There are three fundamental approaches to knowledge management:
Process Approach-It attempts to codify organizational knowledge through formalized controls, processes, and technologies. Organizations adopting the process approach may implement explicit policies governing how knowledge is to be collected, stored, and disseminated throughout the organization.
Practice Approach-It assumes that a great deal of organizational knowledge is tacit in nature and that formal controls, processes, and technologies are not suitable for transmitting this type of understanding . Rather than building formal systems to manage knowledge, the focus of this approach is to build the social environments or communities of practice necessary to facilitate the sharing of tacit understanding. Communities of practice are groups of individuals with a common professional interest who work together informally.
Best Practices-They are activities and methods that the most effective organizations use to operate and manage various functions.
Hybrid Approaches-Knowledge management involves both process and practice approaches.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
9.4 Facilitating IOS and Global Systems: From Demand-Driven Networks to RFID
Traditional supply chain : Driven from the back by producers and manufacturers "driving products to market." - To forecast demand, make-to-stock, and push products downstream toward end customers.
Demand-driven supply networks (DDSNs) : Driven from the front by customer demand. - Companies in a supply chain will work more closely to shape market demand sharing and collaborating information.
Benefits of DDSN :
Agility-the ability to respond quickly to short-term change in the demand and supply equation and manage external disruptions more effectively.
Adaptability-the ability to adjust the design of the supply chain to meet structural shifts in markets and modify supply network strategies, products, and technologies.
Alignment-the ability to create shared incentives that align the interests of businesses across the supply chain.
In general, RFID helps supply chain management a lot. There are only a few limitations of RFID, the cost, atmospheric interference, and limited range(only 30-50 feet at this time). In addition, there might be concerns about the violation of customers' privacy.
B2B exchanges are either private (one buyer and many sellers, or one seller and many buyers) or public (many sellers and buyers). B2B supply chains are provided by electronic exchanges to process communications and transactions. B2B are used mainly to facilitate trading among companies. In contrast, a hub is used to facilitate communication and coordination among business partners, frequently along the supply chain.
The last, directory services can help buyers and sellers manage the task of finding potential partners.
Demand-driven supply networks (DDSNs) : Driven from the front by customer demand. - Companies in a supply chain will work more closely to shape market demand sharing and collaborating information.
Benefits of DDSN :
- More accurate and detailed demand forecasting.
- Lower supply chain costs.
- Improved perfect-order performance.
- Reduced days of inventory.
- Improved cash-to-cash performance.
- DDSN provides a customer-centric approach, as opposed to factory-centric approach.
- All participants in the supply chain are able to take part in shaping demand, minimizing the bullwhip effect.
- Probabilistic optimization is used to better deal with uncertainties.
Agility-the ability to respond quickly to short-term change in the demand and supply equation and manage external disruptions more effectively.
Adaptability-the ability to adjust the design of the supply chain to meet structural shifts in markets and modify supply network strategies, products, and technologies.
Alignment-the ability to create shared incentives that align the interests of businesses across the supply chain.
In general, RFID helps supply chain management a lot. There are only a few limitations of RFID, the cost, atmospheric interference, and limited range(only 30-50 feet at this time). In addition, there might be concerns about the violation of customers' privacy.
B2B exchanges are either private (one buyer and many sellers, or one seller and many buyers) or public (many sellers and buyers). B2B supply chains are provided by electronic exchanges to process communications and transactions. B2B are used mainly to facilitate trading among companies. In contrast, a hub is used to facilitate communication and coordination among business partners, frequently along the supply chain.
The last, directory services can help buyers and sellers manage the task of finding potential partners.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Business Value of Enterprise Systems
The goals of SCM (supply chain management) are to reduce uncertainty and risks along the supply chain, thereby decreasing inventory levels and cycle time, and improving business processes and customer service. SCM have been recognized about its helpfulness both in business and in the military.
System integration has two basic categories, internal integration and external integration.
Internal integration – The integration refer to integration within a company between (or among) applications, and/or between applications and databases. Two examples are listed,
1. The integration between inventory control and ordering system.
2. A CRM (customer relationship management) suite with the database of customers.
External integration – The integration denotes applications and/or databases among business partners. It is extremely useful for B2B and PRM (partner relationship management) systems. Examples are listed,
1. The suppliers’ catalogs with the buyers’ e-procurement system.
2. Product-development systems allow suppliers to dial into a client’s intranet, pull product specifications, and view illustrations and videos of a manufacturing process.
Check the video on YouYuBe posted by supplychainerLink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rmV__Yrk7Q
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Managerial issuse related to m-commerce and RFID
It is important to aware of the issues listed below for managers who have to make decisions relate to m-commerce and RFID adoption.
1. Inhibitors and barriers of mobile computing.
a. No enough technical support such as insufficient bandwidth, not long enough power supply from batteries.
b. Usability of mobile internet site is not good enough to satisfy customers.
The two categories are the main reasons to stop consumers from adopting m-commerce and mobile computing.
2. Ethical and legal issues.
Customers privacy, the use of the information which collected from individuals, location-based advertising, and etc… it is under developing that how legislation should set up the line to regulate M-commerce, RFID, and other new technology applications.
3. Failures in mobile computing and m-commerce.
To adopt new technologies could easily fail. Without successful examples and clear guidelines, new programs need more attention and careful plan to achieve the successful new technology adoption. To learn from failure examples is also helpful for adopting programs.
4. Other implementation issues
a. Timetable
Carefully plan the time schedule for the company to adopt m-commerce is important. In the way, fewer fails would happen.
b. Setting applications priorities
Different applications have different effectiveness and efficiency. It is important to set up a right strategy to get the highest payoff.
c. Choosing a system
Carefully choose the system which would best fit the company.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Polycom Solution Helps Enterprises Scale Visual Communication
Polycom, Inc., which is the global leader in telepresence, video and voice communications solutions, announced the Polycom Distributed Media Application(TM) (DMA) 7000, a unique network-based application that manages and distributes multipoint video calls within an enterprise network environment. The Polycom DMA 7000 is designed to unify enterprise visual communication infrastructure, improving the efficiency, reliability and performance of video calls and making it easier and more cost-effective for organizations to deliver on-demand video conferencing services to employees. (original article: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0433565.htm )
Net meeting is widely accepted and the new software will improve the quality for it. In the past, people do not apply net meeting too much; that’s because of the cost issue and the quality issue. I believe that as long as the infrastructure and technology can be fully developed to support net meeting, it will be ubiquitous; just like telephone and e-mail are well adopted nowadays and people are comfortable to use them.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Wal-Mart & Duke Energy
Mission Statement
Wal-Mart : Saving people money so they can live better.
Duke Energy : To make people’s lives better by providing gas and electric services in a sustainable way.
Current Goals
Wal-Mart
Environment:
1. To be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy.
2. To create zero waste.
3. To sell products that sustain our resources and environment.
Stores: Wal-Mart is looking at innovative ways to reduce its greenhouse gas
emissions.
1. Reducing greenhouse gases at Wal-Mart existing store, club and DC base around the world by 20 percent over the next 7 years.
2. Designing and opening a viable prototype that is 25-30 percent more efficient and will produce up to 30 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions within the next 4 years.
3. Increasing our fleet efficiency by 25 percent in the next 3 years, and doubling efficiency in the next 10 years.
Waste:
1. Reducing solid wastes from U.S. stores and clubs by 25 percent in the next 3 years.
2. Working with suppliers to create less packaging overall, increase product packaging recycling and increase use of post-consumer material.
3. Replacing PVC packaging for our private brands with alternatives that are more sustainable and recyclable within the next 2 years.
Duke Energy
Products & Services
1. Champion energy efficiency as a top industry issue and collaborate with regulators, customers and other key stakeholders to advance innovative policies and programs
2. Aggressively pursue “smarter grid and meter” technologies that can deliver significant operational and customer benefits
3. Expand green power options to customers in every state we operate
Environmental Footprint
1. Diversify our fuel mix and address the climate change issue by:
a.Promoting U.S. federal policy mandating economy-wide reductions of
greenhouse gas emissions
b.Creating the option to build new nuclear (carbon free) generation
c.Piloting clean coal and other innovative technologies, e.g. advanced
integrated gasification combined cycle technology, geological carbon dioxide
sequestration
d.Securing cost-effective alternative sources of energy
2. Continue to focus on safe, reliable and efficient power plant operations
Quality Workforce
1. Develop a culture of wellness by encouraging, supporting and rewarding
improved employee health and well-being
Attract, retain and engage a diverse, talented workforce by:
a. Implementing a more effective employee recruitment and development plan
b. Developing and implementing innovative employee programs and benefits, e.g., alternative work locations
c. Launching ways to transfer or retain critical knowledge given that
approximately one-third of the workforce may retire in the next five years
2. Drive understanding of the value of sustainability within the company to
inspire ideas and innovation
Strong Communities
1. Invest over $17 million annually in community programs that improve the
quality of life in our communities
2. Implement tools for our communities to use that will support their long-term planning
3. Increase spending with diverse suppliers by 5% a year
4. Implement initiatives to support public safety in our communities
Governance & Transparency
1. Provide investors a superior and sustainable return on their investment
2. Assure that we have effective ethics and compliance programs
3. Regularly benchmark our corporate governance practices against best-in-class and industry peers and recommend revisions as appropriate
4. Assess our supply chain (services and products) from a sustainability perspective and implement appropriate follow-up actions
5. Communicate clearly and frequently with our stakeholders
Wal-Mart : Saving people money so they can live better.
Duke Energy : To make people’s lives better by providing gas and electric services in a sustainable way.
Current Goals
Wal-Mart
Environment:
1. To be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy.
2. To create zero waste.
3. To sell products that sustain our resources and environment.
Stores: Wal-Mart is looking at innovative ways to reduce its greenhouse gas
emissions.
1. Reducing greenhouse gases at Wal-Mart existing store, club and DC base around the world by 20 percent over the next 7 years.
2. Designing and opening a viable prototype that is 25-30 percent more efficient and will produce up to 30 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions within the next 4 years.
3. Increasing our fleet efficiency by 25 percent in the next 3 years, and doubling efficiency in the next 10 years.
Waste:
1. Reducing solid wastes from U.S. stores and clubs by 25 percent in the next 3 years.
2. Working with suppliers to create less packaging overall, increase product packaging recycling and increase use of post-consumer material.
3. Replacing PVC packaging for our private brands with alternatives that are more sustainable and recyclable within the next 2 years.
Duke Energy
Products & Services
1. Champion energy efficiency as a top industry issue and collaborate with regulators, customers and other key stakeholders to advance innovative policies and programs
2. Aggressively pursue “smarter grid and meter” technologies that can deliver significant operational and customer benefits
3. Expand green power options to customers in every state we operate
Environmental Footprint
1. Diversify our fuel mix and address the climate change issue by:
a.Promoting U.S. federal policy mandating economy-wide reductions of
greenhouse gas emissions
b.Creating the option to build new nuclear (carbon free) generation
c.Piloting clean coal and other innovative technologies, e.g. advanced
integrated gasification combined cycle technology, geological carbon dioxide
sequestration
d.Securing cost-effective alternative sources of energy
2. Continue to focus on safe, reliable and efficient power plant operations
Quality Workforce
1. Develop a culture of wellness by encouraging, supporting and rewarding
improved employee health and well-being
Attract, retain and engage a diverse, talented workforce by:
a. Implementing a more effective employee recruitment and development plan
b. Developing and implementing innovative employee programs and benefits, e.g., alternative work locations
c. Launching ways to transfer or retain critical knowledge given that
approximately one-third of the workforce may retire in the next five years
2. Drive understanding of the value of sustainability within the company to
inspire ideas and innovation
Strong Communities
1. Invest over $17 million annually in community programs that improve the
quality of life in our communities
2. Implement tools for our communities to use that will support their long-term planning
3. Increase spending with diverse suppliers by 5% a year
4. Implement initiatives to support public safety in our communities
Governance & Transparency
1. Provide investors a superior and sustainable return on their investment
2. Assure that we have effective ethics and compliance programs
3. Regularly benchmark our corporate governance practices against best-in-class and industry peers and recommend revisions as appropriate
4. Assess our supply chain (services and products) from a sustainability perspective and implement appropriate follow-up actions
5. Communicate clearly and frequently with our stakeholders
Monday, September 8, 2008
Mini Case 2.2
1. What are the major reasons the company had to use SOA?
The basic idea of SOA is to reuse and reconnect existing IT assets rather than more time consuming and costly development of new systems. In TrueCredit case, the company needs to quickly develop applications to maintain its competitive advantage, and SOA offers the solution. SOA helps the company to develop new applications more efficiently, to support more simultaneous users, and to decrease application response time.
2. In what ways did they gain competitive advantage by using SOA?
The competitive advantages are listed as below:
a. The application can support big amount users at the same time (50,000 in 2006 vs. 25,000 in 2005). The application makes users feel comfortable and reliable about the company’s service.
b. The application improves response time to less than a second (down from 3 seconds). This advantage corresponds to customers’ wants, the quick service.
c. SOA helps the company to adopt new applications more quickly, from 180 days or more to 90 days or less.
3. What specific “services” can you identify in a business like this?
The services as creating credit report for customers, informing customers the latest changes for themselves, and some other applications are offered by the company.
4. Why is it so important to serve 50,000 simultaneous users?
Most customers who go online shopping are looking for quick and convenient services. If the company’s services are time consuming, customers would switch to the competitors. By the way, if the company cannot serve more customers, the scale of the business is limited.
5. Classify this application using the material in Section 2.2.
I would classify this application as Expert system (ES). ES provides stored knowledge of experts to non-experts and decision recommendation based on built-in expertise. TrueCredit offers personalized explanation based on individual’s credit score.
The basic idea of SOA is to reuse and reconnect existing IT assets rather than more time consuming and costly development of new systems. In TrueCredit case, the company needs to quickly develop applications to maintain its competitive advantage, and SOA offers the solution. SOA helps the company to develop new applications more efficiently, to support more simultaneous users, and to decrease application response time.
2. In what ways did they gain competitive advantage by using SOA?
The competitive advantages are listed as below:
a. The application can support big amount users at the same time (50,000 in 2006 vs. 25,000 in 2005). The application makes users feel comfortable and reliable about the company’s service.
b. The application improves response time to less than a second (down from 3 seconds). This advantage corresponds to customers’ wants, the quick service.
c. SOA helps the company to adopt new applications more quickly, from 180 days or more to 90 days or less.
3. What specific “services” can you identify in a business like this?
The services as creating credit report for customers, informing customers the latest changes for themselves, and some other applications are offered by the company.
4. Why is it so important to serve 50,000 simultaneous users?
Most customers who go online shopping are looking for quick and convenient services. If the company’s services are time consuming, customers would switch to the competitors. By the way, if the company cannot serve more customers, the scale of the business is limited.
5. Classify this application using the material in Section 2.2.
I would classify this application as Expert system (ES). ES provides stored knowledge of experts to non-experts and decision recommendation based on built-in expertise. TrueCredit offers personalized explanation based on individual’s credit score.
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