Knowledge is being discuss as one of the most significant organizational resources. Yet, high failure rates of such programs raise serious doubts about their ability to improve knowledge flows. The case describes how, in 1999, Infosys' top direction found a severe lack of organizational knowledge streams while implementing a plan aimed at continuously enhancing their core business processes. A more in-depth evaluation exposed that the lack of knowledge flows stifled the effectiveness of their organizational structure and their business model. Alarmed by these critical findings, Infosys initiated their KM plan.
A five-stage knowledge maturity model (KMM) was conceptualized to aid KM execution. With people, processes, and technology as the three principals of Infosys' KM application, KMM identified particular capacities Infosys required to extend in each of the five levels. Things worked fine until 2004 when Infosys began going towards KMM Level 4, which necessitated developing clear metrics to quantify KM effectiveness, that is, developments in knowledge flow. In the absence of such metrics, Infosys' Board of Directors started questioning firm's fiscal investment in the KM plan. The CEO, who championed the KM plan, understood that he faced two key challenges - to convince the Board of future earnings prospects of the KM software, and to identify metrics for assessing developments in organizational knowledge flows.
PUBLICATION DATE: October 16, 2007 PRODUCT #: JIT013-HCB-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS
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