Knowledge Management System Of Kimberly Clark Australia

Key Forms of Knowledge Created by KCA

Knowledge sharing is important for organizations like KCA in terms of gaining an insight into the needs of the clients and the customers. On the other hand, sharing knowledge enables KCA to measure the feasibility of the developed knowledge in terms of the identified aims and objectives (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018). For securing the position in the market, KCA creates and shares the following knowledge:

• Manufacturing- enhances the preconceived knowledge of the employees about patents, copyrights, technologies and innovative products. Innovation in the manufacturing process helps KCA in gaining competitive advantage
• Marketing- Market research helps in gaining an insight into the competitors. This insight is assistance in terms of preparing strategies for aligning with the competitive pace. Information about the competitors enables KCA to increase the demands for the healthcare products.
• Sales- Here, knowledge regarding customer relationship management is created. Within this, knowledge about the needs, demands and requirements of the customers are shared with the clients (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).
• Corporate- Financial knowledge is gained for assessing the drawbacks. This assessment is assistance in terms of formulating effective strategies for upgrading the standards and quality of the performance.

Research and development team plays a major role in shaping the knowledge. As a matter of specification, R&D team members seek innovative designs for manufacturing the healthcare products. This innovation is one of the effective means for achieving satisfaction from the customers. Information about the local market, competitors and consumers helps KCA in assessing their position within the area in which they are operating. This knowledge is assistance in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of the adopted marketing strategies (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).

Like all other brands, KCA sets benchmark against 180 corresponding plants. As a matter of specification, the benchmarking process involves access to the consolidated database, which consists of the essential information of the manufacturing plants. Along with this, it also includes the information about the other plants. Presentation sessions enhance the awareness of the clients about the developed standards of business mechanisms. Along with this, mention can be made of common performance management, which is an integral component of the business operations of KCA. The speed with which the business activities are conducted and the wastes generated are considered for reviewing the current strategic condition. This review helps in setting the standards for upgrading the efficiency (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).

Regularity within the data entries is assistance helps the managers to compare their performance with that of the other plants. These entries prove beneficial in assessing the extent to which KCA has been successful in reaching to the benchmark level of performance.

In reaching to the benchmark level of performance, the clients help KCA members. This alliance enhances the cultural diversity of the workplace. Contacting with the clients proves fruitful for KCA in terms of seeking effective means for improving the nature of business. Mention can be made of the plans to utilize the shop floors to increasing the production line. Transparency in the business operations enhances the stability between the relationship between the clients and the personnel (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018). Offshore management has helped KCA to enhance the supply chain network, diversifying the business operations. This type of management has resulted in upgrading the standards and quality of the knowledge created within the workplace.

Using social media marketing has enabled KCA to increase the trafficking of audience towards the brand image. Within this, use of security cookies and policies reflects the workplace culture in terms of ensuring the wellbeing of the clients and the customers. Feedbacks and surveys through the social networking sites have improved the parameters of corporate communication. Safety policies for the employees reflect the conscious approach towards risk assessment, making the workplace of KCA congenial for the clients and the customers (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).

Benchmarking Process of KCA Leading to Cultural Change

Sharing knowledge is an integral part of the business operations in KCA. Transmission of knowledge helps in reducing the knowledge gaps, which is essential in terms of executing the operations in an efficient and effective manner. Sharing the current sales trends with the clients enhances the awareness of the personnel about the market requirements. This sharing act improves the communication with the customers. Typical example of this is the social media, where knowledge about the newly manufactured healthcare products is shared with the clients. Emphasizing on the innovation within the products is beneficial in terms of improving the efficiency (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).

Syndicate plays a major role in conducting the business operations of KCA across Australia. Different and wide ranging programs are planned for improving the efficiency. This is through the means of sharing the market information. Typical example of this is offshore management, which widens the scope and arena of the organization. Problem solving cycle is an essential component in the functions of Syndicate team. Assistance in training and development programs is accounted as an important part of Syndicate’s functionalities towards the business of KCA (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018).

Strengths

• Wide supply chain network
• Skilled and qualified salesperson, which is useful for increasing the sales growth
• Assistance in achieving the benchmark for sales
• Cost effective for enhancing the efficiency of the production of healthcare products
• Increases the satisfaction of the workers through reducing employee turnover

Weakness

• Dependence on shareholders and stakeholders for collecting knowledge
• Lack of understanding regarding the adopted processes
• Absence of security cookies and policies
• Lack of understanding towards effective handling of data (Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018)

Planning is crucial for KCA in terms of ensuring whether the adopted knowledge management system is effective or not. Taking into consideration the short, medium and long trends would be effective in securing the market position.

The aim of this plan is to assess the impact of knowledge management systems on the overall productivity of Kimberly Clark, Australia. Based on the aim, the objective would be to excavate the feasibility of the techniques through knowledge is shared, harnessed and created in the workplace of Kimberly Clark, Australia.

Management of knowledge is needed in terms of estimating the progress of KCA with the current strategic condition. Using knowledge management systems would reduce the individual labour of the managers and add automation within the operations.  

The graphs project fluctuation in the trends in revenue of Kimberly Clark through the financial years of 1999 to 2017. The major drives behind this are increase in workforce and adoption of social media, which have enhanced the supply chain network (refer to appendix). 

Knowledge regarding sales, production, marketing and the current trends need to be created. This is in terms of enhancing the awareness of the clients about the proposed plans. Presentations would be an effective means for transmitting this knowledge to the clients and the customers.

Developing training and development programs for the employees would be effective in terms of sharing the knowledge. Uploading the information on social networking sites would strengthen the customer base for KCA. Contacting the clients would upgrade the standards of information. Involving the customers within this process would uplift the standards and quality of the business operations.  

At the initial stage, research would be conducted on the subject matter. Observations and experiments would be carried out by KCA. After collecting the required data, its appropriateness would be checked. Upon the completion of the evaluation, the managers would share the information with the clients and the customers. After this, feedbacks would be collected for checking the feasibility of the information in terms of the identified and the specified aims and objectives.  

The top level managers need to take the initiatives towards identifying the needs of the staffs. For this, performance appraisal needs to be conducted. This appraisal would help in identifying the drawbacks, which needs to be modified. This insight would help the managers of KCA to plan effective training programs for the employees. These trainings would enhance the preconceived skills, expertise and knowledge of the employees, indicative of enhancing efficiency and productivity.

The following are the important knowledge management resources of KCA:

• Story telling session
• Mentoring/Coaching classes
• Training programs
• Group discussions between teams

Constraints

• Time
• Finance
• Lack of understanding from the employees
• Lack of adequate resources
• Communication gaps

Contingency measures

• Extensive research
• Review of the current strategic condition
• Planning
• Adopting advanced technologies

Comparing the current knowledge management systems would help KCA to assess the effectiveness of the harnessed knowledge. Tracking the performance of the employees would reflect proper utilization of the knowledge management systems. Continuity needs to be maintained in the monitoring process.

References

Kimberly-clark.com.au 2018. Leading the world in the essentials for a better life. Available at: https://www.kimberly-clark.com.au/ [Accessed on 28^th Nov 2018]