UNIVERSITY OF GUJRAT, SIALKOT CAMPUS

Mid Term Examination, Spring 2020

Knowledge Management Name : Muhammad Usman Max. Marks: 25
Course Code: MGT- 516 Roll No: 17252720-025 Time: 90 Minutes
Note: Attempt all questions on answer sheet. Paper interpretation itself is the part of paper, so no query
will be entertained during the exam.
SUBJECTIVE-SECTION:

Question 1: [5]

What are the stages of organisational knowledge development?

Question 2:

Explain the 5 Ps of strategic knowledge management. [5]

Question 3:

Explain the types of knowledge management infrastructures. [5]

Question 4:

Explain the generic attributes of the knowledge leaders. [5]

Question 5:

Describe the features of effective knowledge cultures [5]

Question NO. 3

Types of knowledge management infrastructures

To create and establish effective organization knowledge management structure, there are
so many steps and process. Because once it builds it influence the long term objective and
foundation of the organization.

“Knowledge management infrastructure refers to the environment where knowledge is

developed and encourages and motivate the organization members to create effective knowledge
and share it all needed areas of organization”

 Technological infrastructure
As advance technology playing a vital role in all sectors, it also helps in building efficient and
effective knowledge infrastructure. Many technical and information management system
represent strong support to knowledge management process. The knowledge management
framework helps in recording, sending and taking data for multiple purposes within the
organization. For example: the primary record or data about financial, customer and human
resource must provide important information relating to the customer support issues.

 Library and information services

 Record Management

 Managerial infrastructure
In knowledge management structure mangers should not only control the related task but also
work as advisor as well as partner with worker to meet reasonable results. Top management in an
organization provides resources and set long term goals and helps in achieving those goals. The
successful knowledge management demands that there should be open management style which
motivate and encourage the sharing important information on workplace.

 Financial manager
 Marketing manager
 Human resource manager
  Social infrastructure
The social infrastructure helps in building social interaction between the members of the
organization. Social infrastructure help in recognition of reason of undertaken activities as well
as identifying those members who are important for the organization, there are so many factors
which influence the social infrastructure such as innovation etc.

 Identifying the knowledge community

 The knowledge environment and employees

Conclusion
The above discussed all types of knowledge management infrastructure are important in
their own part because a developed knowledge structure can lead toward strong and well known
workplace. The organization which follows and establish the social, technical and managerial
framework could capture and achieve their goals easily..

Question NO. 2

The 5 Ps of strategic knowledge management

Knowledge management is the complicated way of development and social changes. It

depends upon the different stages and systems which helps creating knowledge culture at
workplace of any organizations. To get full understanding, following are key system:

 People
The strategic knowledge management demands that the people should have the knowledge about
events and issues. A knowledge sharing environment encourages the all members of organization
and increase confidence. Core points are Participant commitment, sharing culture and valuing the
leadership

 Planning
An effective planning plays a vital role in strategic knowledge management. When someone
makes planning he or she should be sure that long term goals are cleared and developed better
values and method to follow the directions. Technological planning should also make to become
competitive. Identify system, process, long term goals and measurement structure etc.
  Processes

Procedures and methods should be made handsomely so that strategic knowledge management
could be comprehensive. Traditional structure should also make and on workplace, the top
management should motivate workforce to become innovative and train them for new skills.
Processes means making strategies, principle, practices etc.

 Products

Organization should continually focus on invention and innovation. By identifying and

considering core knowledge strategies should make to create new products according to
customer needs and wants. Research and development department play a vital role in innovation.
Catch distribution of management and set long and short goals.

 Performance

Management regularly reviews the ongoing activities on workplace. Organization should ensure
that there is equality between short term and long term priorities. Many companies working hard
to make workplace efficient and innovative in order to make employees performance

Conclusion
Knowledge management is complicated task but when some organizations got success in
this task they can easily compete in international market. So, above discussed 5 Ps of strategic
knowledge management are most important in all sectors.

Question NO. 1

The stages of organizational knowledge development

Knowledge is necessary element of all types of businesses, when we use it in effective

and efficient way we can found competitive results. The use of knowledge in effective way could
reduce time and save significant costs in lost opportunities. Some people develop their
knowledge on ongoing process through their work.

What is knowledge development?

“Knowledge development is the process carried out at strategic, operational and tactical levels of
command, to provide a comprehensive understanding of complicated environment to decision
makers”
 1. Knowledge Sourcing
Knowledge sourcing are the ways from where we could get knowledge. The recognition of
knowledge space between what is known and what should be known often encourage for starting
knowledge creation process. Combining informed knowledge sources as many as possible is
called knowledge sourcing.

 Customer feedback
 Marketing experts
 Published literature
 Contribution from staff
 Data relating to previous schemes

2. Knowledge abstraction

After examining the all knowledge sources, basic rules and regulations as well as concept are
generated to guide the building of new knowledge are called knowledge abstraction. Knowledge
abstraction helps to gained insight from knowledge sourcing as well as separate new knowledge
form basic knowledge. This abstraction of many more sources less the complexity to be
considers and make able to new ideas converted into outcomes.

3. Knowledge conversion
After identifying the knowledge sources as well as abstracting the knowledge from these sources,
the stage comes to convert this knowledge into applicable form that can could be tested and
shared with others. It is the stage where most of ideas and rules are identified to get specific
results. Knowledge could be in codified form or embodied form.

Codified knowledge: is the knowledge that could be recorded and identified by others easily.

Embodied knowledge: is the individual tacit knowledge. knowledge could be shared by stories
or personal advice.

4. Knowledge diffusion
When knowledge is get codified and embodied the stage comes spread of knowledge.
Knowledge diffusion could be through meetings, communication, letters, internet, establishing
new activities in skillful manner. The success of knowledge spread consists upon knowledge
held by audience and effective ways of spreading that knowledge. The diffusion of knowledge
should be in such way that users of that knowledge could easily understand and get it.
 5. Knowledge development and refinement
The last stage of knowledge development is refinement and development. Knowledge refinement
and development is key features of knowledge management ensure that knowledge remain useful
and latest. Knowledge should be tested and reshaped through additional expertise and response.
Although this is challenging for the organizations to find and capture knowledge for the use of
others

Conclusion
These above all phases of knowledge development guide organizations to judge carefully
and learn and test all possible options. It is true that these five stages of knowledge creation
participate to effective knowledge but sometime these may not be completed. When knowledge
users are not experienced the knowledge sourcing may be the only at which knowledge is
created. So, to become a competitive in global market it is urgently need to follow all these
stages.

Question NO. 4

The generic attributes of the knowledge leaders

The businesses which capture the international market and flourish day by day have the
efficient leaders behind it. Efficient leaders needs of the organization and should operate at all
levels. The knowledge leaders belong to different levels of organizations, play vital role in their
own ways.

“A knowledge leader is someone who’s role in an organization is to set the direction or long
term goals and guide for the accomplishment of those goals”

 Motivator
An efficient leader is one who builds strong relationship with workforce. knowledge leaders
should be motivating and encouraging The leaders who regularly look after and communicate
with their team as well as give them opportunity and encourage them to take leadership role
consider as perfect motivator.

 Strategic visionary
The enthusiastic knowledge leaders provide direction and help in achieving goals and
development of the organization. In the development of new ideas and making roadmap to
implement them into practical form a strategic visionary leader is compulsory, such as process,
people, system and all basic principle of business.

 Change Agent
Another important attribute of knowledge leader is that a leader should have the qualities
bring the revolution at all spheres of the organization. A knowledge leader becomes change
agent when they bring together all workforces by interacting them, face to face and guiding them
according to his or her strategies.

 Coach, mentor and model

A knowledge leader could help the members of the organization by providing them opportunity
of learning new skills and make them capable to resolve easily routine life challenges at
workplace. A good leader become coach and mentor when he or she assigns tasks, helping in
completion of those tasks by setting up models.

 Communicator
A good communicator leader and well known about effective ways of communication between
all levels of the firms could easily develop cooperative culture at workplace. When a leader has
the quality of well communication then the problem could be easily sort out before they lead
toward big issues. There are so many methods such like face to face discussion, meetings,
websites, calls and messaging etc.

 Knowledge executor

The execution of knowledge could become possible when leader have the quality of making
process, building technical skills, developing better management system and finding out
mistakes. A leader plays a vital role in meeting up the organization vision. The effective
knowledge leader generates the new knowledge and makes a roadmap for the implementation of
that knowledge in practice.

 Learning facilitator
The knowledge leader should have the patience capacity for accepting the mistakes of
organization members and helping them to sort out those problems. A well leader should always
be ready to teach or train others with on job practices. Motivate and encourage the members or
his team by telling them past events etc.

Conclusion
A leader is one who guides his team and led his institute toward a miracle change and
development. There is no concern that what type of leader he or she is but to become efficient
he/she should have the characteristics or generic attributes of leaders. A strong leadership is an
important part organization’s management, because it helps in achieving long term goals.

Question NO. 5

Features of effective knowledge cultures

The firms which belong s to services and other expertise, necessary to develop and
manage all those features which are regularly basis used by the workforce within an
organization. Well knowledge society could be divided into different norms such as there is high
rate of patience, there is habit of collaboration between the individuals, people are highly trusted
each other’s and everyone have the right to give his own ideas and these ideas are encouraged by
all others superiors. Only trust is the element in which one let do the tasks to bingers.

“An effective knowledge culture achieved when there is strong cooperation between all levels of
the organizations, important piece of information is delivered to needy person and high rate of
trust between workforces”

 Working together
In knowledge culture framework people wants and focus to working together setup by
cooperating each other.

 Encouraging new ideas:

When someone generated new ideas, it is appreciated and motivated by the superiors.

 Colleague’s sharing and learning

All colleagues are asked to participate in learning and sharing the important information

 Development of innovative ideas

The creative ideas and their solutions developed through participation

 Working together (core activity)

Working and helping each other is seen as basic activity

 Openness, Honesty and concern for others

A working environment where everyone well known, honest and have feelings for others
colleagues

 Regularly demonstration of communication

Sharing what is done and need to be done across all level of organization’s units

 Encouragement by leaders
A working setup where sharing of knowledge is appreciated and encourage by superiors

 Employees are informed

Workforce should be informed about anything which is going to happen within organization
such as issues, innovation etc.