TOP TIPS: Barriers to business transformation

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

TOP TIPS: Barriers to business transformation

By Michael Fung, Singapore Ministry of Manpower

Knowledge management is ultimately a form of business transformation at the business, people and technology levels. It can lead organizations to better use their knowledge for competitive advantage.
However, although various business transformation methodologies and theories have existed for some time, many such exercises have produced disappointing results. While there are factors unique to each transformation, the majority of failures can be atrributed to taking an inflexible, monolithic approach.
Five common barriers Here are five common barriers to business transformation:
1. Misalignment of business strategies and processes.
2. Gaps in information capture and sharing.
3. Functional silos and non-collaborative working culture.
4. Resistance and people issues.
5. Flexible systems and structures to enable a transformed business model.
For a successful business transformation each barrier must be accepted, addressed and overcome.
To take KM to a transcendent level, it's critical to blend the competencies of your organization and, more specifically, to break down silos between different groups and barriers in an organization as described above.
KM can be used as an inclusive term and a uniting platform to talk about sensitive topics such as integration, rationalization, reorganization, streamlining, collaboration, and sharing.
The value of knowledge sharing Few can argue against the value of sharing knowledge within any organization and the need for better and timelier knowledge to drive decision-making. Most organizations accept that knowledge flows should have no boundaries and there's a need for the right knowledge at the right time to make better decisions.
Excerpted from Breaking Silos at Singapore Ministry of Manpower, by Michael Fung, Singapore MOM in the May/June issue of KM Review.
For more information, visit the KM Review homepage.

source: melcrum.com

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