Merits and challenges of implementing Knowledge Management

Question: Assess the merits and challenges of implementing Knowledge Management (KM) initiatives in Teagasc a public sector organisation which is the agriculture and food development authority in Ireland. In your answer, please consider the following: The role of IT in KM Answer: Introduction Knowledge Management is a multi disciplined advancement that uses the knowledge in the best way for achieving the objectives of the organization. Kang and Sauk Hau (2014) commented on the fact that it is a process that involves capturing, sharing, developing and effectively using organizational knowledge for making a best use of the knowledge within the organization. This KM technology includes the various categories such as Groupware, workflow, Enterprise portals, scheduling and planning as well as eLearning. This assignment deals with the implementation of KM in Teagasc which is a public sector that is concerned with agricultural as well as food development authority. It has an aim of using innovative technologies in the agro-food section that will help in increasing sustainability, competitiveness and profitability. In addition to this, the merits and demerits of implementing KM in Teagasc are also discussed vividly. Advantages of implementing Knowledge Management (KM) in Teagasc The KM implementation in Teagasc has several advantages that are discussed below- Enabling fast making of decisions- According to Maruta (2014) the KM provides information that is required through search, subscription, structure and support that helps in making good decisions. By collaboration, a large and diverse opinions along with experience helps in making the decisions. In addition to this, the reuse of knowledge also helps in making faster decisions that are based on large sample sizes, actual experience and the learning of practical lessons. So, Teagasc uses KM for making a good as well as a fast decision that helps in application of innovative technology for the betterment of the organization. Easier in finding pertinent information and resources- With the change in environment as well as innovation of new technology, the organization is always in search of finding relevant information and resources. The introduction of KM helps in understanding the problem, the need and requirements of the customers as well as understands the trends of the market. Lotti Oliva (2014) commented on the fact that KM makes the organization in finding out the need and the information pertinent to it for better performance of the organization. Avoiding repeating mistakes and reducing redundant effort- One of the important tasks that KM helps in not only identification of the lessons learnt from the successes regarding the technologies that are used but also helps in identification of the same from the failures. According to Kang and Sauk Hau (2014) this also helps in understanding the causes of mistake which on rectification makes the next job go perfect. Moreover, KM also prevents replication and repetitions of effort that saves both money and time thereby keeping up the morale of the employees. Making the best use of existing experience and expertise- KM helps the team in getting benefits from the individual talent and knowledge. The more the team will be expertise with the knowledge, the more the team will be strong (Lotti Oliva, 2014). Using KM the knowledge of each of the team member gets shared among the other team members thereby making Teagasc more knowledgeable and technologically advanced to compete the ongoing market trend. Easy communication of information in a broader way- KM helps in communicating the relevant information among the employees and workers of Teagasc quickly and effectively. This prevents the employees and workers in getting drowned with information that are neither relevant nor important for the organization (Maruta, 2014). Stimulation of growth and innovation- The KM in Teagasc stimulates the organization in getting a steady growth regarding the innovation and collection of revenues (Kang and Sauk Hau, 2014). This is because; through KM the new knowledges are shared, collaborated and delivered among the employees that help in progression of the organization in a most progressive manner. Disadvantages of implementing KM in Teagasc Though there are certain pros regarding the implementation of KM in Teagasc, there are also certain disadvantages that also need to be discussed- Complex and costly method- Maruta (2014) commented on the fact that KM is a complex method and understanding of it sometimes become tough to the average employee or worker. In addition to this, this is a costly method and sometimes fails in sharing the needful and relevant information that turns to be a loss to the organization. As a result, the company faces loss and training the employees for the proper usage of it also incurs a huge cost to the company. Understanding the relevant information- Knowledge is one of the most essential parts in an organization as this helps the organization in proper channeling of the information. But according to Lotti Oliva (2014) it sometimes it is difficult for the organization to understand which of the data and information is essential and relevant to the organization. For Teagasc, it sometimes becomes very difficult to understand which of the information are essential and important for the progress of the organization. Moreover the implementation of KM becomes meaningless if the information that is collected is not at all relevant to the strategies and goals of the organization (Maruta, 2014). In addition to this, the system also needs updates efficiently that on failure due to updating can affect the organization to a considerable affect. Lengthy process- Kang and Sauk Hau (2014) commented on the fact that the process of KM is a lengthy process and requires a lot of steps for extraction of the data and information and using it for the future purpose. This results in implementation of KM tough and time consuming and hence cannot keep pace with the fast moving market trend. Conclusion This assignment shows the implementation of KM has both pros and cons on Teagasc. The advantages show that KM is used for stimulating growth and innovation of the company, helps in making good and fast decisions and also helps in getting relevant information. In addition to this, it also helps in avoiding redundancy, repeating mistakes, communicating the information widely and makes a best use of experience and skills. Apart from this, the disadvantages that are discussed are that implementation of KM is a costly and a lengthy method and sometimes it becomes tough to understand the relevant information. References Kang, M. and Sauk Hau, Y. (2014). Multi-level analysis of knowledge transfer: a knowledge recipients perspective. Journal of Knowledge Management, 18(4), pp.758-776. Lotti Oliva, F. (2014). Knowledge management barriers, practices and maturity model. Journal of Knowledge Management, 18(6), pp.1053-1074. Maruta, R. (2014). The creation and management of organizational knowledge. Knowledge-Based Systems, 67, pp.26-34.