1. Role of HR in Knowledge
Management

2. Agenda
What is Knowledge?What is Knowledge?
Types of KnowledgeTypes of Knowledge
What is Knowledge Management?What is Knowledge Management?
The Essence of Knowledge ManagementThe Essence of Knowledge Management
Why Knowledge Management?Why Knowledge Management?
What does leveraging "collective knowledge" involve?What does leveraging "collective knowledge" involve?
An overview of Knowledge ProcessesAn overview of Knowledge Processes

3. Benefits of Knowledge to EnterpriseBenefits of Knowledge to Enterprise
HUL's Packaging NetworkHUL's Packaging Network
What are the barriers for implementing Knowledge
Management
What are the barriers for implementing Knowledge
Management
The role of HR in institutionalizing KM in an organizationThe role of HR in institutionalizing KM in an organization
HR processes and practices impact the knowledge sharing in a
firm
HR processes and practices impact the knowledge sharing in a
firm
How do we create a knowledge sharing culture?How do we create a knowledge sharing culture?
HR should be the catalyst for culture changeHR should be the catalyst for culture change

4. What Is Knowledge?
Data
A Record of a
Change of
State
Information
Data
organized with
a purpose. A
message
Knowledge
Literally…
what people
know

5. Types of Knowledge
Explicit knowledgeExplicit knowledge Tacit knowledgeTacit knowledge
Formal knowledge
(Visible)
Available in the
form of books,
reports, audio
tapes, video tapes
etc.
Can be articulated
Informal knowledge
(Highly Invisible)
Confined in the mind
of a person
Difficult to articulate

6. Knowledge Management
Knowledge Driven OrganizationKnowledge Driven Organization
Fully leverage the "collective knowledge" in an
organization
Fully leverage the "collective knowledge" in an
organization
Creation and sharing of knowledgeCreation and sharing of knowledge
KM processes provide a framework for connecting
people to people and people to information
KM processes provide a framework for connecting
people to people and people to information

7. KM helps the Organization to:
Improve
organizational
effectiveness and
Returns
Build
competitive
advantage
Create
greater
value
See the
opportunities
and exploit
them

8. The Essence of Knowledge
Management
The central theme of Knowledge Management is to
leverage and reuse knowledge resources that already
exist in the organization so that people will seek out best
practices rather than reinvent the wheel.
The central theme of Knowledge Management is to
leverage and reuse knowledge resources that already
exist in the organization so that people will seek out best
practices rather than reinvent the wheel.

9. Why Knowledge Management?

10. What does leveraging
"collective knowledge" involve?
 Working in collaborative teams, capturing and sharing
knowledge and delivering business excellence.
 Developing and sharing "best practices."
 Faster replication of innovations through faster movement
of knowledge through the organization.
 Acquisition and sharing of "new knowledge."
 Creating an environment that is comfortable to the idea of
openness, knowledge sharing, risk of failure as well as
rewards for success.
 Managing organizational learning.

11. Knowledge Management Process

12. Benefits of Knowledge to Enterprise
• Unleash new Ideas and Creativity.
• Improve and accelerate Learning.
• Enhance Team Collaboration & Coordination.
• Improve the Flow of knowledge.
• Attract, and retain motivated, loyal, and committed talent.

13. Knowledge Management Initiatives
HUL's Packaging Network
Opportunities / Challenges: Packaging in our company is
very important, both for providing protection to the
product in transit and storage as well as its contribution to
pack presentation / brand image.
How do we make sure that the collective knowledge of the
packaging professionals in the company is fully leveraged
by the packaging professionals in each business, to add
value to his business, through problem solving as well as
innovations to reduce cost and or improve functionality?
HUL’s response:
Formed a knowledge community.
The team meets once in two months for structured
knowledge sharing and monitoring progress of
implementation of the charter.

14. The basic approach and methodology adopted by the team:
 Develop clarity on business expectations
 Appointed sub-teams to specialize / lead in each of the
knowledge blocks.
 “Knowledge workshops" with the core team and the
extended team to generate new ideas and opportunities.
 Intranet application with collaborative working tools, to
facilitate knowledge sharing on a continuous basis, in
between the face to face meetings.
Results achieved:
 The Packaging community has been consistently
delivering as per their charter.
 To strengthening knowledge sharing behaviour through
facilitation, training and leadership.

15. The barriers for implementing
Knowledge Management?
 Conceptual / mindset related issues: We should move
from “hoarding of knowledge to gain power" to "sharing of
knowledge to gain power."
 Operational issues: KM should not be seen as a separate
initiative, but should be integrated into current workflow
as a more effective way to achieve business results.

16. The role of HR in institutionalizing
KM in an organization
 Focus on strengthening collaborative team effort to
leverage collective knowledge of the enterprise.
 Corporate Education.
 Performance Management and nurturing (sharing, doing
and caring) culture.
 Talent management.
 Recruitment, training, skill and competency development.
 New HRM roles are those of human capital steward,
knowledge facilitator, relationship builder, and rapid
deployment specialist.

17.  Human capital steward
 Creates an environment and culture in which
employees voluntarily contribute skills, ideas, and
energy
 Human capital is not “owned” by organization
 Knowledge facilitator
 Procures necessary employee knowledge and skill sets
that allow information to be acquired, developed, and
disseminated
 Provides a competitive advantage
 Must be part of strategically designed employee
development plan
New HRM Roles

18.  Relationship builder
 Develops structure, work practices, and culture that
allow individuals to work together
 Develops networks that focus on strategic objectives
 Rapid deployment specialist
 Creates fluid and adaptable structure and systems
 Global, knowledge-based economy mandates flexibility
and culture that embraces change

19. How then do HR processes and
practices impact the knowledge
sharing in a firm?
 Job rotations
 Networked organization
 Training
 Knowledge communities (Teams)
 E- Learning
 Culture change

20. How do we create a knowledge
sharing culture?
Realign incentive and reward program:
 “The best KM practitioners reward employees for learning, sharing
and collaborating.
Step HR could implement are:
 Institute Team awards
Xerox: “Eureka Hall of Fame"
Hewlett Packard Consulting: in their "vision" statement:
"Our consultants feel and act as if they have the knowledge of the
entire organization at their fingertips when they consult with
customers. We will recognize those consultants that share and
those that leverage other's knowledge and experience as most
valuable members of the HP team."

21. HR should be the catalyst for
culture change
 HR will also be a key facilitator in implementing a
companywide communication of value behaviours.
 Team excellence workshops and process improvement
(speed, simplicity and excellence) workouts are among
the key initiatives that will soon be launched by HR to
support the culture change.
 These culture change initiatives will strongly support our
efforts to become a stronger knowledge driven company,
committed to business excellence.
 Develop "Knowledge Pull“.

22. Some of the steps that HR could
take for cultural change :
 Performance Development Planning (PDP);
1.Learning from experience
2.Team commitment
3.Developing others
 Develop a mechanism to communicate effectively.
 Collaborative effort and knowledge.
 Make KM part of the Company training modules.
 Hold visible knowledge sharing events.

23. Conclusion:
 Transformation into knowledge driven organization
 HR has a key role to play in nurturing and strengthening
knowledge management through "learning initiatives" and
"culture change initiatives.“
 HR is best placed to play the role of an effective facilitator, and
give positive reinforcements for Knowledge Management .
 Knowledge management has already been embraced as a source
of solutions to the problems of today’s business.