
identified and leveraged.’ (Gibbert & Hartmut 2000:69).
Gibbert, Michael., and Krause, Hartmut. (2000) ‘Practice Exchange in a Best
Practice Marketplace’. In (Eds) Tom Davenportand Gilbert Probst. pp 68-84.
71
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
Barriers to the internal transfer of knowledge:
Personal Barriers
Collective Barriers
Structural Barriers
Political/Cultural Barriers
These barriers may be scaled/overcome by
Information Technology solutions
Networks or organisational solutions
Corporate Solutions
72
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
Personal barriers
Barrier
IT solution
Network or organisational
solution
Corporate solution
Don’t know
what others
need to know
Access for every
employee
Involve people who are actually
doing the work (Best Practice
Networks) in the early stages, not
only executives.
Identify major levers
Utilise and support CoP
networks
Best-Practice
Marketplace
Promotions
Topic related events
Too much
time & effort
involved
No obvious
benefits or
rewards
Make it as easy as
possible to use
Incentive system, at least initially,
until implicit benefits are
appreciated.
Build it formally into
the working day
Offer incentives
Reward effort
Lack of
confidence in
knowledge
developed
Computerised
brainstorming –
allow people to see
what others have
shared
Established criteria to measure
practices against.
Give recognition to
good contributions.
Success breeds
success.
73
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
Collective barriers
Barrier
IT solution
Network or
organisational solution
Corporate solution
Transfer process not
well organised
Efficient tools
Delimit topics
Suggest possible
applications
Create a ‘Knowledge
Management Corporate
Office.
In-house competition
User-friendly system
allows teams to check
on their team’s
participation status
Advertise section results &
actively affirm participants
Put competitive spirit
to good use & reward
units/sections that
participate
Managers are not
supportive of
initiative.
Poor corporate
culture of promotion
of best practices
sharing.
Training & help for
managers in use of IT
system.
Include managers & key
players in the planning
stages of the project.
Programmes like Best
Practice Networks &
Best Practice
Marketplace help to
change entrenched
attitudes.
74
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
Structural barriers
Barrier
IT
solution
Keep best practices
in division.
Feel that knowledge
kept to oneself with
help with career
success.
Network or organisational
solution
Corporate solution
Stimulate, actively promote, &
expose staff to the benefits of
knowledge sharing practices &
projects
Network & marketplace
projects
Build knowledge sharing
into criteria for evaluating
performance & for
promotion.
Offer incentives
Time pressure –
could be the wrong
people doing the job
Facilitate
access to
expertise
on the
system
Create structures for skills &
expertise to be made widely
known
Match skills & expertise to
tasks
Better selection practices
Use (partnerships) experts
from other branches &
countries
Poor IT structures
Efficient &
effective
support
Best Practice Landscape
Sanction the necessary
budgets. Find sponsors if
necessary.
75
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
Political/Cultural barriers
Barrier
IT
solution
Network or organisational
solution
Corporate solution
No common language
Tool with
different
natural
languages
Structure system so people can
share a language they feel
comfortable with but which
others can understand or have
interpreted.
Bilingual user interface.
Build into system
Promote company-wide
collaboration
Competition between
units
Not financially rewarded
or by promotion (“Who
cares?” attitude)
Poor corporate culture –
does not foster
openness or build
confidence. No help in
dealing with conflicts
Incentive schemes
Reward conspicuously
Promotion of benefits & active
involvement of managers
throughout the process.
Give recognition
Build into job
requirements
Include in promotion
criteria
Review policies that
restrict the sharing of secret
or other information.
Strong top-down
promotion & endorsement.
76
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
Critical Factors in overcoming barriers and
making Best Practice Sharing possible/practical
•Developing employee networks among BP owners:
knowledge workers and engineers
•Exchanging Best Practice through a Martketplace
•Engaging knowledge officers: Patrons and Sponsors
•Mobilizing knowledge workers – incentives/rewards
•Designing a content structure – a best practice landscape
•Energizing support through knowledge engineers –
facilitators and ‘Best Practice Office’.
77
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT –
Case Studies: Siemens AG
Siemens Medical Services: Sharing Best Practice
Implementing the Best Practice Marketplace
• ‘Recruiting Network’ – a pilot project with a view to establish a
Best Practice Network.
• Trading Best Practice – through pilot participants; proof of
concept via successful implementations of the Networks;
through an Intranet-based database system; by validating Best
Practice
• Intranet-based ‘Best Practice’ MarketPlace data base.
• Collecting Best Practice Data & Communicating with the
employees:
•
Kick off meetings Introduction to the Heads of participating
divisionsDivisional Workshops  Broadcasting the results
78
(In-house journals, postcards, memos etc.
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Terminology
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) typically
involve an exchange of financial
instruments, especially shares and money,
for the company physical and intellectual
assets.
79
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Terminology
Once the exchange is accomplished the two organisations, one
merging or taking over another, have to deal with consolidation:
The possible differences in ways in which the people in each
of the two organisations work with one another and work into
their suppliers and clients. These differences are typically
referred to as the differences between the cultures of the two
organisations.

The different geographical locations of the two organisation
particularly if the locations are across linguistic / national
boundaries.

The various information and communication technology
systems in the two organisations.

80
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Terminology
It has been reported that 4 out of 5
mergers fail to deliver adequate return to
the share holder or meet the original
objectives of the merger
81
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Terminology
Once the more concrete aspects of consolidation, e.g.
exchange of financial instrument, legal instruments,
physical movement of people, understanding / reorientation of ICT systems, is over, then the
knowledge assets have to be merged and when
necessary pruned.
The consolidation of knowledge assets is of crucial
importance of the so-called post closing management.
The term ‘closing’ refers to the closure of the bulk of
financial and legal transactions.
82
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Merger
Siemens Information and Communication Products (Germany) and Fujitsu Corp
(Japan) combined or merged their PC, server and main frame business to form Fujitsu
Siemens computers with headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Demerger

Siemens Information and Communication Products sold
Siemens Nixdorf Retail and Banking systems - retail banking and point
of sale terminals (itself a merger of Siemens GmBH and Nixdorff
Information System in the early 1990’s)


Communications Cable Business (filter optic and other cables)
Joint venture
Siemens Information and Communication Mobile (Germany) and NEC (Japan)
83
created Mobisphere (U/C)
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Terminology
Mergers and acquisitions:One important aspect of
consolidation is to assess which of the assets are to be
preserved and nurtured and which of the assets have to be sold
off or otherwise disposed. The noun divestment is used which
is rotted in the verb divest which in general language means ‘to
deprive, as of rights or property; dispossess’.
The term divestment is probably the antonym of investment, which has as one of its
meanings ‘Property or another possession acquired for future financial return or
benefit’ and is rooted in the verb invest - ‘to commit (money or capital) in order to
gain financial return’.
84
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Terminology
Processes:
Focus
Tasks
Preparation
Establish goals and
strategies for working
out synergies,
acquisitions /
divestments
Analysis
Evaluation
Execution
Transaction
Financial Approval;
Contractural Approval
Post Closing
Consolidation
- Contract Enforcement
- Monitoring For cost
overruns
Approval
Integration
- Planning
- Execution
Management
Key Deliverables
Feasibility report
Memorandum of
understanding
Investment application for
M&A
Approval Document
M&A contract
85
COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Case Studies - Siemens AG
Mergers & Acquisitions Knowledge Exchange
Terminology
MAKE is a network of distributed
expertise.
The expertise, or the documented
expertise was made available through
an Intranet platform.
A common language for sharing
knowledge across different areas of
M&A expertise.
86
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
AFTERWORD
There is much discussion about the intellectual
capital of large and small organisations
amongst management scholars, sociologists,
and in the emergent discipline of knowledge
management. Intellectual capital is a term
coined to distinguish this kind of wealth from
material capital - the real-estate and financial
instruments comprising an organisation.
87
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
REVISION
Case Studies
{Xerox; Honda, Canon}
Matsushita, APQC, Siemens (4)
British Petroleum, Microsoft.
Theory/Empirical Framework
Nonaka & Takeuchi
Cybernetics & Feedback: Agyris and
others
88
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
REVISION
Themes:
•
Ownership, Management, Expertise
•
Learning Organisations  Feedback; Discovery;
Observation; Teaching
•
Innovation and Change; Knowledge Spirals
•
Best Practice and Improvement
•
IT solutions for KM are only a part of the solution
•
KNOWLEDGE CONVERSION:
People involved, tasks performed,
technology used.
89
KNOWLEDGE MGMT. SYSTEMS
COURSEWORK
•Case Study: Key points from a KM context –
innovation, change, learning;
•Relate to a framework (N+T, S-B, S-A)?
•4-5 Pages (Try more)
•The use of technology in support of KM
• WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE
CASE STUDY?
•Tabulate facts; analyse facts; give opinions
90
The Two Systems of Inter-organisational Relations
Inter-organisational
Relations
Exploitation
System
Symbiosis System
Decision-Making
Central & Unilateral
Constituent & Synergetic
Self-reflective, retrospective
Skills
Information
Information Processing
Functional
Result
Serial &Sequential
Relational
Process
Parallel & Concurrent
Organisation
Delineative
Boundary-less & Cross-functional
Control Structure
Safeguard
Arm’s length
Bidding
Multiple sourcing
Short term contracts
Clustered
Single or parallel sourcing
Risk sharing
Profit sharing
Requirements
Objectives
Bargaining
Distribution
Survival
Commitment
Co-creation
Co-advancement
Attributes
Dichotomous
Antagonistic
Win-lose
Mechanistic
Dead end, cul-de-sac
Homeostasis
Permeable
Absorptive
Win-win
Organic
Open-end
Homeochaos
91
Gap Between Advanced Countries and Samsung in the
Semiconductor industry
64K
DRAM
256K
DRAM
1M
DRA
M
4M
DRAM
16M
DRAM
64M
DRAM
256M
DRAM
Development Time
Pioneer
in US &
Japan
1979
1985
1985
Late
1987
Early
1990
Late
1992
mid
1995
Pioneer
in Korea
1983
1984
1986
Early
1988
mid
1990
Late
1992
Early
1995
Gap
4 years
2 years
1 year
6
months
3
months
At par
with
Japan &
US
Ahead
of Japan
& US
Sample Shipment Time
Pioneer
in US &
Japan
1st half of
1980
2nd half
of
1984
2nd
half
of
1986
2nd half
of 1989
2nd half
of 1991
Pioneer
in Korea
1st half of
1984
1st half
of
1986
2nd
half
of
1987
2nd half
of 1989
2nd half
of 1991
2nd half
of 1994
Gap
3
1½
years
1 year
At par
with
Japan &
US
At par
with
Japan &
US
First in
the
world
½
years
92
Technology and Cooperation
A system supporting cooperative processes should provide its users with the
following services, independent of their mutual spatial and / or temporal distance
(the list is not exhaustive; see also (Agostini, De Michelis, and Grasso, 1997):
Recording all the events characterising a cooperative process together with the documents generated
and exchanged in it, linking them in such a way as to reflect the history of which they are a part;
Recording the knowledge created by earning from past experiences, helping users to design and
change the plans they can use to perform their activities and to enact them when needed;
Situating, in any moment, users in the appropriate context, making them accessible to knowledge
about the cooperative process where they are performing.
93