Enterprise Knowledge Management (original) (raw)

A New Knowledge Management Tool to Facilitate Process Innovation in Manufacturing Companies

This paper presents a novel KM tool to allow companies to obtain sufficient knowledge about its process in order to enhance its competitiveness and to innovate. To date there is no practical multidisciplinary model that enables companies to switch from engineering chaos to a structured, robust process. This new approach creates a reliable framework which promotes innovation and it offers a sustainable model for knowledge creation in that the knowledge generated through its use can be continuously build upon to expand the body of internal knowledge within the company. The model is based on existing engineering tools and exploiting the knowledge generated through their use using the interchange between tacit and explicit knowledge thus it is presented in the context of Nonka's knowledge spiral. The model has been used successfully in a number of case studies one which is presented in this paper.

Manufacturing knowledge management strategy

International Journal of Production Research, 2006

The study sought to understand the components of knowledge management strategy from the perspective of staff in UK manufacturing organisations. To analyse this topic we took an empirical approach and collaborated with two manufacturing organisations. Our main finding centres on the key components of a knowledge management strategy, and the relationships between it and manufacturing strategy and corporate strategy. Other findings include: the nature of knowledge in manufacturing organisations; the relevance of (in)formal processes; top-down and bottom-up communication; taking ownership for information processes. We also make comments on the development of action plans for better knowledge management. The implication are that, for an integrated approach to knowledge management strategy in manufacturing organisations, involvement across the organisation and at all levels is necessary.

A Collaborative Knowledge Management Tool for Product Innovation

2000

In order to create and deliver innovative new products and services at an ever increasing rate, manufacturing enterprises must adopt a deliberate and systematic approach to managing the drivers of innovation. Managing the enterprise's knowledge base and converting intellectual capital into useful products and services is fast becoming the critical executive skill of the age. With this in mind, our research focuses on adopting a knowledge management approach to product innovation management. This papers introduces the concept of knowledge management for product innovation and presents a collaborative knowledge management tool specifically designed to enable product innovation management in a distributed manufacturing environment.

A dynamic knowledge management framework for the high value manufacturing industry

International Journal of Production Research, 2013

Dynamic Knowledge Management (KM) is a combination of cultural and technological factors, including the cultural factors of people and their motivations, technological factors of content and infrastructure and, where these both come together, interface factors. In this paper a Dynamic KM framework is described in the context of employees being motivated to create profit for their company through product development in high value manufacturing. It is reported how the framework was discussed during a meeting of the collaborating company's (BAE Systems) project stakeholders. Participants agreed the framework would have most benefit at the start of the product lifecycle before key decisions were made. The framework has been designed to support organisational learning and to reward employees that improve the position of the company in the market place.

Support of Product Innovation With a Modular Framework for Knowledge Management: A Case Study

Volume 2: 31st Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Parts A and B, 2011

This paper presents an e-Design framework for knowledge management through its application in an engineering design case study. The e-Design framework enables the implementation of integrated design information throughout the entire design process. It facilitates the ease of sharing real time information across multiple individual designers, departments, or organizations as would be required in large scale design efforts. Similarly, it allows for the ease of use of technical tools integral to the design process that small design departments depend upon. Thus, regardless of the scale, the efficiency of engineering design can be improved with the use of the e-Design framework. The many features of the e-Design framework are exemplified through its application in a practical industry design problem. The case study in this paper addresses the utility and ease of use of this framework and provides one potential implementation method. This study involves a representative application of an...

Assessment of knowledge management activities in manufacturing

Knowledge management is one of the most important factors in achieving competitive advantage. In this study, first of all knowledge and knowledge management concepts are discussed and then a set of criteria for assessing effectiveness of the knowledge management activities as well as an assessment model are then described.

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT WITHIN KNOWLEDGE-BASED ENGINEERING SYSTEMS.

Knowledge-based engineering systems are now becoming more commonplace in engineering industry. There is a need to ensure the technology is used correctly and to provide the user with all the possible benefits that the system can offer. This paper looks at how product knowledge can be managed within knowledge-based engineering systems to ensure that the knowledge retains its value and usefulness during the product lifecycle. Presently, the use of these systems has been for the short-term benefit of the company. However, it is believed that it is important to consider longer-term issues also, since knowledge normally has a half-life of around 20 years. The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate the need for product knowledge management within knowledge-based engineering systems by looking at key issues that are related to the longer-term use of these systems. This paper will also provide a product knowledge management scheme for the development and management of product knowledge within knowledge-based engineering systems, thereby extending the benefits of knowledge-based engineering systems into the longer-term.

A knowledge management application to support knowledge sharing in a design engineering community

Ecis, 2003

The changing competitive landscape has brought new forces to bear on the manner in which new products are developed. These forces have put the creation and dissemination of knowledge at the centre of many firms' new product development (NPD) strategies. Organizational models to support NPD have evolved over the years and a significant aspect of this evolution has been the emergence of organizations that are decentralized and distributed across the globe. Improvements in communication infrastructure have facilitated this trend. These new organizational forms have placed stresses and strains on firm's ability to efficiently transfer knowledge across its organization units and it has been observed that knowledge dissemination can run aground once organization unit boundaries are encountered. A small number of empirical analyses of knowledge management systems (KMS) applications to support new product development have been done. These analyses have pointed to a dual requirement in this area-firstly, an organizational environment that promotes knowledge dissemination and secondly, an IS infrastructure to support collaboration in and across new product development teams. While some of the extant literature on KMS to support knowledge dissemination stresses the importance of "people-topeople" KMS applications and the area of knowledge discovery is starting to get attention, there appears to be a dearth of published material on the issues surrounding the actual implementation of such systems in an industrial setting. In particular, the use of such systems in the context of NPD organizations does not appear to be well understood. This research hopes to address some of these shortcomings. This paper focuses on an application that has been developed by the Technical and Marketing IS (TMIS) group in ADI's NPD organization. The purpose of the application is to facilitate the sharing of technical knowledge in the design engineering community in ADI.

Knowledge management practices in a manufacturing company - a case study

Purpose –For several decades the world's best-known forecasters of societal change have predicted the emergence of a new economy in which brain power, not machine power, is the critical resource. But the future has already turned into the present, and the era of knowledge has arrived.--"The Learning Organization," Economist Intelligence Unit. This new world of business which is characterized by globalization, heightened level of competition, uncertainty about future makes knowledge as the only source for sustainable competitive advantage. Research Methodology – An empirical study was conducted by collecting primary data through questionnaire from employees of varied departments of the company. Statistical tools used for analysis in the study are Cronbach‟s alpha for Reliability, Confirmatory factor analysis, correlation and simple research model is done using AMOS. Research limitations–There is a few limitations which may affect the scope of the study. First, the study...