Human Resources Management and Knowledge Management; Enhancing Knowledge sharing in a pharmaceutical company

Case study conducted by Graeme Currie and Marie Kerrin

Presented by:P.G.B.Dharmarathne A/BBA/09/030K.G.T.M Deshanthi A/BBA/09/029Buddhika Gayan A/BBA/09/019D.K.D.Madhubhashini A/BBA/09/068R.S. Samarasinghe A/BBA/09/115

What we will be to talking…1. Introduction to the case study

2. Research Problem

3. Research questions

4. Aim of the study

5. Research objective

6. Theoretical framework

7. Methodology

8. Findings

9. Conclusion

INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE STUDY

Gap between human resource management practices and knowledge management.

Why this study is done????to make people engage with knowledge in organization

Company’s name: Pharmco Nationals• Sales function and marketing function.

Using organizational learning perspective • organizational learning and learning organization.

RESEARCH PROBLEM• There is a Gap between human resource management practices and knowledge management

RESEARCH QUESTIONSI. How does Knowledge management and human resources practices explain through learning

perspective

II. What are the problems lie out side of formal management structure

III. How networks of relationships that employees develop in their participation in communities

create social capital to ensure effective sharing of knowledge.

AIM OF THE STUDY• To make a theoretical contribution to the debate about the influence of human resource practices

upon managing knowledge by locating it more widely within an organizational learning

perspective.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVESI. To identify Knowledge management and human resources practices explain through learning

perspective

II. To evaluate problems lie out side of formal management structure

III. To determine networks of relationships that employees develop in their participation in

communities create social capital to ensure effective sharing of knowledge.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

• Knowledge Management• Learning Organization• Organizational Learning • Human Resource Management and Managing Knowledge

Knowledge Management Perspective:

• Information and Communication Technology interventions• Knowledge Repositories

-Tacit Element

-Explicit Element

• Critics of the knowledge management perspective

Leads to……….

Learning organization perspective:• Traditional organization structure and lateral organization structures• Problems with changing structure

-Unwilling to share information

-Not accepting other tacit knowledge

-Trust

Organizational Learning:

• Analytical than prescriptive• Specifically organizational learning perspective highlights that

knowledge is tacit and relational.• Knowledge cannot be divorced from its context.• Sharing of knowledge may be embedded in work practices.• It is Situated(Lave,1988; Lave and Wenger,1991;Tosukas,1996)

• Communities of practice: -informal social groups -Network relationships

Organizational Learning Contd ….

• Social Capital:

Structural-informal Networks

Relational: Trust, norms and value, face -to face- interaction

Cognitive: Common context and language

Human Resource Management and Managing KnowledgeHuman resource practices ‘can influence but not command crucial mediating factors.(Scarbrough and Carter,2000)

-Congruence approach – reinforce overall management system and fit with external business environment -Human and Social Capital Approach- importance of the long -term development of skills, culture and capabilities..

Human Resource Management and Managing Knowledge Cont…

• Human Resource Practitioners focus upon

-Retention of personnel

-Employees’ expertise be built into the organizational routines

-Mechanisms for utilization of expertise

• Insufficiently recognize employees’ unwillingness to share Knowledge.• Complement team working with appropriate career and reward

practices. (Hayes and Walsham 2000)

METHODOLOGY Research paradigm

-Mix method(Triangulation Method)

Positive and Interpretative Research Strategy Case Study Data collection Method

Primary

-Questionaries'

-Semi structure interviews

Secondary

-Logbooks Data Analysis

-Quantitative; Statistic used

-Qualitative Population 200 (whole organization) Sample

-Sales function

-Marketing function Sampling technics

-Judgmental

FINDINGS

Functional barriers of sharing knowledgeSales function-Geographical base

Marketing function-Brand base

• Willing to share knowledge within the function• Functional silos • Sub-cultural barriers.

Structural change

1. Trade Marketing function= Sales+Marketing• No more need of face to face interaction• Sales domination• Reluctant to share knowledge with JUST ANYONE

• Reluctant to get knowledge

2. Project groups • To solve a specific problem• No time to share knowledge

• Much focus on their ‘day job’

Cont.

Impact of Human Resources Practices on Knowledge Management

1. Performance Management • Divergent objective setting• Brand proposition Vs Right potential customer• Only knowledge-hungry about your particular area• Narrowly focus senior positions• Management accounting framework based on tangible value.

2. Recruitment and selection • Functionally focus graduate recruitment to equal opportunities Ex: Finance employees with broader perspective

3. Organizational development

Development events

Operational pressures

Senior management group Whole organization

Cont.4. Career Management• Lateral career progression• Giving young kids their benefit of knowledge• Again…… NARROW CAREER PROGRESSION

Which cause losing experience employees

CONCLUSION Inability of knowledge sharing Changes in organizational structure to trade marketing function • Necessary feature- face to face interaction became lessProject group • failed because function comes first Performance appraisal frame work • Functional objectives• Unwilling to create shared value

Recommending Human resources management practices

Congruence Human and Social Capital to attain Knowledge management

Cont.

To create social capital, structural dimensions are use; such as • Developmental events

-but there were no vertical fit among HR practices like performance management

-Generally again they were unwilling to share knowledge

• Lateral movement of employees are also used • Project group are another way to create social capital

Still there were knowledge sharing barriers

1) Some Knowledge was Tacit nature (Situated learning)

2) Naturally unwilling to share knowledge-Trust

Questions ????

THANK YOU!!