Knowledge Management An Action Research Project Prof Hanifa Shah Professor of Information Systems Faculty of Computing, Engineering & Technology Staffordshire.

Knowledge ManagementAn Action Research Project

Prof Hanifa ShahProfessor of Information Systems

Faculty of Computing, Engineering & TechnologyStaffordshire University

Introduction• Research took place in a major UK FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer

Goods) manufacturer and distributor• Makes and distributes FMCG branded goods• Several brands in the 20 top-selling grocery brands in the UK• Holds major UK franchises• FCMG selected as:• Little reported KM work applied to manufacturing firms in UK • KM software was already being introduced in this company• The FMCG organisation was already quite knowledgeable about the

domain and its technologies• What was missing was an understanding of what knowledge was in

their own context and what was required of the KM technologies• Implications for IS planning and development strategy needed to be

understood

FMCG KM Study: Action Research Approach

• My research showed that many organisations were having knowledge management technologies ‘sold’ to them without a proper understanding of what KM meant for them

• The KM project was formulated by me as a response to an actual problem that had the potential to be addressed by academic ideas that needed to be made available for practical use.

• Key aspect of the KM project was this processing of academic theory and terminology into ideas and language that was appropriate to the business world

• The work was conducted as an Action Research project which included a series of meetings, proposals, workshops and interviews involving a wide range of personnel at the FMCG organisation including a number of senior managers

Action Research

• Combines in-depth theoretical ideas and learning with practical benefits and change for the organisation

• Action research characteristics Researchers are actively involved and collaborate on the project Researchers and practitioners intend to bring about change and

improvements A conceptual framework for the research Susman & Evered’s1 form of action research involves

• Problem analysis• Planning of activities to address the problems• Executing the activities• Evaluation of the work (reflection on what has been achieved)• Capturing the learning

The learning leads to a further, improved action and reflection cycle

1Susman, G I and Evered, R D (1978), “An assessment of the scientific merits of Action Research”, Administrative Science Quarterly, 23:pp582-603

An Action Research based model for University-Industry collaboration

Incubating Virtual Enterprise Networks in Yorkshire – An Action Research Approach Loh et al., http://portal.cetim.org/file/1/62/103_Loeh_Booth_Faughy_Katzy_Thompson.pdf

Explicit vs tacit knowledge Explicit knowledge can be precisely and formally articulated

• Codified in organisational procedures, policies, manuals and programs

Tacit knowledge• Non-articulated and cannot be manifested as rules• Subconsciously understood and applied, difficult to articulate,

developed from experience, beliefs , perspectives & values• Exists in domain expert’s skills, minds of employees, in established

but uncodified organisational practices FMCG Study

• To understand • and elicit as much of the tacit knowledge as possible• To facilitate change • To foster a knowledge management culture• To develop KM academic ideas

FMCG: Key elements of research

• Agree project context• Define knowledge for the project context• Identify knowledge sequences• Prioritise with senior managers• Determine impact on IS development• Recommend plan of action

Agreeing context and definition

• Before agreeing a definition – need to understand context• After various discussions the context was agreed as:

Management of Brand X across marketing and sales functions for one year

• Numerous definitions of knowledge in the literature• Many refer to the importance of the human element in creating,

defining and understanding knowledge• Definition of knowledge recognised as being

Multi-faceted Variable over time Variable according to context Shareable, reflectable if articulated

• Increased in relevance by engaging users in defining knowledge for their context

• In practice this can be done by a facilitated workshop

KM definition for FMCG study

• Context Management of Brand X across marketing and sales

functions for one year

• Definition - Knowledge in the above context is:• “The integration and reuse of ideas, experience ,

skills, intuition and lessons learned that influences our problem solving, decision making and the way we work to continually create tangible outcomes of brand value and business worth”

Knowledge Sequence

Data

Data

Data

KNOWLEDGE MANIPULATION

ACTIVITIES

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES

KNOWLEDGE OUTCOMES

Managerial influences

Environmental influences

Identify Knowledge Triggers/Requirements

• This elicitation is facilitated by questions of the form What knowledge does the organisation need? What knowledge does it need to use better? What are the triggers for subsequent knowledge

activities?

• Employees are asked to prioritise the top five knowledge requirements

• These top 5 are then considered further

Identify Knowledge Resources

• For each knowledge sequence in its order of priority- what are the knowledge resources that need to be manipulated?

• The employees are asked to consider a number of aspects of the organisation: Purpose, strategy, culture, structure, knowledge

contained in computer systems, employee knowledge, knowledge contained in other forms eg books, reports

Identify Knowledge Manipulation Activities

• For each knowledge sequence – what are the knowledge manipulation activities that need to be carried out?

• HOW produced By WHOM• WHAT produces artifact• HOW used by WHOM WHEN

• The manipulation activity areas that need to be considered are Acquisition Selection Generation Internalisation Externalisation Other

Identify Management Influences• What are the management influences that would facilitate the

knowledge manipulation activities? Leadership

• Effective management of knowledge resources & knowledge manipulation skills

• Creation of conditions conducive to sharing relevant knowledge Coordination

• Scheduling knowledge flows and activities• Alignment with strategy• Development of integrated reward & incentive systems that

encourage knowledge dissemination Control

• Managing the provision of knowledge resources (quantity, quality, security, constraints)

Measurement• Assessing and evaluation knowledge Resources, manipulation skills

and activities and the results of KM

• Identify Environmental Influences What environmental influences constrain or facilitate

the knowledge manipulation activities? Areas to facilitate elicitation are

• GEPSE (Government, Economic, Political, Social, and Economical)

• Markets

• Competitors

• Suppliers

• Customers

• Other

FMCG Study – Knowledge Target

• Improve awareness of potentially useful information/knowledge Finding relevant databases and data in databases Finding relevant work people have done How other employees can help others do their jobs Data that brand managers have that could be used to

help channel marketing (eg create better sales presentations)

Improve awareness of potentially useful information/knowledge

DataData

DataKNOWLEDGE

MANIPULATION ACTIVITIES

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES KNOWLEDGE

OUTCOMES

Managerial influences

Recruit publicist/insight consultantDevise improved induction

programmeIncrease investment in database

trainingFocus training on individual roles

Understand implicatons for IS planning

Environmental influences

Knowledge trigger

Knowl

edge

result

CONSUMER DATAIndependnet reports

Presentations (int, ext)Conferences

BooksTrade magazines

databases

FMCG SYSTEMSOracle database

IntranetShared area

Research Files/reports

MARKET DATANeilson

CTP (Convenience Tracking Programme)

IDG (Institute of Grocery Distribution

EXPERTISEBRAND TEAMS

BRAND MANAGERSSALES – Business Development

Managers (Customer Account Teams)

Improved awareness of potentially useful information/

knowledge

KNOWLEDGE MANIPULATION ACTIVITIES

ACQUIRING

GENERALISINGBrand managers and BDMs regular meetings

to transfer knowledgePresentatons on different data sources and the kind of questions brands use them to

answerRegular updates on changes to sources and

questions

SELECTING

INTERNALISATIONMore pro-active – ‘make aware’ culture

Publicist – category insight to others on a periodic basisInsight analyst/consultant to make external links and bring back info &

map to FMCG orgInduction programme – introduce more fully roles of others, uses of databases & other knowledge resources, post induction element to

enable employees to ask questions focused on their work

Implications for IS development Strategy

• Better Identify analytical capabilities of employees providing improved training in using the databases and provide better introduction to roles of current staff

• Improve induction programme• Integrate systems so retailer and accounts

systems data is consistent and finance provide marketing and sales with the same set of figures

• Successful integration across the organisation of the KM system being piloted

KM - Learning

• Facilitation of Contextual definition of knowledge Articulation of knowledge requirements Prioritisation of knowledge requirements Summary of Knowledge Resources

People, Computer Systems, knowledge in soft form etc

Understanding of knowledge manipulation activities IS development strategy Identify problems Focused investment

Collaborative research with industry - Learning

• University-industry collaboration of this nature requires very careful negotiation of exactly what is involved

• Expectations for both sides must be discussed and a realistic set agreed

• Project contact points in both organisations must be agreed• Suitable context for study

Eg department, group of employees related to a project, a group of heads of departments

Sample of employees that are representative of the diversity and balance of the chosen context

• Suitable decision maker(s) at senior level• Cooperation of participant employees for period of study

Awareness of the project and its purpose must be cascaded down the organisational structure

• Practical support in terms of scheduling various interviews and workshops