Your thoughts concerning an intranet where employees can learn and mutually inspire each other - Essay Example

?Intranets Introduction An intranet is an internal computer network used within an organization. Unlike the internet that connectscomputers globally through the World Wide Web, intranets use computers among other similar media to connect different departments and sections of the organization to a central database thus facilitate the sharing of information among other resources. Intranets just as any other computer networks including the internet use computer’s internet protocols to facilitate the haring of such resources as information, computing services and operating systems among many others within a single organization. This implies that an organization can customize the features of its intranet thereby making it unique and accessible to particular group of people who have specific interest in the organization. The size and type of an intranet to install in an organization depends on the size of the organization and the nature of the database used in such organizations. Debenhams plc. Is a multinational retail chain operating as department stores in Denmark, the United Kingdom and Ireland. As an organization requires an integrated database with appropriate intranet to link its franchises t a central database, thus enabling consolidate communication among the employees of the company. An intranet is a composition of different communication devices including a computer, routers, switches, data cables and telephones among many other features. To uyse an intranet effectively, employees require appropriate training and skills. Furthermore, the employees can train and support each other on the use of either each of the myriad component of the intranet or the entire network. Besides the above elements, an intranet may include other features such as fax machines, telephones and printers among others. The incorporation of these in an intranets permits sharing of the resources. The placement of such fractures should be strategic in order to facilitate access and efficient service delivery. Sharing of the resources constitute a major advantage of intranets since it makes management of organizations such as Debenhams plc. easier. By including a printer and a fax machine in an intranet, the organization consolidates the information processing mechanism thus permitting every station to access and print information without the need to buy several printers for every department. Additionally, the intranet maintains the integrity of the data printed by the centrally placed printer since it eliminates the use of secondary data storage facilities such as flash drives most of which transfer computer viruses thus impairing the functionality of the machines. An intranet is a fundamental feature of the Debenhams plc. It improves the level of professionalism in the organization besides its role in the operations of the firm. Through the intranet, Debenhams’ employees learn and inspire each other a feature that don not only improve the level of professionalism in the organization but also motivate employees thus improving profitability. Just as with any other technology, it will compel the employees to learn the ways of operation and handling in order to use efficiently. This way, the installation of an intranet in organization will motivate employees to learn and those with adequate knowledge on the operation of the different machines to help enlighten others. Additionally, subsequent upgrade of the intranet will require progressive training of the staff in order to improve their ability to operate the equipment better. The use of computers is elaborate and requires professional technical knowhow depending on the roles of an employee in an organization. Managers for example use detailed programs in managing the organization’s operations and finance, the roles and duties of the employees differ depending on their positions within the organization. This implies that their use of the intranet will equally differ thus compelling the installation of different features of the intranet depending on the use of the same by the employees. Among the basic uses of an intranet is to facilitate communication among the different departments and levels of management within the organization. The network provides specific communication features by facilitating the transfer of memos, phone calls and electronic mail services. Other more complicated communication features include video and electronic conferencing features through which the management can easily meet without meeting in the boardrooms. The management can therefore employ the features of an intranet to facilitate on job training of the employees with the view improving both their ability to operate the network and to improve professionalism and quality of service delivery. Double loop learning is a way of improving interactivity through an intranet. The concept refers to the ability of an organization to achieve a goal through inclusive deliberations and discussion of the different options a case presents. Most of the successful organizations include employees in the decision-making process. Through an effective intranet, the management can easily involve all the fundamental employees concerned in specific activities in the organization. The speed, efficiency and integrity of an intranet are fundamental in information sharing and can easily facilitate efficient decision-making process. Using such, the management easily sends emails to all relevant departments thus invoking interactivity in the process. Speed and integrity are features relative to an intranet depending on the features employed in the same. The installation process requires the use of efficient facilities in order to safeguard the speed of data transfer and the reliability of the network. The speed of the internet for example depends on the processor speeds of the various computers used in the creation of the network. Additionally, the routers and the switches help maintain an equal speed of data transfer a feature that requires the use of appropriate routers in the creation of the network. Most organizations have separate websites that they maintain with the constant addition of information from the management resolutions. The speed and resolution of the management decision sis therefore fundamental in the efficient service delivery and in the determination of the profitability of an organization. Double loop learning facilitates effective decision-making since it incorporates the ideas of all the involved parties in the decision making process. Through such, the concerned stakeholders deliberate on a goal, consider the available alternatives for the same and even reject certain retrogressive goals. Such a process requires effective consultations and consideration of the views of all the concerned parties in the process (Benner, 2004). An intranet facilitates such by providing the organization with the desired connectivity and the provision of a reliable communication network (Snowden, 2002). As explained earlier, the provision of such features as electronic mail and video conference facilities make the decision making process interactive as they permit each of the concerned personalities in an organization to contribute in the decision making process. With the infusion of the website in an intranet, the organization thus communicates the final decision to its different publics. Such publics would include the other employees who receive such information through internal memos sent to their workstations and the consumers who obtain specific information through the website. However, the inclusion of the website would compel the use of the internet. Dreyfus model of skills acquisition is yet another equally effective means of knowledge acquisition among a group of employees using a particular intranet. The five-stage model provides a progressive means through which the users of a network can improve both their professionalism and efficiency in the use of the network. Employees use the network for different purposes each of which requires effective understanding of the operations of the network. The novice stage is the preliminary stage in the learning process. At this stage, employees would receive instructions on the use of the network from experienced users of the same. Such experienced users would be contracted trainers who offer basic training on the use of the network. Additionally, they would also constitute experienced employees training new staffs on the access and use of the network. At a novice stage, the employees have no interest on detailed features of the network; they use the specific features that relate to their work as instructed by their trainers (Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1980). After the novice stage, employees become advanced beginners before becoming competent. Competence includes the acquisition of appropriate organizational skills as the employees use the network continuously. At such a stage, they possess all the basic features and can employ the same in the operation and the performance of their tasks within the organization. While the employees at this stage can perfume tasks, deliberate planning and even formulate routines, they still consult and with other established employees and users of the network for consultations as they build their experience and continue to learn other features of the network. After the competency stage, the employees become proficient users of the network. At such a stage, they can access any section of the database with minimal assistance and can help educate and train other junior employees of the organization on the use of the network. The final stage in the five stage Dreyfus model of skills acquisition model is the expert stage. The operation and management of an intranet requires progressive buildup of both knowledge and experience. At such a stage, the employees have adequate knowledge on any feature of the network. They become expert users of the network following their sustained interest to learn the features of the network thus developing their skills and experience with the network. Expert users of the network employ analytical approaches and are proactive. They investigate and solve problems that may jam the network. Most organizations have dedicated information technology departments with dedicated system administrators mandated with the management and maintenance of the network. In such organizations, the rest of the employees do not require technical knowhow on the management of the network. However, such information still remains fundamental and helps in the proficient use of the network. Expert information and knowledge of thee management and operation of the network is essential for to level managers in the organization. Top-level managers use the network in different ways. They access every part of the database unlike other employees at the organization who have limitations on the database access. Such command that the managers have specific knowledge about the network. They have to learn the ways of navigating through the network and access every employee through the network. Top-level managers supervise junior employees at the organization. They therefore require adequate technical knowhow on the operation of the network. Managers may not therefore learn the infrastructure and the features of the network as the rest of the employees. They undertake professional management courses that provide them with adequate skills on every feature of the organization including the intranets. They come into the organization with the skills and technical knowhow and therefore require light orientations before they take over the management and supervision of other employees in the organization. Another equally relevant knowledge acquisition mode in an organization relating to the employee training on the use of an intranet is the I-space also known as information space. The model provides four types of knowledge that employees must possess in order to operate and navigate an intranet effectively. The four include public knowledge; this refers to the knowledge about an intranet available in textbooks, magazines and newspaper among others. Such information provides employees with basic understanding of network but may not enlighten them on the operation of a specific network owing to the different features employed in such. a more relevant type of information in the model is the propriety knowledge. This refers to the secrets on the operations and functionality of an organization. In the context of a network, such information would include the fundamental operational features and accessibility of the network among others. Only trusted employees obtain such information. Additionally, they acquire such depending on their need and duties at the organization (Argyris & Schon, 1978). Access of the central database is limited to the employee roles and position at the organization. This demands that employees possess relative information and knowledge on the operation of the network. Other categories on information are personal information and common sense. Personal information may not influence the operation and management of the network but common sense helps employees conceptualize ethics and moral obligations in their usage of the network. This way, they determine the type of information to either access or add to the database and the level of professionalism with which to interact with other users of the intranet. An intranet is a fundamental operational and management feature in an organization. Information being the most important asset in an organization requires effective management a feature that compels effective management of an intranet. Management of an intranet in an organization requires appropriate information and technical knowhow on the network. An organization may hire trainers to facilitate the education of employees on the performance of their roles at the organization. Others may rely on the knowledge and experience of the employees thus using older and more experienced employees to train others. Interactivity among employees is a fundamental motivator. An organization must have effective structure to facilitate the interaction in order to develop a consultative organizational culture. This way, the employees share information and assist each other on the usage of the network in sharing information. Depending on the structure and nature of the organization, professionalism on the use of the network is a fundamental feature that improves the quality of service delivery in an organization thus improving the profitability of an organization. Information technology is both dynamic and progressive. Such features command sustained employee training in order to equip the employees with appropriate knowledge necessary to operate and share information on through the network. References Argyris, C. & Schon, D. (1978). Organizational Learning: A theory of action perspective. New York: Addison-Wesley. Benner, P. (2004). "Using the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition to Describe and Interpret Skill Acquisition and Clinical Judgment in Nursing Practice and Education". Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society 24 (3): 188–19. Dreyfus, S. E. & Dreyfus, H. L. (1980). A Five-Stage Model of the Mental Activities Involved in Directed Skill Acquisition. Washington, DC: Storming Media Snowden, D. (2002). “Complex Acts of Knowing: Paradox and Descriptive Self Awareness” in the Journal of Knowledge Management – Vol. 6, No. 2 (May), pp. 100–111. Read More