KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT

Submitted to – Proaf. Supratik GhatakSubmitted by – Kunal Jaitly D-22

15020441131

BHARTI AIRTEL LIMITED

Introduction In 2001, Knowledge Management in Bharti Airtel was identified as

a means of facilitating consistency in customer experience across all locations

KM at Bharti is primarily a tool to achieve strategic business objectives through an integrated set of initiatives, systems and behavioral interventions

Linking KM to Business Objectives

AIM: Reduction in performance variation across regions, to be achieved quickly by replicating best practices

Capturing, sharing and replicating also ensured the institutionalization of best practices

Individual knowledge was converted into organizational knowledge, which could be re-used at a later date. This also reduced the firm’s dependence on particular individuals, but was definitely not seen as a means for the firm to replace any employees

This is also a critical distinction given the high level of employee turnover that most businesses must contend with these days

Knowledge Management areas in Bharti Airtel

Knowledge Management Cycle at Bharti Airtel

Informal knowledge-sharing culture at Bharti; it’s a part of the firm’s DNA.

KM process at Bharti was designed, in several iterations, with the following key considerations:

• Simple, quick, user-friendly processes for sharing knowledge• Standard templates to maximise replication value• Powerful, yet easy-to-use search and retrieval functionality• Virtual collaboration, team rooms and threaded discussions• ‘Ask an expert’ facilities• Knowledge-sharing sessions

• Started with the ‘K-Map’, which reflected the repository structure. Knowledge repositories are based on a business-processes map, which ensures all KM initiatives remain relevant to the business. The aim was to keep all the relevant knowledge that was stored and not to create the biggest electronic library

•  Encouraged employees to submit whatever they wished. Anyone could upload content, and there was only a minimal review procedure in place

•  Each repository has a ‘knowledge champion’ and a number of subject-matter experts, who are responsible for encouraging knowledge sharing and replication in their domains

• Using Non-Financial Parameters Dashboard, the monthly performance of all regions/business units is tracked, and all units are ranked based on predetermined metrics

Knowledge Management – a culture at Bharti Airtel

• Top management at Bharti has identified KM as one of the top ten strategies on the organization’s strategy matrix

• Various rewards and recognition schemes are being used at Bharti:▫ ‘knowledge dollar’ (K$) scheme▫ The president and CEO’s Knowledge Management Awards, which

were created in 2002

These awards are designed so that anyone who has ever contributed or replicated knowledge is eligible to receive an award.

Technology – a Knowledge Process Enabler

• The internal knowledge portal, is a common platform across Bharti. It contains knowledge repositories around customer-impacting processes and support processes, as well as external knowledge that is relevant to the business

• There are standard templates documenting internal best practices, external knowledge and best-practice replications. The portal provides classification and taxonomy schemes to organize content, and has powerful search and retrieval capabilities

Also, Airtel has outsourced much of its work for e.g IT related to

IBM, phone services related to NOKIA.

INTERNAL PORTAL OF BHARTI AIRTEL

Measuring Progress• Due to various measures such as :▫ The level of engagement among employees▫ The amount of knowledge sharing that takes place▫ The number of knowledge replications with successful results▫ Unique visitors to the portal▫ Total hits on the portal▫ The number of knowledge dollars awarded.

Bharti has made enormous progress in implementing KM. Given the dynamism of the telecoms industry and the evolution of KM techniques, however, the role of the KM programme is likely to develop further. The overall objective of the initiative will remain same: achieving faster business through the sharing and replication of good practices.

THANK YOU..