Free Essay: Babco Report on Implementing Knowledge Management System

Technological changes take place at a very rapid rate. The technologies that were once tipped as the most innovative technologies have since become obsolete. These technological changes are fueled by the rapid globalization that is taking place today. This is because people can access huge chunks of information online and interact with many different people regardless of the geographical boundaries separating them. This has consequently made it easier for information and ideas to transfuse through the society resulting in improvements in culture and enhanced lifestyles. Additionally, the business world has also been affected by these developments. New technologies have revamped the manner in which business is conducted. The construction sector is very intensive in terms of its reliance on technology. New technologies help to save on costs, time and facilitate efficient management of resources available to produce high quality products. Therefore, one has to be familiar with the most up to date technologies in the industry in order to be successful.

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One of the ways through which Babco can gain competitive advantage over other organizations in the industry is by leveraging the use of contemporary business technologies enhance its service delivery as well as improve in its decision making processes. As such, one of the most appropriate technologies that the company ought to use is the Knowledge Management System (KMS). Knowledge Management (KM) refers to the process of gathering information, developing it, sharing, and using it effectively to make relevant decisions. As such, this is a multidisciplinary approach towards identifying and capturing all organizational knowledge that can have the effect of improving organizational performance.

Therefore, the management of Babco needs to dedicate significant resources. As such, the KMS system should integrate the strategies of the human resource department, information technology department, and the business strategy department in order to develop comprehensive organizational strategies.

There is a broad array of knowledge management technologies that are available today. An organization should only acquire the technologies that are relevant to their business operations as well as those that fit within the framework of their business objectives. The various KM technologies include Groupware, workflow, Content/Document Management, Enterprise Portals, eLearning, Scheduling and planning, and Telepresence.

Groupware refers to a wide range of the technologies that promote effective collaboration and sharing of organizational knowledge among different groups of employees. One example of this KMS is Lotus Notes that came with a wide range of tools such as discussion threads, document sharing abilities, and an organization-wide email system among a wide range of other capabilities. This system is very useful for organizations that have a global presence with a huge human resources located in different places around the world. With such a system, the employees will be able to communicate effectively by following through the discussion threads, and sharing documents amongst themselves.

The other important KMS is a workflow system. The workflow tools help to create a representation of various processes linked with creation and use as well as maintenance of organizational knowledge. For instance, one workflow tool is the creation of documents and forms that are used in authorizing organizational processes within the company. As such, a workflow system can be relied upon in sending notifications to supervisors for them to approve various documents.

On the other hand, content or document management systems are designed ensure automation of the creation of web content and various other organizations within the company. As such, this system can help integrate the different roles played by editors, writers, graphic designers, and producers.

Conversely, enterprise portal systems are knowledge management systems that help to aggregate information across the entire organization or among the different organizational teams through dedicated websites for this function. ELearning KMS helps to conduct human resource training through various educational software applications.

On the other hand, scheduling and planning KMS help to automate the organizations task scheduling and planning process. For example, planning and scheduling for meetings and sending reminders to relevant individuals. Finally, Telepresence KMS assists the organization in conducting virtual meetings especially when conducting meetings between employees located in different regions.

Therefore, having espoused the significance of the different KMS discussed above, it is vivid that the systems can help improve organizational performance in various ways. In this regard, it is recommended that Babco makes significant investment in acquiring these KMS in order to improve organizational performance and gain competitive advantage. The organization can use one or more of these KMS to resolve most of the challenges it faces. For example, the KMS will help the organization improve its communication processes, employee training, operational management through the scheduling of services, and sharing information. These improvements will go a long way in helping the company gain competitive advantage over its competitors because it will be able to coordinate its services and operations efficiently as well as improving how the company accesses and utilizes information from different sources. Therefore, I would recommend the management of Babco to invest in acquiring knowledge management systems.