Developing a Knowledge Management System for InfoSys Switch to Product Provider

Identifying Alternative Approaches

Assume that your team represents four area directors under Dr. J.K. Suresh, the Principal Knowledge Manager at InfoSys. Dr. Sureshhas asked you to consider your next steps, and make a recommendation on how to move forward. InfoSys is changing its business model from primarily being an outsourcing service provider (and a world leader in the area, by the way) to selling and supportingits own ERP style solutions. Making the switch is going to impact several business processes, and thereby, influence how the organization of about 150,000 employees manages its vast knowledge resource. The challenges are myriad. Dr. Suresh’s time is already stretched thin. The old system is a tough act to follow; it works extremely well in supporting the knowledge management activities of a client service firm. But Dr. Suresh knows better than to wait for the new business processes to expose the limitations of the existing Knowledge Management System (KMS).

And as noted in the case, the new KMS should do a better job of identifying and incorporating information that resides outside the organization and not only that which lives in the heads of InfoSys employees. He has asked you to create a proposal, outlining his options in developing the new KMS. 

A few ideas have been identified in the case: Adapt the current system to reflect the needs associated with the change in business focus, or build a new system from the ground up. While Dr. Sureshthinks these ideas might make sense, he is convinced that there are other options, and he blames your team for not thinking far enough outside the box. 

So here is your task: With the goal of supporting the KM requirements associated with the switch in focus to a product provider(as defined in the case), identify at least onenew approachnot already discussed. Evaluate your approach along with those identified already, and write a recommendation and action plan. 

Use the DECIDE model as your framework. This effort will require someresearch. Remember to cite your sources appropriately. Time is short, and you have a number of other projects going on,so you had better get started straight away. In your report, make sure you address the following:

1) Identify at least one alternative approach(in addition to those identified in case) toachieve your objective

2) Establish several criteria that the newsystem must meet, with support.

3) Analyze each approach including evaluation against each criterion

4) Select and support one approach to recommend based on a complete synthesis of all information

5) Create a roadmap to the implementation of the approach that you decide to recommend (if new costs emerge, tell us how they will be funded)with a timeline that shows which resources would need to be mobilized at each phase of implementation