Knowledge Creation in KFIC - Essay Example

The observed lack of motivation has a negative effect on work habits and the consequent outcomes. There is a lack of enthusiasm in the workplace and the result is a failure to meet expected outcomes.

 Another difficulty is the relationship between management or leaders and workers or followers. Within KFIC, as discussed earlier in the module on management change, the making of decisions is kept within the upper layers of management at the CEO level and with the company chairman.

Others in the company, supposedly in positions of leadership are prevented from making decisions in their own rights as they are not given sufficient information, and have neither the skills required nor the authority within the workplace that would enable them to do so. The other members of the work teams are well aware of this situation and this makes for poor co-worker relationships. Information is restricted to an elite and the result is a lack of motivation on the part of both team leaders and others. The leaders are unable to act as leaders and the others feel that there is a lack of support. Only minimal instructions are passed down.

The problem is a cultural one within the organization.  The lack of information sharing is due to a lack of trust and workers are aware of this. The company is concerned with finance and investment. This means that there is much private knowledge that must naturally be safeguarded. However, unless leaders and workers have sufficient knowledge they are unlikely to be able to make required decisions and carry out tasks given to a satisfactory level.

The KFC problem discussion in light of available literature

In 2001 Guthrie discussed how the most successful businesses do not rely only upon their obvious assets, but also depend upon more intangible things such as knowledge creation and information held. This is something that KFIC needs to take hold of. They need to understand the importance of knowledge creation and the process of passing on necessary information.

There have been a number of studies on the topic of knowledge management i.e knowledge creation, sharing, and transfer according to Mitchell and Boyle ( 2010). They argue that for knowledge creation it is necessary to conceptualize knowledge and to build consistency of operations.

As Coff indicated in 2003 KFIC needs to create knowledge about organizational aspects of their operation, but also stress social aspects.

Drucker (1998), as cited by Mitchell & Boyle, 2010) explained that it is employees rather than employers who should control and own knowledge production.   

In their 2010 work, Mitchell & Boyle give evidence based upon a number of earlier research studies about the importance of the creation of knowledge.  This they say is because it both provides a means of competitive advantage in the marketplace, but also adds worth to an organization. KFIC, as an organization, needs to comprehend how important knowledge is to their future success. This should then motivate them to search for ways in which they can gain and create suitable aspects of knowledge. The knowledge acquired would then be shared with employees and be applied in the workplace. This gives an important competitive advantage, better enables the researching and production of new products and gives the company the dynamics for future change and evolution.    

 The importance of this problem to management researchers and

practitioners

Academic research is important for business organizations, because business schools are able, through their research projects, consultancy, and teaching, to provide necessary services to businesses of many different kinds. Businesses need to be especially interested in the effective research undertaken by the business schools, and then ways in which findings can be adopted and adapted into already existing business practices. Starkey and Tempest ( 2008) Organizations need to focus on particular research that will help them to overcome competition and to promote growth.

This means that research undertaken should have a definite target audience if it is to be useful to the industry.  In 1998 Tranfield & Starkey discussed how important was the relationship between academic research and its intended audience. They aimed in their study to identify research needs, asking questions such as why and for whom is this research being carried out. They aimed to identify appropriate research needs. Was it to be primarily for the benefit of managers or is it to be for the whole organization, that is they investigated the actual nature of this kind of management research.

Summary

It is necessary, in the light of the ongoing discussion, it is necessary to place a focus on KFIC’s internal structures. This needs to be done in order to enhance the workplace environment for employees through better leadership, worker motivation and satisfaction, and changes in organizational culture. This is the ’what‘ of the research. Who is it for?  Primarily for management at KFIC who need to consider necessary changes to the present organizational culture, the importance of the creation of knowledge, and how to share this more widely with employees so that they are better motivated and do their future work more efficiently. Management will benefit and will be able to more quickly assign tasks appropriately to workers. By means of wider knowledge creation, KFIC can obtain and share necessary information with staff.