Operational
Knowledge Management System Design in Total Quality Management:
Small
and Medium Size Companies
Jose Teba
Fernandez1,
Sebastian Lozano Segura1, Jose Luis Salmeron2, Jesus Racero Moreno1
University of Seville1,
University Pablo de Olavide at Seville2
ABSTRACT:
Knowledge Management
(hereafter KM) some times looks like a theoretical, intangible and no
operational subject. Nevertheless most people agree on capital role of concepts
and proposals embedded in it in organizations and companies success. Some great companies and organization have
designed and implemented KM system with success; however medium and small size
companies find very difficult access to it. We plan design an operational
proposal based on accessible and available technologies and knowledge in small
and medium size TQM companies and organizations. We think TQM companies fit,
better that others, with our propose to design
Operational Knowledge Management Systems Decision Making Oriented which allow
the companies to manage its tacit (quality circles program, reward programs,)
or explicit (TQM system formalized documents) knowledge in an effective and
efficient way. So, based on existing organizational culture in TQM companies,
the experience on formalizing TQM system and IT, KM system can be implemented
in order to get suitable competitive advantages in SME companies too.
|
Keywords: Knowledge Management;
Total Quality; Decision
Making; Innovation;
Information Technology |
1. Introduction
Most companies, mainly small and medium size firms (SME), consider KM managerial model complex and expensive, mainly because of complex principles and theories embedded and handled by research and consulting advisors. We will try to demonstrate that most of these companies have the suitable basis to carry out and operational and effective KM system implementation.
The following points are considered in the proposed framework: theoretical KMS, TQM and IT context and its relationship, knowledge management in TQM sample companies, operational model proposal and conclusion and proposals.
2. Theoretical Context
2.1. Knowledge Management
Approach
Knowledge can have different meanings. So, it can be referred as what a person knows; the facts, information, skills, and understanding that one has gained, through learning or experience. It can be considered another meaning: finding through intellectual faculties. Usually people can also identify this term or concept with science, wisdom. As we are concerned, we consider knowledge related to science and its tries to finding nature, qualities and relationship of task and activities embedded in management process of companies or organizations, no matter public or privates, small or large size, even for not-for-profit companies or organizations. We also consider technology as key in knowledge management. View it as set of knowledge, tools and process in products or industrial sectors. We can refer it as set of scientific knowledge systematically applied to practical activities, mainly to solve questions or problems related in goods or services production in different human necessities. Child (1974) notes that technology was a set of knowledge and information systematically applied to design, development, production and marketing process of goods or services and management tools and technology related.
On the other hand many authors, from Drucker (1985) to Christensen and Raynor (2003) have paid attention to study technological innovation process. Technology, Information Technology and its suitable management have been considered a key factor in such process. So new proposal has appeared in order to a suitably manage this process. Although scientific approach to knowledge management has been proposed since 1950 and earlier, new managerial focus, based on this concept, has appeared recently. What is a general consensus, in many authors and most companies, is that some skills and “know how” and some informal tacit and organizational knowledge are becoming decisive factors in activities´ performance to ensure competitive advantages and companies´ success.
Usually, when people refer to technological management, they use to think about hard aspects and the inherent explicit and formalized knowledge and “know how” or management technologies related. Nevertheless most author and manager agree that many of tacit and organizational aspects (knowledge about suppliers or client preferences, habits or tastes in agreement process, specific workers skill, and so on) could be considered even more important that explicit and formal technology. So, we think that organizations should consider these tacit and informal aspects as a sort of technology and to be considered in the whole technological management. Or better, consider conventional technological management as a new item in the whole knowledge management system of organization. No matter the choice, we consider that KM should cover a wide set of subjects and questions, formal or informal, explicit or tacit, to lead to new competitive advantages. And this question should be tackled “ad hoc” depending on each company or organization.
Literature (e.g. Drucker 2002,
Most prestigious authors also agree on pointing out human factor as key in
knowledge creation and maintenance processes in competitive advantages design
and its performance. Drucker (1985),
Knowledge Management concept and treatment usually depend on author professional area. Andreu and Sieber (1999) consider that knowledge management is a “continuous process to ensure practical development at the organization in order to improve organization problems solution capability and contribute competitive advantages support”. Sveiby (2001) considers that KM is the added value creation capability through organization intangible assets. Waltz (2003) argues that KM refers to different organizational disciplines, processes and technology information applied to acquire, create and spread knowledge to get companies mission and its strategies and targets business. He points out that fundamental elements are people, operations, information and IT that turn into knowledge data and information. He also remarks the importance of, sometime secret knowledge, security and confidentiality in companies and administration. Moreover he believes that KM should plan real world prospective technological and knowledge surveillance to making decision organization system. Gurteen (1998) quoted by the Garner Group considers: ”Knowledge Management is an emerging set of organizational design and operational principles, processes, organizational structures, applications and technologies that helps knowledge workers dramatically leverage their creativity and ability to deliver business value”. This author considers that “know why” is as important as “know how” in KM process.
Identifying and acquiring knowledge is a key factor in KM. Some scientific tools used in these processes such as data mining, neural network, meta-heuristic model, and so on, are so complex that most medium and small size companies’ managers avoid it in searching tacit knowledge and skills processes. Moreover changing to adapt them to real changing world is usually expensive in human, technological and time resources terms.
In our opinion, even being important the external sources in knowledge gathering processes, in the end, the operational innovation proposals, based on tacit or explicit knowledge, that can give the organization its competitive advantages, have to be based on internal capabilities and skills. Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) Knowledge Spiral proposal considers, a continuous tacit and explicit knowledge interaction and combination and the social and cultural process triggered, as decisive in KM and in knowledge creation:
¨ Tacit to tacit - socialization and the subsequent interpersonal knowledge sharing.
¨ Tacit to explicit - externalisation with its knowledge formalization processes.
¨ Explicit to explicit - combination as knowledge creation process.
¨ Explicit to tacit - internalisation in a skills-development process based on previous knowledge experiences.
A fundamental continuous improvement principle, similar to TQM theories is embedded in this new KM focus.
In the intelligence cycle in Waltz (2003) reports in response to specific requests and queries for Knowledge needed to make decision process and set policies are delivered. Through the processing collecting data, all-source analysis-synthesis and production and spread final and “ad hoc” designed products and services to manager making decisions, try to adapt theoretical concept of knowledge management to operational systems in real and professional world.
Knowledge acquisition and spread and its management embedded didactic and educational aspects that usually aren’t considered, even in those organization whose fundamental target and activity is KM such as universities. Explicit knowledge as part of a broad concept of “science” usually has to be expressed and codified into formal languages (mathematical, graphic, verbal,). Knowledge codification helps to keep and spread it. So to our mind one of most important activities that KM should put attention is to turn into explicit tacit knowledge. That is a crucial phase in our view of operational KM systems design in TQM environment.
2.2. KMS And
TQM Inter-relationship
TQM managerial focus considers human resources management as part of its core. Workers are considered as a kind of customer whose needs and worries have to be considered in the whole customer satisfaction view. This vision fits to Drucker (2002) Knowledge Workers and its importance as key factor in organization success. So new KM focus have effective probed human resources management model to look at. Mutual workers and company loyalty is considered as crucial in KM focus, as in TQM managerial environment. Suitable entrepreneurial culture has to be promoted in KM managerial choice. These requirements are overcome in TQM companies. Workers provide their efforts, skills and knowledge relying on company loyalty and appropriate reward systems (deserve wage, live long employment, reward employees suggestion program,) in order to assure the necessary mutual loyalty. So it can be said that referring to human resources management, TQM companies overcome most new KM focus requirements. TQM companies whose strategies and programs had been based on basis principles of TQM and not only in formal requirements can turn into knowledge organizations, where knowledge workers are considered as important assets as in TQM environment occurred.
New culture based on KM focus differs from traditional TQM one and have to consider new worker exchange views. So, new concepts such as competitive cooperation have to be considered and implemented. Even new contractual an legal company-workers commitment based on technical parameters and objective general criteria such as throughput, productivity, profit margin, … or particular one such as suggestion numbers, educational or skill e-learning programs proposed, … per period of time, have to be considered. Ouchi (1982) Z theory could be and useful guidelines to afford new human resources management.
In TQM continuous improvement principle, educational and training workers programs try to ensure company or organization quality workers for excellent performance. In KM focus, knowledge exchange model push workers into continuous learning process. One way or another, both approach aim similar targets. In the end the organization has more skilled and competent workers and workers have a higher professional competence. In this way, workers, which want or have to leave organization managed under KM managerial focus, have some competitive advantages to face complex labour market.
2.3. Knowledge Management And Information Technology
Castells (1996) thinks that what
characterises the current technological revolution is not the centrality of
knowledge and information but the application of such knowledge and information
to knowledge generation and information processing/information devices, in a
cumulative feedback loop between innovation and the uses of innovation. For the
first time in history, the human mind is a direct productive force, not just a
decisive element of a production system.
In the e-Era, business speed appeared to be a crucial and key subject. So, now a day, operational business time have to be reach and technological strategy have to be lead and design to that, because it can become the necessary competitive advantage. New IT technological resources provide tools to get the suitable business sped in new chances of business opportunities, by cutting down the learning and mastering technologies processes, innovative knowledge creation and added value process. Technology and knowledge have to aid companies in their competitive advantages creation processes. So, many cognitive network model or community networking model (Swan et al 1999) with different success degree had been proposed. Virtual communities that have to be designed “ad hoc” in order to set up formal or informal virtual networking group based on internal or mixed agents (workers, customers, suppliers,) had been proposed and testing and probed.
Advanced IT KM system have never to be the aim of organization. Technology has to be considered as tools, elements or facilities to suitable conceptual and flexible operational KM system designs. IT should be the basis that allow such conceptual model design fitted to organization workers abilities, skills and attitudes in each particular business hard and soft, tacit an explicit resources and knowledge. Competitive advantages and innovative ability aren’t in hard devices; they are in people abilities, skills and knowledge. So to our mind innovation = competive advantages lies in explicit or tacit knowledge mastered by knowledge organization workers. So, as in TQM environment, educational and training programs based in IT opportunities will be a key factor in designing efficient and competitive organization strategies and competitive advantages. Usually, medium and small size companies aren’t aware of fundamental of training and educational programs in effectiveness and efficiency improvement organization processes, and the principal role they had to play in its tacit or explicit KM system. Bigger companies who are aware of these circumstances never pointed out, by confidential strategic questions, that their self-training programs and e-learning services were considered important in their operational KM systems.
3. Knowledge Management In TQM Companies Survey
This section assesses inquiry results from Appendix 1 and 2. Appendix 1 encloses the statistical basis and survey evaluation. Appendix 2 encloses the design form of survey and data collection of studied companies.
As we can see in question 1, up to 80 % of quality documentation of companies were implemented in electronic support with wide and different operational access capabilities. In question 2, up to 80 % stated that safety and confidential access system had been designed even in those cases where quality systems were supported in traditional supports.
Only 34 % of companies declared (question 3) that some people spent most of their time in KM activities. Companies that had implemented explicit KM systems was near to 27 % (basically the greater companies). But only 23 % declared to know the structure and basis of KM system design and implementation (question 4 and 5). It can be said that in explicit KM system implemented, managers´ TQM systems had been deeply engaged in design and implementation process. Up to 40 % companies declared that TQM system documentation had been take into consideration in explicit or tacit KM system (question 6). Therefore, most of them had discovered TQM system Documentation as interesting source of formalized knowledge.
Most companies (70 %) paid attention to technology and innovation technology questions. Nevertheless, after seeing question 3 and 4 answers, it looks as though only hard part of technology were considered by many manager, and some questions related to tacit and skill capabilities weren’t considered as part of technology. As far as we are concerned, accepting and mastering a technology requires not only explicit knowledge but tacit and skill knowledge, no matter buy or developed technology (question7).
As it can be seen in question 8 answers, whether or not companies had implemented KM systems, everybody considered that IT should be a very important factor in KM system design. Most sample companies pointed out to use the Internet through portal or web sites (question 9). Usually, portal sites in bigger companies cases or small IT companies.
Most companies with portal sites had designed traditional education and training program via web (question 10). So it can be said that companies sometimes identify knowledge and human resource training. Obviously we think that this is a poor view of KM opportunities that doesn’t consider fundamental tacit knowledge and skill in a whole view of suitable training workers activities performance. In most cases (question 15) we think that managers don’t rely on the Internet confidential and safety systems.
We think that formal aspects are usually much more important than conceptual and methodological aspects in TQM system documentation. Question 11 and 12 revealed that many basis and fundamental explicit or tacit knowledge in making decision processes were neither in TQM system documentation nor in the Internet training workers utilities. We think that this tacit and confidential knowledge and skills are spreading through not operational traditional systems through informal interpersonal exchanges.
Question 13 answers leads us to think that many managers don’t rely on the Internet confidentiality and safety, so they avoid to use it as on-line and operative support to exchange and spread fundamental formal strategic knowledge and skills . Although most of them consider that such knowledge in a confidential and safe KM system will improve companies’ effectiveness and efficiency (near to 60 %).
As we can see in question 14, even though managers who pointed out that fundamental tacit or explicit key knowledge weren’t considered in TQM system documents, they considered that company technologies and description processes in TQM formalized information (up to 50 %) was a very useful matters in people and workers company performance and efficient enhancement.
Question 15 results reinforce that privacy and confidentiality was the most and more valuable factor in operational KM system design. To our mind this circumstance could lead to KM explicit implemented system, where companies’ resources and effort to turn into explicit tacit knowledge are poor. And most of companies keep both formal and informal KM systems working to ensure strategic and key knowledge privacy.
4. Operational Model
Proposal
The conceptual proposal considers formal TQM system and its operational and
implementation programs (TQM system documentation, quality circles, suggestions
programs, training programs, an so on) as a basis factor in the KM operational
system design success, based in Nonaka and
Takeuchi (1995) Knowledge Spiral and others traditional and
common utilities, devices and facilities management tools. Implementation of
operational proposal model, have to be based in an IT architectural network
frame, as we can see in Figure 1. As survey shown, most useful network software programming technologies
such as Html, ASP, JSP, PHP, firewall ... in basic KM system design are broadly
used in those companies. Internet, extranet, and hardware network related
technologies are usually well known too in most of the inquiries companies.
Consequently, suitable operational “ad hoc” KMS can be implemented
allowing effective and efficient KM operational system making decision oriented
with saving and cost reduction in educational and skill programs, consumable
saving an others resources, and so on.
Conceptual, confidential
and safety model can be based in TQM confidential and accessibility document
distribution policies. Others traditional tacit and non-formalized knowledge
and information not considered in TQM system documentation have to be consider
through multimedia and simulation IT utilities and facilities. TQM
system documentation will be the core and interface between material support of
explicit KM and tacit aspect of this knowledge in a mixed model of
Figure 1: Detailed KM System Design In
TQM Environment
So quality circles and interpersonal interaction and its exchange
experiences and mental model can be seen as support of tacit to tacit
exchange model in a socialization process. Continuous educational and training
programs for suitable TQM praxis can be seen as an explicit to tacit
exchange and its internalisation process. Employee suggestion and continous
improvement programs can been seen as a sort of tacit to explicit exchange and
its externalization proccess. At last, tacit
to tacit exchange and suitable combination proccess
could be considered through internal or external benchmarking programs
in TQM continous improvement programs in quality
performance excellence policy.
We think that operational design to making decision oriented should be implemented in company well-known IT networking facilities and utilities. Avoiding general purpose knowledge management software such as KM suites (Microsoft Sharepoint Portal Server, Lotus discovery Server, and so on), in order to avoid technological dependence and ensure suitable confidenciality. So, resultant models have to be an “ad hoc” system developed by internal personal with appropiate flexibility to adapt moody surroundings. IT provides appropriate tools to design and implement operational systems, that allow new human resources management operational model based on competitive cooperation, through web site visitor counter, on-line statistics etc.
8. Conclusion and Proposals
As we are concerned, KM systems can be considered as new managerial focus based on similar principles as TQM systems. Technology, particularly IT, and strategic focus have important roles in the new KM focus. So IT should provide KM operational model to making decision oriented assuring suitable guarantee level regarding confidentiality, reliability, and so on. To our mind, new KM focus can be based on TQM, in order to take advantage of organizations experiences and TQM management principles and getting effective and efficient strategic, tactic and operational tools in every day making decision process.
As our inquiry shows, most implemented KM systems in local companies surveyed, pay special attention to automating some processes and activities such as training programs, advertising and direct mailing, and only in a few companies to customer related activities. No answer was given stating a necessary entrepreneurial culture change to adopt new managerial focus and new strategic designs based on Knowledge management.
Although some companies declared its TQM system as source of formal and explicit knowledge, no one declared it as key in his KM system. We think as a consequence of traditional TQM system implementation. In most cases companies spent most of time and effort in formal requirements to quality assurance and certification, useful in marketing and corporative image, getting round conceptual and operational aspects and necessary corporative cultural change in operational and effective TQM system implementation.
We think that effort in TQM system formalization and new conceptual and operational matter is a useful basis and starting point of future operational KM system. To our mind, “ad hoc” designs based on quality normalized ISO models and mastered IT have some advantages respect to others based on specialized and dedicated KM software. In addition, to assure technological independence, such designs allows incorporate parallel TQM and KM management working systems in an cooperative and synergic operational way, which guarantee enough autonomy and interaction and cooperation level. New designs should avoid bursting in a rugged way into normal organization performance and allowing a softly landing of new managerial focus.
As we have proposed, TQM system documentation plays a main role in operational proposal designs. TQM system documentation have to be in a continuous update process, incorporating contribution of quality circles, virtual networking communities, employee suggestion, continuous improvement programs, and so on in a Nonaka and Takeuchi knowledge interaction spiral model.
No matter the choice, we consider that KM should cover a wide set of subjects and questions, formal or informal, explicit or tacit, to lead to new competitive advantages. To our mind, most companies pay stronger attention in efficiency enhancement than effectiveness. We think that competitive advantages call for effectiveness enhancement in early stage and efficiency in a second stage. A well design and management KM System will help to improve company effectiveness through tacit or explicit technological continuous improvement process, which provides to reach the suitable competitive advantages.
Complex technologies such
as Data Mining, neural network and other complex meta-heuristic technologies,
usually considered as useful tools in advanced KM systems aren’t
generally well known in medium and small TQM companies. So, our operational
proposal based in TQM systems can avoid its use and consider others particular
and conventional business skills and knowledge as basis of the operational
design. Nevertheless, such complex technologies can be useful tools in quality
records documents assessment.
Fundamental characteristic of Knowledge Organization is adaptability to customer requirements and needs and individual attention and relationship. These principles and customer satisfaction are capital in TQM management focus. So, to our mind, appropriate continuous improvement program should lead to Knowledge Organization. IT provide useful tool in first stage of knowledge organization transformation process through softly virtual transformation.
We feel human resources management can be managed in a mixed way, taking into account TQM focus proposal and incorporating mentioned new concepts and theories such as Drucker (2002) Knowledge Workers and Ouchi (1982) Z theory. Any human resources management model must consider some questions such as: workers self-management, necessary continuous innovation requires continuous training and skill personal process, failure acceptance, attractive corporative image to retain and win valuable people and knowledge and so on.
Finally, we think that in KM one of most important disciplinary principles knowledge workers have to respect is: whatever thing you do or idea you have, write it, classify it and save it. In this way formalization and sharing process become easier, effective and efficient.
9. References
Andreu, R., Sieber, S.
(1999), Knowledge and Problem Solving: A Proposal for a Model of Individual
and Collective Learning, Working
Castells, M. (1996), The
Rise of The Network Society, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, Vol. I.,
Christensen C., Raynor M. (2003), The Innovator´s Solution, Harvard Business School
Publishing Corporation,
Child, J. (1974),
“What determines organization?”,
Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 2, No 1;
pp 2-18.
Cochran, W.G. (1977), Sampling Techniques, John Wiley & Sons,
Drucker P. (1985), Innovation And Entrepreneurship,
Drucker, P. (2002), The Effective
Executive, Harper
Business,
Gurteen, D. (1998), “Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation”, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 2, No. 1; pp. 513-522.
Levy P., Lemeshow S. (1999), Sampling Of Populations. Methods And Applications, John Wiley and Sons,
Nonaka, I., Takeuchi, H. (1995), The
Knowledge Creating Company: How Japanese Companies Create The Dynamics Of
Innovation,
Ouchi, W. (1982), Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese
Challenge,
Sveiby, K. E. (1997), The
New Organizational Wealth. Managing & Measuring Knowledge-Based Assets, Berret-Koehler
Publishers Inc,
Sveiby K. E. (2001), "A
Knowledge-Based Theory Of The Firm To Guide Strategy
Formulation", Journal of Intellectual Capital, Vol. 2, No. 4; pp 344-358.
Swan J., Newell, S., Scarbroug, H., Hislop, D. (1999), “Knowledge Management And Innovation: Networks And Networking”, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 3, No. 4; pp. 262-275
Waltz, G. (2003), Knowledge
Management In The Intelligence Enterprise, Artech House Inc.,
Appendix 1
Survey: Statistical Basis And Evaluation
The initial target population was around 212, corresponding to those the authors checked were certificated companies and got in touch with quality responsible personnel. Some of them belong to group of companies. Finally, the target population came down to 161.
European Union Statistical Document (DOCE L 107, 30.04.1996, p.4.) considers Big Companies and SME ones, depending on number of employees is greater or smaller of 250 workers. In the studied population 147 were SME.
Inquiry was send to all population companies and 26 of companies answer questionnaires in a suitable way. So it can be considered a Simple Random Sample. Five of the inquiries (19 % of data collection) belonged to big companies; the remainder belonged to SME ones.
Cochran (1977) and Levy and Lemeshow (1999) statistic, proportion and percentage works are considered and used in statistical analysis. Cochran proved that proportion p = a/n is an unbiased estimation of P = A/N (p and P percentage of sample and population, a and A numbers of items belonging to one of two possible groups of sample and population and n and N total items of sample and population, respectively).
In Cochran Works,
probability, variance and standard deviation are expressed:
Sample
probability: 
Variance =
A unbiased estimator of variance can be expressed as:
[q = 1- p;
f = n/N ]
Confidence Intervals for sample proportion estimations can
be expressed as:
[
]
Applying these expressions to the data gathered in
appendix 2 it can be concluded that:
Question 1.
Most companies (80.76 %) stated
they had their TQM Documentation in electronic format. So the confidence
interval for a 95 % confidence level is (the confidence level remains for the
rest of inquiries questions)
Question 2.
A higher number of companies
(84.61 %) said they had implemented a TQM Documentation control access system.
No matter the TQM documentation were or not supported in electronic format.
Confident interval:
.
Question 3.
A relatively
low percentage (34,61 %) admitted to have full time
people or department engaged in KM activities
Question 4.
A lower
percentage (26.92 %) said there was some kind of formalized KM
Question 5.
Approximately
23.08 % of
quality department responsible known basis characteristics of KM design systems
or utilities.
Question 6.
Near 42 %
of companies´ responsible who worked in KM activities had close relationship
with quality personnel, no matter the company would have formal KM implemented
system.
Question 7.
A high
percentage (73 %) said there were people or department in charge of technology
management or technological innovation management.
Question 8.
Only 3,8 % of declared IT weren’t important in designing and
implementing their KM systems. So, almost all responsible considered IT a
crucial factor in such designs and implementations.
Question 9.
Practically
100 % of companies had operational web sites or corporate portal.
Question 10.
Only
companies who declared to have corporate portal (23 %) had implemented
professional training programs.
Question 11.
Up to 75 % of companies assured they had explicit or tacit
knowledge that they had refuse to include in TQM Documentation.
Question 12.
Up to 75 % of companies assured that information or
knowledge they had refused to include in TQM Documentation, were considered as confidential because its importance.
Question 13.
Although up to 57 % considered such confidential Knowledge
should be including in TQM Documentation, most responsible didn’t rely on
privacy and confidentiality of Documental Management Systems.
Question 14.
Up to 76 % of companies considered that explicit and
formalized knowledge in TQM documentation could be a potential, effective and
operational management resource in diary management although in most cases
people didn’t have on-line access to it.
Question 15.
Most
companies stood out privacy and access control were likely to be the most
valuable factors in TQM or KM system design.
Appendix 2
Survey: Design Of Form For Data Collection From
Studied Companies
1.- Is your
TQM documentation system in electronic format support?
Yes 21
No 4
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 1
2.- Has your
company a restricted system access to TQM documentation?
Yes 22
No 3
Doesn’t
know/doesn’t answer 1
3.- Has your company a specific full time
Knowledge Management department or people?
Yes 9
No 15
Doesn’t
know/doesn´t answer 2
4.- ¿Has
your company a explicit KM system?
Formal
System 7
Informal
Systems 14
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 5
5.- If your
company has a formal KM system. ¿How hast it be implemented?
“Ad
hoc” devices and utilities 6
Standard
devices and utilities 0
Doesn’t
know/doesn’t answer 20
6.-
Professional relationship between KM and TQM responsible.
Small
or non relationship 5
Very
close relationship 11
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 10
7.- Is
there a person or department who afford in a explicit way Innovation and
Technology
Management?
Yes 19
No 7
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 0
8.- What is
de role of IT on your TQM and KM system implementation?
Very
important 19
No
important 1
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 6
9.- Has
your company a web site or Corporate portal?
Corporate
Portal 6
WEB
site 19
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 1
10.-
¿Has your company training course or programs on your web site or corporate
portal?
Yes 6
No 20
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 0
11.-
¿Has your company a specific knowledge or making decision process which
aren’t
described or
collected in your TQM documentation system?
Yes 20
No 6
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 0
12.-
¿How would you classified or qualified them?
Confidential
because its importance 20
Not
very important 5
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 1
13.- If
a safety and confidential system exist. ¿Do you think it would be a suitable
and good
idea to gather
those Knowledge and process into your TQM documentation system?
Yes 15
No 8
Doesn’t know/doesn’t
answer 3
14.- ¿Do you
think that information
and data in your TQM documentation
system is a
very important
tool in your KM system?
Yes 20
No 4
Doesn’t
know/doesn’t answer 2
15.-
Assess (1 small importance - 5 very important) next attributes in Operational KMS
4,50 Privacy 4,14
Restrictive access
4,00 Adaptative ability 3,68 Small response time
3,95 Low-cost
Others
(write it: compatibility, friendly users interface, feedback, etc.)
Contact the Authors:
Dr. Jose Teba Fernandez, Depto. Organizacion Industrial y Gestion de Empresas, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Informatica, Avda. Reina Mercedes s/n 41012 - Sevilla (España); E-mail: jteba@us.es; Tel:: 34 + 954 556 892; Fax: 34 + 954 556 892
Dr.
Sebastian Lozano Segura, Professor of Quantitative Methods in Management,
Department of Industrial Management,
Dr.
Jose Luis Salmeron, Associate Professor of
Information Systems, University Pablo de Olavide at
Dr.
Jesus Racero Moreno, Assistant Professor of Simulation,
Department of Industrial Management,