Knowledge Management at Infosys and UnisysA comparison

Knowledge Management at Infosys and UnisysA comparison byNikesh. N

Company background: Infosys
Infosys
consulting and software services organization headquartered in Bangalore
Founded in 1981
1, 00,000 employees in over 50 offices worldwide.
Unisys
Global IT services and solution company
Serves primarily in six verticals like financial services, public sector, communications, transportation, commercial and media. Also manufactures high end servers
37000 + employees to serve the clients of more than 100+ countries

KM initiatives at Infosys
Education and Research Department in the year 1991
A fully fledged KM program began in 1999 with the launch of Kshop
Important features
Learn once, use any where
KM maturity model
Incentive scheme- Knowledge currency unit.

KM initiatives at Unisys
centrally lead but de-centrally energized initiative
A formal initiative was launched in August of 2000
special focus on 11 critical success factors
Architecturally, this is facilitated via the knowledge.NET portal ‘Ask Knowledge’- NET expertise location management application.
More than 75 communities of knowledge are operational.

Analysis and Comparison of Knowledge Management framework at Infosys & Unisys
Both Infosys and Unisys are having units all over the world, and thousands of employees from different countries and cultures are working
Both companies have developed robust Knowledge Management system for taping both explicit and tacit knowledge needed to full-fill their business objectives and smooth flow of information within the organization and from outside environment.
Implementation strategies adopted by the two organizations are different in some aspects and similar in some other aspects.

Comparison based on 8Cs frame work

Findings
Key features of KM frame work in Infosys are as follows
A K M team in the learning Unit
Decentralized Architecture
Incremental Scope
Content first, then collaboration
Voluntary participation
An in-house solution

Key feature of KM frame work at Unisys
Centrally lead, but decentrally energized initiative
Based on critical success factors identified
Knowledge communities are initiated by an expert committee appointed by the Management
KM@Unisys ( an introductory course ) by Unisys University

KM system: similarities
Similarities
Vision and Objectives aims for customer satisfaction
Adequate technology backups & 24 x 7 access to all
Measures to build Knowledge culture and capacity
Introductory courses
Cooperation with outside world like academic communities

Contrasts
Strategy
Infosys follows KMM- Knowledge Management Maturity Model
Unisys identified some critical success factors to be followed for the building of KM system. They have strategized these initiatives through centrally lead, but de-centrally energised framework.
Knowledge communities
Infosys allows making of communities by interested group employees
But in Unisys, communities are centrally formed by expert group specifically set up for this purpose. 70 + officially chartered knowledge communities are set up.

Conclusion
Both Infosys and Unisys have recognized the importance of proper Knowledge Management System and implemented using proper strategies suitable for their environment.
From the survey results it is evident that almost all employees of the both organization have understood the value of KM to the organization and the individuals.
Both companies have won international awards for setting up and running efficient KM system in respective companies.
Both companies are trying to incorporate latest trend in KM research and development by setting up separate KM research team in respective companies.

References
http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/IT%20and%20Systems/ITSY055.htm ( (Infosys Knowledge Management Initiatives )
www.indianmba.com/Faculty_Column/FC724/fc724.html (Pedagogies of Knowledge Management at Infosys)
http://www.iirusa.com/upload/wysiwyg/M1947/Online%20Docs/IIR_M947_Rehmet.pdf (Unisys frame work for Knowledge Management)

Knowledge Management at Infosys and UnisysA comparison

by Nikesh Narayanan

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