Knowledge Management in Fuji Xerox Australia - Case Study Example

Knowledge Management in Fuji Xerox Australia Name Institution Knowledge Management in Fuji Xerox Australia Introduction Knowledge management is defined as the concept where enterprise consciously collect, categorizes, distributes and evaluates its knowledge (Handzic and Zhou, 2005). These are done in terms of people’s skill, resources and documents. Knowledge management entails data mining and various methods of reaching information to the end users. It is a discipline that encourages a combined approach to identifying, taking, assessing retrieving and distributing information assets belonging to an enterprise (Handzic and Zhou, 2005). Examples of these assets may include policies, databases, documents and procedures to mention the least. Historically, knowledge management is chiefly about handling the knowledge of an organization. Knowledge management literature categorizes knowledge in three ways; Explicit, implicit and tacit (Stricker, 2014). Explicit knowledge is that which is represented in a tangible form. Implicit knowledge is not necessarily set out in a form that is tangible but can also be made explicit. Finally, tacit knowledge is one that could be extremely hard in setting it but in a tangible form. It is also referred as knowledge which is within people. Knowledge management mainly consists of making available the establishment’s data and information to its members by means of portals and systems that manage contents (Hejduk, 2005). Content management alias Enterprise management is one of the most immediate sections of Knowledge Management. Development of knowledge management comes in three main stages. The initial and first stage of knowledge management involves Information and Technology and is primarily driven by it (Stricker, 2014). The second stage of knowledge management came about due to the inefficiency of the simple new technology in place that made it virtually impossible in sharing of information and knowledge. Finally, the third stage of knowledge management entails content management and taxonomy. This stage came about due to cognizance of content and its ability to be retrieved. The goal of knowledge management is to provide leaders with various methods of organizing and locating significant capacity along with the relevant expertise needed to address projects and tasks in an organization (Liebowitz, 2012). This paper will provide description of the size and scope of the organization. In addition, it will analyze the three key concepts of knowledge management namely, knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention and knowledge sharing with regard to the organization. It will also look at various strengths and weaknesses of the organization in the basis of knowledge management concepts. Finally, the paper will sort to discuss various recommendations for the improvement of the organization. Fuji Xerox Australia Fuji Xerox Company is part of the leading business enterprise in the world providing document management services (Fuji Xerox, 2005). The company offer back-office assistance through document technology, supplies and software that pave way for its clients to focus solemnly on their core business. Fuji Xerox Australia is a key regional operation of central Fuji Xerox, Asia Pacific situated in Singapore (Linger et al., 2004). The company has it’s headquarter in North Ryde in Sydney. Fuji Xerox came to be as a result of the collaboration between Xerox of United States and Fuji Photo Film found in Japan. Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Company includes Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and NZ. The company has pioneered xerography but has largely been faced with increased competition over the years (Fuji Xerox, 2005). Due to competition, Fuji Xerox has instituted knowledge management to for long term development and productivity. Knowledge management in organisation The primary importance of knowledge management in organisations today cannot be ignored (Schiuma, 2011). Knowledge is recognised as a system of capital for any organisation and gives the sustainable foundation for competitive advantage that is acquired by many organisations. Unlike other forms of capital that can be seen on the business balance sheet, knowledge easily advances itself to ‘recycling’ in order to generate new intellectual capital important to the organisations (Ludan, 2002). We can say that knowledge is re-usable and is easily integrated in different ways to maximize its value. When the existing knowledge in an organisation is fully utilized, it is possible to develop strategies and policies to manage acknowledge environment. Any given organisation is able to help itself utilise such strategic resource by understanding the environment where the knowledge process will take place and implement effective knowledge management methods in order to support the environment (Hejduk, 2005). Knowledge management can be termed as a management system highly in support of the creation, sharing and retention of valued information, insight and experience within a group of people and interconnected business organisations by use of information and communication technologies (Stricker, 2014). Therefore, it is the combination and interconnection of the effective and efficient application of information technology in addition to management of human resources (Liebowitz, 2012). Characteristically, knowledge management is growing to be fundamental competitive factor in today’s organisations. Knowledge management concepts include: Knowledge creation In an organization, knowledge creation is the considered very important (Schiuma, 2011). It involves constant transfer, accumulation and conversion of dissimilar types of knowledge as the consumers interact and learn. The drive force in creating new knowledge comes about through practice, interactions and the alteration between ownership of the knowledge and the aspect of knowing (Handzic and Zhou, 2005). Moreover, in order for this to interact, it is therefore important to encourage unstructured work places in fields where creativity improvement is of uttermost importance. Therefore, knowledge is created via practice, coaction and interaction as the knowledge is shared and exchanged (Schiuma, 2011). Other than this, creation of knowledge is also aided by pertinent information which can enhance decision making and act as foundation of in creation of fresh knowledge. The purpose of administration in knowledge creation development is thus as follows. It empowers the sharing of knowledge. Management ought to create the proper environment and systems that offer the means for it to take place (Schiuma, 2011). Secondly, it also helps to provide a suitable work surrounding. This is by creation and interaction between knowledge and knowing. This can be done by offering related courses and education and chiefly by allowing fresh knowledge to be formed from interaction and experimentation. This suitable work environment enables goals to be created through actions (Schiuma, 2011). Thirdly, the management can provide systems that back up the work process. For example, those that facilitates communication. However, these systems should not inhibit creative processes or enforce stiff practices in an organization. Finally, management can help offer knowledge workers with pertinent information which is well timed (Schiuma, 2011). Fuji Xerox Australia acknowledges and expounds knowledge as a source of information in order to develop their sustainable competitive advantage (Fuji Xerox, 2005). The company’s managers and leaders forayed into new initiatives with their entrepreneurial vision to remanufacture their business and employ technological skills by hiring a skilled workforce (Fuji Xerox, 2005). Fuji Xerox Australia started with few employees but has over the years created a knowledge repertoire with expert teams who have acquired skills and knowledge through extensive training, shared information and knowledge. Strategically, knowledge is termed as a key source of resource development in organizations. Thus, organizations build and increase new resources through knowledge deployment based-processes within its manufacturing facilities (Hejduk, 2005). Fuji Xerox Australia is able to acknowledge the value of knowledge creation thus provided its employees with necessary resources to build this knowledge. In addition, the company has noted the inter-business flows as a means of knowledge creation where the flows are well-thought-out as a characteristic of a networked company where the experienced employees offer knowledge to the new employees (Fuji Xerox, 2005). Also, the company creates knowledge among the employees through customized training of the staff members (Linger et al., 2004). Customized training assist the employees improve their skills, address productivity issues and expand on their knowledge in order to increase competitive advantage. In addition, the company not only creates knowledge for themselves, but also assists their customers in transforming their knowledge into a document thereby increasing their intellectual competitiveness (Stricker, 2014). In addition, Fuji Xerox Australia has created a positive working environment that enables employees work smarter by means of innovation and collaboration. The positive environment is created through diversified workforce, innovative culture and economic, social and environmental sustainability undertakings (Benn and Dunphy, 2004). Knowledge sharing When knowledge’s already created, it should be shared among people and employees in a business organisation in order for the knowledge to become the foundation for future innovation and creativity and knowledge generation (Bernus and Fox, 2005). Knowledge sharing is perhaps the most essential concept in the knowledge management process because the majority of knowledge management initiatives highly depend on it. Knowledge sharing can either be a push or pull (Bernus and Fox, 2005). The pull is when the knowledge worker seek out for knowledge sources through various means such as library search, collaboration with co-employee etc. while the push describe when knowledge is ‘pushed onto’ the knowledge worker e.g. unsolicited publication, newsletter to name a few (Bernus and Fox, 2005). Knowledge sharing highly depends on the habit and inclination of the knowledge worker to be receptive to the knowledge sources. For this, the right culture and incentives must be present. The concepts of knowledge sharing include explicit, tacit and embedded knowledge sharing (Bernus and Fox, 2005). Effective explicit knowledge sharing depends on articulation; the capabilities of an individual to define his needs, awareness; acquaintance of the availability of knowledge, access to knowledge, guidance; knowledge leaders are key elements in developing knowledge sharing system and completeness; ability to access centrally managed and self-published knowledge (Handzic and Zhou, 2005). Knowledge management often does not degrade the value of explicit knowledge and relies largely on tacit knowledge. However, there have been run-off of explicit knowledge globally and the capabilities needed to manage it, thereby availability of stream of relevant information and knowledge brings about competitive advantage (Bernus and Fox, 2005). Needless to say, explicit knowledge sharing systems are very transparent and thus easy to replicate. For this, they cannot sustain long-term competitive leverage. Implementing a firm’s explicit knowledge sharing system is therefore very important. On the other hand, tacit knowledge sharing is subject to socialization (Bernus and Fox, 2005). Socialization depends on a number of factors: informal networks through day-to-day interactions within a work environment, span around functions and hierarchies thus difficult to identify the networks, and requires management support through provision of means of communication. Systematization of tacit knowledge is considered difficult or impossible since it can result to knowledge loss. Tacit knowledge sharing is done through practice, monitoring and networking and requires a conducive culture (Bernus and Fox, 2005). Moreover, embedded knowledge sharing involves sharing of knowledge of a product, process or routine. Embedded knowledge is shared in an event where knowledge from one process or routine is incorporated into another. Thus, management is required to understand what knowledge is scoped within these sources and should transmit the relevant parts into another system (Bernus and Fox, 2005). This can be done through scenario planning, after-action reviews or management training. Embedded knowledge can be transferred as it is by testing the consequences of design features and techniques transferred from one region to another. With regards to Fuji Xerox Australia, the company has a complex operation (Bernus and Fox, 2005). This complexity has led to various barriers. To start with, the company has many offices, distribution centres, remanufacturing centre and a technology centre. For this, moving between offices and regions of the company involves swiping cards and disincentives for meeting among the employees found in different offices are very difficult (Schiuma, 2011). Fuji Xerox Australia thus has a godfather system used for sharing knowledge in the company and encouraging managers to uphold their sensitivity to the ‘coal face’ (Benn and Dunphy, 2004). For instance managers are expected to share information about the key indicators of employees’ performance in terms of customer’s service which gives the staff an opportunity to interact with the individuals at the senior level (Fuji Xerox, 2005). Fuji Xerox considers itself as ‘the document company’. The company shares information and knowledge locally and internationally by use of plethora of IT systems. It utilize knowledge management software and Document Workbench that enables it to put all the procedures and activities up on the system as it is considered as an electronic sharing company. In order to share knowledge and information internationally, Fuji Xerox Australia uses database from the United States from where the information’s retrieved (Linger et al., 2004). The database used, Eureka, is a global database that allow the company to understand its problems and enhance the resolution of such problems, problems are fed into a central database for solutions to be retrieved (Fuji Xerox, 2005). IT implementation at Fuji Xerox Australia with regard to knowledge management include the use of Enterprise Resource Planning System, human resource management system, field engineers diagnostic system to name a few. Such information technology systems are integrated and serve the company well in enhancing its competitive advantage (Linger et al., 2004). In addition, supplementary technology use involves the utilization of video conferencing and telephone conferences for knowledge sharing. Knowledge Retention This involves the process of capturing knowledge for future use in an organization. Often, people mistake knowledge retention for losing chief employees and use of method such as exit interviews in plea of capturing their knowledge (Ludan, 2002). However, knowledge retention ought to be incorporated in how the organization functions prior to the loss of a key employee. The strategies of knowledge retention will key out the knowledge resources at risk, which should therefore be retained, as initiatives to maintain the resources in the firm are implemented (Liebowitz, 2012). These initiatives may include knowledge sharing, support of informal formal knowledge networks and organizational culture change. Important questions to be asked when knowledge retention is considered include, what knowledge is at risk of loss? What are the organizational effects of knowledge loss? And what approaches can be incorporated to retain the knowledge? Expansion of these questions yield several concrete steps to be followed when formulating knowledge retention strategy; understanding the risk factors, classification of knowledge, establishing the most critical knowledge, establishing the pillars supporting knowledge retention and understanding the success factors (Ortenblad, 2014). Knowledge retention in Fuji Xerox Australia has confirmed a record of employee fulfilment, retention of customers and also conflict resolution. Fuji has ensured that their employees work in a stable environment where there are no daily changes in their working stations (Fuji Xerox, 2005). This gives the management more control over their various teams since the staffs tend to work in their current location and at the same time reporting to the same management teams. The company has formed task groups that engage the employees to conduct studies of the company’s documents and audits and therefore find the most efficient way of analyzing critical documents associated with the chief company’s objective (Fuji Xerox, 2005). The company has also adapted electronic document and records management which helps the organization to capture, manage, group, allocate and get rid of documents associated with the business in the organization. The management of these documents and records in the organization has helped members of staff to come together and work as a virtual team, leveraging day to day information from a common repository (Ortenblad, 2014). This enables the organization to keep track of important information or knowledge in case of poor handling of the knowledge by the members of staff. This system also makes it easier for staff in Fuji Xerox to gain access to the knowledge but in some degree giving selected members of the organization more privileges than others (Fuji Xerox, 2005). This therefore reduces the cases of data theft in the organization, both internally and externally. Finally, Fuji Xerox has been rewarding their employees for their knowledge. This has also motivated them to keep their individual knowledge rather than sharing them. The management has devised a method which rewards staff who share and operate as a team other than those who work independently. This also helps in retention of knowledge in the organization (Linger et al., 2004). Strength and weaknesses of knowledge management As Fuji Xerox Australia seek to continually enhance its capabilities, capturing and organizing knowledge is becoming imperative. Nevertheless, knowledge management, while very hard to argue against its witnessed principle, has proved difficult to implement practically (Coakes, 2003). Thus, many opportunities for knowledge management simply go begging. Management of knowledge in Fuji Xerox Australia has had some strengths and weaknesses. There is a relationship between implementation of knowledge management and effective teamwork in Fuji Xerox Australia (Fuji Xerox, 2005). Knowledge management has enabled the company undergo cultural transition where employees changed from being self-centered to sharing knowledge and information freely. Effective teamwork has enhanced sales and the staff have become more positive and improved information-sharing capability (Coakes, 2003). Knowledge management in Fuji Xerox Australia has also led to emergence of weaknesses in the company (Fuji Xerox, 2005). The company is faced with ‘funnel of power and information’. For instance, sharing of knowledge and conformation comes is indirect from the manufacturer and thus such information and knowledge does not reach the recipient in the required timeframe. Lack of individuals contacts across a boundary lead to impediment of communications (Fuji Xerox, 2005). Lack of direct contact exacerbates the funnel effect. In addition, Fuji Xerox Australia has no translation service. A document or information created in Australia may not be shared purely as a result of language barrier. As stated earlier, the company is conserved ‘the document company’ as the staff is technologically literate and utilizes available infrastructure and knowledge management system. Decision-making is done on consensus basis. Flow of knowledge and information is therefore compromised by dispersion of the company’s operations (Coakes, 2003). Recommendation for improvement Knowledge management implementation in Fuji Xerox Australia has led to many advantages that have consequently led to enhanced competitive advantage (Linger et al., 2004). However, for knowledge management to boost innovation and further enhance competitive advantage in Fuji Xerox Australia, the company should keep some knowledge management recommendation in mind (Benn and Dunphy, 2004). The company should build a brand. This can be done by marketing their knowledge management system and hiring a knowledge management brand managers who will help in achieving this. Also, the company should integrate social media which should be a key factor of knowledge management infrastructure (Liebowitz, 2012). Specifically, mobile cloud inventiveness should be considered making knowledge accessible within the organization from everywhere and every time (Liebowitz, 2012). In addition, retention of aging workforce is paramount. Long-serving employees are considered to have a depth of knowledge important for other staff to acquire especially in a situation where managing knowledge is focused less at an organizational level. The loss of such fundamental staff affects the capacity of knowledge within an organization (Hejduk, 2005). Therefore, Fuji Xerox should aim at supporting aging workforce which is able to share knowledge with other staff (Ludan, 2002). Knowledge management in the organization is able to help by establishing a structured mechanism necessary for capturing and sharing this knowledge when staff retires. Conclusion To sum it up, knowledge management is the concept where enterprise consciously collect, categorizes, distributes and evaluates its knowledge. Knowledge management is growing to be fundamental competitive factor in today’s organisations. Knowledge management concepts include knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and knowledge retention. In Fuji Xerox Australia, knowledge management has been effectively implemented through the use of information technology and other strategies. Implementation of knowledge management in Fuji Xerox Australia has led to many opportunities for the company such as increased team work and generally its competitive advantage. However, knowledge management has led to a number of challenges such as information shared taking too long to reach the recipient, language barrier, ineffective knowledge sharing etc. In order to curb such challenges, the company should build a brand, integrate social media and retain aging workforce. References Benn, S. and Dunphy, D. (2004). .A case study in strategic sustainability. Fuji Xerox Eco Manufacturing Centre. Innovation: management, policy and practice, vol.6, iss.2, pp.119-128 Bernus, P. & Fox, M. (2005). Knowledge sharing in the integrated enterprise interoperability strategies for the enterprise architect. New York: Springer. Coakes, E. (2003). 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(2011). Managing knowledge assets and business value creation in organizations measures and dynamics. Hershey PA: Business Science Reference. Stricker, U. (2014). Knowledge management practice in organizations : the view from inside. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Read More