Fritolay, Rta, And Km

Information Management, Knowledge Management, and Organizations

In my essay I will address the concepts, problems, and solutions that Frito-Lay and Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) faced when implementing a Knowledge Management System. I will also address issues and problems not covered in either case study that could pose future difficulties.

Concept

The Frito-Lay Corporation and the RTA didn't have exactly the same problems, but their concepts of knowledge management are virtually the same. I looked at the goals of Frito-Lay and RTA to evaluate their concept of knowledge management. Frito-Lay's goals were; to streamline knowledge, exploit customer specific data and foster team collaboration. RTA goals were improve service and information to customers, help new staff become familiar with RTA policy and procedures faster, reduce training cost, reduce the time customers are placed on hold, and reduce problems from escalating to the team leader, management level. Frito-Lay and RTA both came to the conceptual conclusion that they needed a system to create, store, quickly access, and share information throughout their organization.

Problems

The Frito-Lay Corporation and the RTA had the same problems with gathering information, data, and knowledge to create their Knowledge Management System. Information was trapped in filing cabinets and computers in many different locations around the organizations. Many subject matter experts within the organizations were holding knowledge and experience that was vital to the daily operations of the organization. Gathering this information and knowledge for both organizations would prove to be a difficult and time-consuming task.

Solutions

Both Frito-Lay and RTA assembled project teams, conducted audits of their organizations, and reviewed current manuals and procedures. Frito-Lay relied more on the expertise from within the organization for its information and knowledge in creating the Knowledge Management System. From reading the case study, the information and knowledge for the system was collected and processed by the sales personnel in more of a free-style manner. The Frito-Lay Corporation started off on a small scale, using a pilot team, once getting the desired results, expanded to incorporate other teams, the division, and all the divisions of the corporation. RTA method of gathering the information and knowledge in a lock-step manner. It was designed to encompass the entire Call Centre of the RTA. Every detail of assembling the team, creating systems for gathering the information, creating systems to evaluate the system, establishing strict guidelines and standards for the information to be stored on the system. The contrast of Frito-Lay and RTA's approach to the problems of implementing a Knowledge Management System were obviously due to the expertise or lack of expertise within the organizations. The contrast could be in the style that the two case studies were written. The Frito-Lay case study is written in a style of a magazine article meant for the casual reader. The RTA (Step Two) article is written in an almanac or journal style meant for the sophisticated reader. The two articles are as different as an essay and a staff study.