KM Case Studies

In 2007-2008, I led a team of nine Asian KM experts to produce 22 KM case studies for the Asian Productivity Organization. I edited the resulting book entitled “Knowledge Management in Asia: Experiences and Lessons” and wrote the Overview chapter as well as the Concluding Observations chapter.

You can download the e-book for free here:
http://www.apo-tokyo.org/00e-books/IS-30_KnowledgeMgtAsia.htm

KM in Asia (22 case studies)

The Overview chapter of this ebook is a good introduction to Knowledge Management. The Concluding Observations chapter is a good summary of the 22 KM case studies — a convenience for people too busy to read 22 case studies. Click here to download these selected chapters.

Here is a descriptive list of the 22 KM case studies.

Dabbawalas (India):

Non-technical but precise (Six Sigma certified) business process
Informal but effective KM among 5,000+ illiterate dabbawalas

Airtel (India):

Procedures and templates for best practice sharing, knowledge sharing sessions (KSS) between source and replicator, best practice approval and best practice replication
Best practice replication funnel
Incentive scheme: the Knowledge Dollar (K$) and Joint President’s and CEO’s Knowledge Management Awards

Infosys (India):

Broad range of IT-based KM solutions and tools
Multi-dimensional corporate knowledge taxonomy
KM integrated into corporate information systems

Bank Indonesia (Indonesia):

IMOVATION: competition in innovations to business processes
Leisure Talk: informal, relaxed discussions and storytelling within CoP framework
Begawanship: system where retiring senior experts designated as begawans (or “sage”) share their skills
Dr. Know: functionality whereby any employee can ask a question

Unilever (Indonesia):

Senior managers as coaches
Retrospect: retrieving tacit knowledge from projects and disseminating them in the Knowledge Club website
3C’s: listening to consumers, customers and community for product improvement insights
Various CoPs: K-Club shows (business sharing), GLAD (group learning and development), Book Club, SOLAR (sharing of learning and discussions), video café session, Cinemania
Internal expertise locator
Enterprise award: for innovative ideas that are tested or implemented

Wika (Indonesia):

Wika Scorecard: modified Balanced Scorecard
Various awards: Innovation award, Adi Komersial Award (contributing to the company’s incremental profits), Knowledge Award (for knowledge sharing), Inspirator Award (for making an inspiring breakthrough)
Managing tacit knowledge by: cMc program (coaching, mentoring, counseling), Begawans (well-seasoned executives or staff), externalization (documenting innovations), sharing sessions

Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (Korea):

Integration of KM with Six Sigma applied to work processes
Over 140 CoPs: internal, across Samsung Group, and with outside
Patent Expo: cross-disciplinal synergy of expertise to improve R&D ideas
Cyber Research Center
Praise Ground: informal recognition of valued KM behaviors

SK Energy (Korea):

Three-Tier Knowledge Process: filtering and refining of tacit knowledge and experiences into proven “solution packs” or Core Knowledge Packages for operational excellence or new business creation
“Working Room” (first tier): physical as well as virtual space where CoP members can propose, discuss and screen initial ideas

Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysia):

Corporate knowledge taxonomy
Redesigning office spaces to encourage interaction
KM Fair

Tun Abdul Razak Library, UiTM (Malaysia):

KM Roadmap: aligning KM to organizational strategy, KM audit, KM Team, design of KM system, implementation and measurements
Managing change, culture and reward structures

Department of Health (Philippines):

Harnessing potential in-house KM champions into a KM Team
Measures to develop “buy-in” across a big organization
Demand-driven KM audit
Development of web-based KM toolkits for productivity by the KM Team: ‘Learning KM by doing KM’

Malampaya Multipartite Monitoring Team (Philippines):

K-Loop: development of a Learning-Oriented Systems Manual
Team learning processes: intrapersonal learning and interpersonal learning tools
Lessons-learned meeting to capture tacit knowledge of staff in a high-turnover organization

Philippine TQM Foundation (Philippines):

Knowledge-sharing mechanisms across small and medium-scale industries (SMEs): documentation of best practices, manualization of procedures, training, knowledge-sharing website, development of local certification system
KM assessment of SME members

Qian Hu (Singapore):

Variety of communication platforms: among employees, and with customers, suppliers and investors
Enabling HRM practices: employee involvement, teamwork and intrapreneurship, awards
CoPs (communities of practice) for R&D (research and development)

JTC Corporation (Singapore):

Corporate-wide taxonomy and metadatabase
Common contribution template to standardize knowledge capturing
CoPs and online forums for specific issues
Various ‘Knowledge Activist’ awards
Dynamic Workspace: thematic repository of lessons and knowledge generated from previous projects, communication medium among staff experienced or performing similar projects, ‘Knowledge Discovery Points’ to focus attention on areas where further learning is needed

Sunon (Taiwan):

Product Data Management: KM for managing R&D covering project document management, better patent and other knowledge search
Apprenticeship and mentoring
e-Learning

CAPCO (Taiwan):

Initiation through a KM Promotions Committee
PTA Knowledge Hall, followed by Share Knowledge Portal
Multimedia Cyber College: e-learning program
Promoting KM through: Business Unit Performance Review Meeting, Certification Program and Motion Award

ASE (Taiwan):

KM Center
Instructive history of evolutionary growth of KM: policy, systems, organization, and people

SCG Paper (Thailand):

Training modules and corresponding ‘knowledge owners’ in eleven knowledge areas across four key business processes
PPB Knowledge System: intranet for knowledge repository and sharing, KM working groups, module teams, champions and mentors in module teams, CoPs
Technology management thru Technology Roadmap, R&D program, and Intellectual Property Center

Siriraj Hospital (Thailand):

CoPs (communities of practice) for continuous clinical quality improvement: best practice identification and sharing in patient care
KM Committee, Chief Knowledge Officer and CoP Roadmap
R2R program (routine-to-research): systematic research of daily work routines to generate quality improvement, best practices and innovations
IT support system

Techcombank (Vietnam):

Integration of KM with other business excellence initiatives
Development and sharing of knowledge products

Goldsun (Vietnam):

KM system design and plan aligned with business goals, and selection of three pilot projects based on priorities and feasibilities
Internal KM Team
Click-2-K (or click to knowledge): the internal knowledge portal

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