KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Knowledge management is any system that helps people in an organization share,
access, and update business knowledge and information.
OR
Knowledge management (KM) is the process of creating, sharing, using and
managing the knowledge and information of an organization. It refers to a
multidisciplinary approach to achieve organizational objectives by making the best
use of knowledge
For example-
Cross-training programs –
Mentoring, shadowing, and other training programs allow employees to gain
business knowledge by watching others work.
For example, new employees at Toyota shadow experienced employees for months,
and new factories are initially staffed by experienced workers from existing factories
as well as new hires.
Document management systems –
Document management systems like Google Drive and Box allow organizations to
store company documents on the cloud, share them, and control access
permissions at a granular level.
Typically, these tools have systems for tagging files and adding metadata that make
information easier to find.
Content management systems (CMSs) –
Content management systems like SharePoint and Bloom fire allow teams and
individuals to publish, update, and access information on a company intranet.
Social networking tools –
Private social networking tools like Workplace by Facebook and Slack allow teams
to communicate and collaborate in a shared space. But these tools also double as
knowledge management systems because they store all historical conversations,
allowing employees to search for previously-discussed information.
The Knowledge Management Process
 The process of knowledge management is universal for any enterprise.
 Sometimes, the resources used, such as tools and techniques, can be unique
to the organizational environment.
 The Knowledge Management process has six basic steps assisted by different
tools and techniques.
 When these steps are followed sequentially, the data transforms into
knowledge.
Step 1: Collecting
This is the most important step of the knowledge management process.
The data collection procedure defines certain data collection points.
As an example, monthly sales report and daily attendance reports may be two
good resources for data collection.
If you collect the incorrect or irrelevant data, the resulting knowledge may not
be the most accurate. Therefore, the decisions made based on such
knowledge could be inaccurate as well.
Step 2: Organizing
The data collected need to be organized.
This organization usually happens based on certain rules. These rules are
defined by the organization.
Example, all sales-related data can be filed together and all staff-related data
could be stored in the same database table.
This type of organization helps to maintain data accurately within a database.
Step 3: Summarizing
In this step, the information is summarized in order to take the essence of it.
The lengthy information is presented in tabular or graphical format and stored
appropriately.
For summarizing, there are many tools that can be used such as software
packages, charts etc.
Step 4: Analyzing
At this stage, the information is analyzed in order to find the relationships,
redundancies and patterns.
An expert or an expert team should be assigned for this purpose as the
experience of the person/team plays a vital role.
Step 5: Synthesizing
At this point, information becomes knowledge.
A pattern or behavior of one entity can be applied to explain another, and
collectively, the organization will have a set of knowledge elements that can be
used across the organization.
Usually, the knowledge base is a software implementation that can be
accessed from anywhere through the Internet.
You can also buy such knowledge base software or download an open-source
implementation of the same for free.
Step 6: Decision Making
At this stage, the knowledge is used for decision making. As an example, when
estimating a specific type of a project or a task, the knowledge related to previous
estimates can be used.
This accelerates the estimation process and adds high accuracy.
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT BENEFITS
1. Enabling better and faster decision making.
2. Making it easy to find relevant information and resources
3. Reusing ideas, documents, and expertise
4. Avoiding redundant effort
5. Avoiding making the same mistakes twice
6. Taking advantage of existing expertise and experience
7. Communicating important information widely and quickly
8. Promoting standard, repeatable processes and procedures
9. Providing methods, tools, templates, techniques, and examples
10. Showing customers how knowledge is used for their benefit
11. Provide better service to employees and customers
12. Get the information you need sooner (and with fewer headaches)
DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM (DSS)
A DSS is a computer-based information system that supports business or organizational
decision-making activities.
A DSS is a collection of integrated software applications and hardware that form the
backbone of an organization’s decision making process and help to make decisions, which
may be rapidly changing and not easily specified in advance.
DECISION MAKING AS A COMPONENT OF PROBLEM SOLVING
Attributes of a DSS

Adaptability and flexibility

High level of Interactivity

Ease of use

Efficiency and effectiveness

Complete control by decision-makers

Ease of development

Extendibility

Support for modeling and analysis

Support for data access

Standalone, integrated, and Web-based
Characteristics of a DSS

Support for managers at various managerial levels, ranging from top executive to
line managers.

Support for individuals and groups.

Support for interdependent or sequential decisions.

Support for intelligence, design, choice, and implementation.

Support for variety of decision processes and styles.
TYPES OF DSS
Group Decision Support System (GDSS)—
A group decision support system (GDSS) is an interactive computer-based system
that facilitates a number of decision-makers (working together in a group) in finding
solutions to problems that are unstructured in nature.
They are designed in such a way that they take input from multiple users interacting
simultaneously with the systems to arrive at a decision as a group.
GDSS also called as Group Process Support Systems, Electronic Meeting Systems,
Electronic Meeting Aids, or simply as Group Support Systems.
The tools and techniques provided by the group decision support system improve
the quality and effectiveness of the group meetings.
In a group decision support system (GDSS) electronic meeting, each participant is
provided with a computer. The computers are connected to each other, to the
facilitator’s computer and to the file server. A projection screen is available at the
front of the room. The facilitator and the participants can both project digital text and
images onto this screen.
Components of Group Decision Support System (GDSS)
A group decision support system (GDSS) is composed of 3 main components, namely
hardware, software tools, and people.
Hardware:
It includes electronic hardware like the computer, equipment used for networking,
electronic display boards and audiovisual equipment.
It also includes the conference facility, including the physical set up – the room, the tables,
and the chairs – laid out in such a manner that they can support group discussion and
teamwork.
Software Tools:
It includes various tools and techniques, such as electronic questionnaires, electronic
brainstorming tools, idea organizers, tools for setting priority, policy formation tool, etc.
The use of these software tools in a group meeting helps the group decision-makers to
plan, organize ideas, gather information, establish priorities, take decisions and document
the meeting proceedings.
People:
It compromises the members participating in the meeting, a trained facilitator who helps
with the proceedings of the meeting, and an expert staff to support the hardware and
software. The GDSS components together provide a favorable environment for carrying out
group meetings.
GROUPWARE TECHNOLOGY
Groupware is a technology deigned to be used by group of people for sharing information.
It is an environment where all users can share there documents at a platform where daily
task of communicating, collaborating and coordinating with other takes place.
GROUPWARE is a technology designed to facilitate the work of groups.
It may be used to communicate, cooperate, coordinate, solve problem etc...
Groupware technologies are typically categorized along two primary dimensions
Whether user of the groupware are working together at the same time (―real time or
synchronous‖)
Or different times (―asynchronous‖ groupware)
And

Whether user of the groupware are working together at the same place(―collocated
or face to face‖)
Or different places (―non-collocated or distance‖).
CLASSIFICATION OF GROUPWARE
GROUPWARE APPLICATIONS