Modernisation paves the way for the growing demands for organisational innovation and the constant quest for information technology (IT)-driven activities and initiatives that can minimise, if not eliminate, costs (be it financially or environmentally) of acquiring and sharing information. Given this, institutions must find ways to create pathways that will engineer systems to mediate the information needs of users.
One useful concept in data management and sharing is the so-called Knowledge Management (KM). KM, as defined by Davenport in 1994, is the “process of capturing, distributing, and effectively using knowledge” (Koenig, M., 2012). In addition, the Gartner Group also released a more specific definition of said approach. According to Gartner Group, KM is “a discipline that promotes an integrated approach to identifying, capturing, evaluating, retrieving, and sharing all of an enterprise's information assets. These assets may include databases, documents, policies, procedures, and previously un-captured expertise and experience in individual workers” (Duhon, 1998 as cited by Koenig, M.).
The main thrust of KM is to connect people within the organisation, through an intranet, and to make information easily available to users. It is through this that data are shared in a more efficient way - within shorter time period and minimal paper trail requirements. It is also an environment that could foster rich communication and connection within its users and promotes a culture of organisational openness.
As the Office moves towards its desired CSR state, it is important to start on the different issues where a potential CSR activity can grow. As an employee with hands on experience and first hand knowledge of the Office’s core functions, I was able to look into the details of our processes.
One of the crucial roles of the Office is providing information to the Executive Management and other Departments that need access to different documents and information of the Bank. The documents can be classified as highly confidential, restricted, and non-restricted. The requests, on the other hand, vary from inquiry regarding memoranda, forms, templates, guidelines, letters, and circulars, among other things. On the average, the Office receives around 50 memoranda and letter-requests daily. These documents are typically two-pages. On the other hand, the Office also sends a one to two page letter-reply as covering memorandum in addition to the requested documents of the sender. The number of pages of the requested documents ranges from from one to 20 pages, and hence, the Office’s paper consumption.
The scope of the CSR project is only on the non-restricted documents released by the Office as other documents categorised as restricted and highly confidential are cannot be subjected to the proposed CSR project. As my CSR project, I proposed that our Office become part of a KM Portal.
Using the analysis and the Three Pillars of Sustainable Development, a KM Portal (KMP) can be recommended as it adheres to the requirements of said framework. It gives importance to the social aspect as it it still preserves the integrity of data that is needed by the stakeholders. It is also environmentally friendly because it will aid in lessening paper consumption of the Office. On the other hand, it is economic because it saves the Office from high cost of paper inventory while at the same time improves its efficiency in providing the users easy access to non-restricted information.
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