By Mostafa Sayyadi & Michael Provitera
By examining the most successful companies in the world in the field of knowledge management, this article reveals the secrets of the success of these companies for managers all over the world. By reading this article, these secrets can be used to develop an effective knowledge management strategy for companies in various industries. Thus, effective knowledge management strategies are included, and indicative dimensions are presented in this article.
Introduction
Some organizations fail to remain competitive due to the lack of knowledge management. [1] [2] [3] [4] The task of knowledge management is to coordinate the actions of different departments of the organization to effectively manage the ideas and knowledge of the members of the organization. [5] [6] [7] Our experience of more than 20 years of consulting in the most successful organizations in the world shows us that the more successful companies are in benchmarking, the more effective they are in implementing knowledge management. This article is designed to show some of the best practices of knowledge management in a few key successful organizations.
Knowledge Management at Nvidia
Using advanced technologies and innovative engineering, NVIDIA has become one of the leading companies in the field of technology and processing computing. This company is currently using GPU (Graphic Processing or Graphics Processor) technology to improve information processing performance in the field of artificial intelligence. Also, to collect and share knowledge, NVIDIA uses methods such as holding technology conferences and publishing scientific articles.
Knowledge Management at Cognizant
Cognizant started its knowledge management program in 2002 and is now in the fourth level of knowledge management maturity. This means doing very good work. One of the important success factors of this company is the alignment of the organization’s goals with the goals of knowledge management and the reuse of knowledge in the organization’s processes, which has saved millions of dollars in costs. In Cognizant’s knowledge management program, gamification is used to motivate employees. Scientists are more motivated to share knowledge and work in knowledge management based on the various points and medals they receive.
Knowledge Management at ABB Ltd.
Knowledge management in ABB Ltd. is done in a systematic and integrated manner. Some of the knowledge management activities and methods used in this company are:
- Collecting and creating knowledge: This activity includes creating systems and processes to collect knowledge in an orderly and organized manner. ABB Ltd. uses content management systems, knowledge bases, shared files, and internal social networks to gather knowledge.
- Knowledge categorization: ABB Ltd. uses standards, classifications, and understandable structures to organize knowledge. This makes knowledge fall into specific categories and categories and is easily accessible.
- Training and learning: ABB Ltd. offers training programs and courses to improve the knowledge and skills of employees. These programs can include formal training, online training, workshops, and various educational resources.
- Knowledge sharing: ABB Ltd. uses various methods such as meetings, conferences, and webinars, to share knowledge. This process helps to exchange experiences, solutions, and technical knowledge between the members of the organization.
- Knowledge retention and retrieval: ABB Ltd. uses systems and tools based on innovative and advanced ideas for knowledge retention and retrieval. It includes knowledge databases, search systems, artificial intelligence algorithms, and data analysis tools.
- Creating a knowledge-based culture: ABB Ltd. is focused on creating an organizational culture based on knowledge sharing, collaboration, and documented learning. This includes encouraging employees to share knowledge, forming multi-specialty teams, and offering rewards and incentives for innovation and continuous learning.
Knowledge management is used in ABB Ltd. to improve performance, increase efficiency, and create innovation. Considering that large companies like ABB Ltd. are faced with extensive technical and organizational knowledge, knowledge management is a strategic tool that helps them manage and exploit their knowledge in the best way.
Knowledge Management at Disney
Disney leaders believe that the knowledge, ideas, creativity, and innovation of employees and human capital in general are the most valuable assets of Disney. Paying attention to customers’ experiences and interaction with them is what creates a competitive advantage for Disney, that’s why customer knowledge management is very important in this company. Disney managers know that knowledge management can be achieved by integrating knowledge capital and influencing issues such as customer orientation, organizational culture, Organizational learning, smart decisions, and new knowledge generation help to achieve the company’s goals.
Knowledge Management at Freeport McMorran
In the field of knowledge management, the focus of this company last year was the transfer and sharing of best practices. In this way, successful experiences can be published and used in all the countries where they are working. Freeport McMorran also created a knowledge network for all its sub-categories so that everyone can share their lessons learned to prevent reworking.
Knowledge Management at Coca-Cola
The effective performance of the current Coca-Cola in the structures and processes used by its management is the key success factor in Coca-Cola. This approach has created a platform in which different responsibilities are assigned to managers and the organization’s work is done in a matrix form. The knowledge management strategy in Coca-Cola is designed based on Porter’s value chain model to design and implement executive actions to achieve organizational goals. In Coca-Cola, knowledge management tools and techniques help in maximizing its efforts and guiding the organization toward a bright and stable future.
Knowledge Management at P.T.T
PTT started its knowledge management program in 2000 and now it is in the third level of maturity and is considered one of the best knowledge management in its industry. Outstanding actions of knowledge management in PTT, employees, and different units are appreciated in an annual celebration called Knowledge Management Week with the presence of senior managers of the organization. In PTT company, each of the project teams must calculate the value of the benefits of knowledge management at the time of the end of the project, so that the knowledge management team cooperates with the excellence team and the financial teams of the organization to calculate the rate of return on investment of knowledge management measures.
Knowledge Management at Amazon
The key factor in Amazon’s success is its attention to customers and all its activities are aimed at creating value for its customers. Amazon’s motto is that our customers are our guests that we host; Our daily task is to improve the aspects of our customers’ experience. The most important point of Amazon’s focus on knowledge management is the implementation of customer knowledge management strategies and approaches. Identifying knowledge flows and trying to improve them constitute the basic principles of knowledge management at Amazon. What makes knowledge management successful in Amazon is not just recording the lessons learned. Rather, it is the application of experiences to provide better services to its customers.
Knowledge Management at Apple
Apple managers believe that employees are the company’s greatest asset. They support the creation of knowledge to produce new and innovative products. Knowledge management measures in this company have 4 general stages:
- Maturity level assessment
- Development of knowledge-sharing platforms
- Implementation of effective techniques
- Evaluating the effectiveness of measures
The success of Apple’s knowledge management depends on the participation of employees the support of the knowledge management team and the cooperation of experts.
Knowledge Management at Mercedes
The goal of Mercedes-Benz is to be the best manufacturer of car products and services. and transportation for its customers to be at the world level to achieve this goal, paying attention to the role of knowledge management is very important in Mercedes-Benz, knowledge is used in the form of lessons learned and best practices and is shared throughout the organization. In Mercedes-Benz, a team of learning champions is created. The knowledge management department is responsible for preparing reports about the improvement of processes and products and the lessons learned from them. These reports were stored in the database for future use.
Knowledge Management at NASA
NASA is one of the leading organizations in the field of knowledge management and has a documented strategy for implementing knowledge management tools and techniques. Lesson-learned management is a key approach to institutionalizing knowledge management and knowledge sharing in non-standard work processes.
Knowledge Management at Microsoft
Bill Gates’ motto, knowledge management, is a word to define the simple idea that managing data, documents, and knowledge of people in the organization indicates that one of the main concerns of Microsoft is the rapid training and empowerment of new employees, that the managers of the organization should have full knowledge of the knowledge needed by new employees. One of the effective knowledge management tools for this issue is Microsoft’s knowledge map. To increase employee interactions and knowledge sharing among employees, it organizes educational conferences, business breakfasts, and Biz-talk. Microsoft uses Microsoft SharePoint platform to manage documents and record lessons learned for knowledge sharing among employees.
Knowledge Management at Toyota
Knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer in the field of production and sales is Toyota’s focus point. For this purpose, Toyota uses various techniques, such as expert forums and documenting experiences, and has achieved very good results so far. In addition, at Toyota, an accurate understanding of customer needs is achieved with customer knowledge management methods. Local learning and global performance is Toyota’s motto, and for this, creating and sharing knowledge is very important in this company.
Knowledge Management at Deloitte
Deloitte started its knowledge management program in 1999 and now it is in the fifth level of knowledge management maturity. Recruits also get information about knowledge sharing during initial training and are gradually introduced to the knowledge-sharing team in the first months of their work. Deloitte’s knowledge management team is a shared global service called Core Knowledge Services (KS). This was developed for document management and knowledge sharing that all company employees have access to. The knowledge management team at Deloitte learned to work in harmony with the organizational culture in this organization, to control this culture, and to explicitly institutionalize knowledge-sharing expectations in this organizational culture.
Knowledge Management at Siemens
With thousands of projects and tens of thousands of experts and experts in seven continents of the world, including Antarctica, Siemens is creating knowledge, sharing knowledge, and applying knowledge every day. This company makes great efforts to create, share and ultimately use individual and organizational knowledge at the global level. The scope of these actions is not only the boundaries of Siemens company, but this knowledge sharing is also done with partners, customers, and all stakeholders. Siemens started knowledge management in 1999. The first step of this company was to create an interactive software platform to share experiences and lessons learned from projects. One of the good works of Siemens in knowledge management is that the employees of this company must register their daily reports in the Siemens global system every day. But the daily report of Siemens is not only a report of daily actions but also successful and unsuccessful experiences and what was learned that day.
Developing an Effective Knowledge Management Strategy
Take the formula for success from the organizations we highlight and the engine of success and competitive advantage for organizations is achievable. These Knowledge Management strategy leaders mastered many facets of knowledge management. Here are a few to consider implementing:
- Share and reuse knowledge by engaging forums with both employees and managers
- Develop gamification to engage people more
- Develop customer relationship management using cookies and databases
- Develop a collaborative and knowledge-management supportive corporate culture
- Develop and sustain a learning organization
- Develop knowledge networks and platforms and adopt AI algorithms and data analysis tools to register, retain, share, and retrieve knowledge
- Develop effective knowledge management supportive value chains
- Adopt effective measurements to evaluate and map out knowledge management performance
Unlearning and Learning
The unlearning and training activities are a great way to learn through experience, and we experienced that “action learning” is the best way. [8] [9] Removing or, better, identifying what is not working anymore, with an effective reality check, allows new learning with experimentation.
Action Learning “learning by doing” involves actively engaging with real-world challenges and reflecting upon them to gain new knowledge and insights. [10] [11] When combined, people can effectively draw from experience to address complex problems and reflect if they are applicable. They benefit from supportive peers who offer new perspectives to explore emerging issues through novel inquiries and probes.
We present a view of the approaches with and without AI and Chatbots:
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AI and Chatbots
AI-powered Decision Support System (DSS) effectively supports unlearning outside real-life decision-making scenarios. We can design specifically to learn how to provide a safe space for employees to unlearn old habits and learn new ones.
Unlearning Process (With AI and Chatbots). The same approach is used with DSS, only different in the use of technology.
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Without AI and Chatbots
Scenario Planning and Future-back Thinking. It involves envisioning possible futures and working backwards to let trainees use their skills to identify the skills, knowledge, and behaviors needed in those scenarios.
Negative Learning. It is a powerful tool to challenge pre-existing beliefs and assumptions, facilitating unlearning and opening the door to new learning. This is particularly effective in extreme cases where existing behaviors or mindsets may harm existing or future leaders, particularly in negative situations.
In Conclusion
Undoubtedly, failing to create an effective and comprehensive knowledge management strategy is an obstacle to achieving a competitive advantage. Now that these secrets of success are obvious to all managers, it is time for managers to develop new and comprehensive knowledge management strategies to engage in a successful competitive advantage. With the enactment and embracement of artificial intelligence from some of the brightest people in the world acting as coaches to the brink of the artificial intelligence revolution, it is time for leaders to get on board and improve their knowledge management strategy.
About the Authors
Mostafa Sayyadi works with senior business leaders to effectively develop innovation in companies, and helps companies—from start-ups to the Fortune 100—succeed by improving the effectiveness of their leaders.
Michael J. Provitera is an Associate Professor at Barry University. He is an author of Level Up Leadership published by Business Expert Press.
References
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