01-22-2011, 03:33 PM
Assignment No. 1 Marks: 10
Knowledge Sharing
(Case Study)
Knowledge sharing is the blessing for any organization but specifically for research and
academic institutions, where concepts, theories and knowledge generation are the best sources
of Human Resource Development. Here is a case of an organization in which a very
constructive and productive activity is converted into a useless and downbeat activity. All
employees of this organization have started an activity of daily presentations and magazine.
The main objective of this activity is to improve the communication and presentation skill of an
individual. But they have observed that the By-Product (Knowledge Sharing) of this activity
becomes more fruitful and more dominating as compared to the main objective of this activity.
Now people are more concerned in attending the presentation and this builds a responsibility on
presenter to make presentation more fruitful and better than before. This situation is ideal for
presenter, people who are attending the presentation as well for the organization
During this time, some of the culprits among employees try to deceive the management by
writing their names on presentation attendance sheet but actually they left office for the entire
period of session. This creates trouble and management takes a decision that nobody is allowed
to get entrance in the presentation without prior intimation. For that purpose, different groups
are made by the management and this division is random, without any logic and irrational. Also
people are not allowed to attend any presentation of other group. Complicated procedure of
intimation, emails, perplexity among supervisor, creates a chaotic situation. As a result, in the
presentation of very able and senior most people, only five people were there. All know the fact
that, before the implementation of this new policy, presentation room used to jam-pack. It is
very sad situation for so many people who are supporting this new idea of presentation. But
some of the advisors of higher management do not want this activity to run smoothly because
they don’t have the capability to participate. Now at this stage two pools are formed, one is
supporting the old practice of knowledge sharing with “open doors” (comprises of more than
96% of the total work force) and second group, which is very small group of people (4% of the
total work force) is in the favor of this new practice. Note that there are some people who are in
favor of old practice of “open doors” but they have no courage to express their feelings. But
after informal interviews and group discussions, they show their consent of being a part of
larger group.
With the passage of time, majority get frustrated and they start feeling so many related which
are not highlighted ever before. Like one of the employee highlighted the discrimination while
selecting the best presenter. Also people start criticizing the criteria and its transparency. Some
of the employees have reservation on the participation and topic selection. Some are saying that
few people are manipulating whole situation in their favor and get benefited. Some are raising
the issue of EEO (Equal Employee Opportunity). So there are lots of other issues raised (which
did not exist ever before) after this new policy. One can say that this is the retaliation and in the
response of this “Close Door” phenomena.
When people were asked about the solution of this issue, majority suggest that those culprits
should be highlighted and punished rather to make new policy which is not acceptable for the
majority of the people. They said that punishing whole organization due to malicious activity of
few people is not fair. This creates a mind set that all employees are deceptive and they are
being punished. But that’s not the intention of the higher management.
Question:
Consider yourself as the higher management of the organization, what will you do to resolve
this conflict? Either to continue this practice of “Close Door” policy or go with the majority
who is in the favor of “Open Door” policy. Give solid reasons to support your answer.
Note: Try to write your choice clearly (in bold) at the top and then write reasons in the bulleted
form. Please note that your choice and supporting points should be rational and brief.
Unnecessary details will result in marks deduction.
Knowledge Sharing
(Case Study)
Knowledge sharing is the blessing for any organization but specifically for research and
academic institutions, where concepts, theories and knowledge generation are the best sources
of Human Resource Development. Here is a case of an organization in which a very
constructive and productive activity is converted into a useless and downbeat activity. All
employees of this organization have started an activity of daily presentations and magazine.
The main objective of this activity is to improve the communication and presentation skill of an
individual. But they have observed that the By-Product (Knowledge Sharing) of this activity
becomes more fruitful and more dominating as compared to the main objective of this activity.
Now people are more concerned in attending the presentation and this builds a responsibility on
presenter to make presentation more fruitful and better than before. This situation is ideal for
presenter, people who are attending the presentation as well for the organization
During this time, some of the culprits among employees try to deceive the management by
writing their names on presentation attendance sheet but actually they left office for the entire
period of session. This creates trouble and management takes a decision that nobody is allowed
to get entrance in the presentation without prior intimation. For that purpose, different groups
are made by the management and this division is random, without any logic and irrational. Also
people are not allowed to attend any presentation of other group. Complicated procedure of
intimation, emails, perplexity among supervisor, creates a chaotic situation. As a result, in the
presentation of very able and senior most people, only five people were there. All know the fact
that, before the implementation of this new policy, presentation room used to jam-pack. It is
very sad situation for so many people who are supporting this new idea of presentation. But
some of the advisors of higher management do not want this activity to run smoothly because
they don’t have the capability to participate. Now at this stage two pools are formed, one is
supporting the old practice of knowledge sharing with “open doors” (comprises of more than
96% of the total work force) and second group, which is very small group of people (4% of the
total work force) is in the favor of this new practice. Note that there are some people who are in
favor of old practice of “open doors” but they have no courage to express their feelings. But
after informal interviews and group discussions, they show their consent of being a part of
larger group.
With the passage of time, majority get frustrated and they start feeling so many related which
are not highlighted ever before. Like one of the employee highlighted the discrimination while
selecting the best presenter. Also people start criticizing the criteria and its transparency. Some
of the employees have reservation on the participation and topic selection. Some are saying that
few people are manipulating whole situation in their favor and get benefited. Some are raising
the issue of EEO (Equal Employee Opportunity). So there are lots of other issues raised (which
did not exist ever before) after this new policy. One can say that this is the retaliation and in the
response of this “Close Door” phenomena.
When people were asked about the solution of this issue, majority suggest that those culprits
should be highlighted and punished rather to make new policy which is not acceptable for the
majority of the people. They said that punishing whole organization due to malicious activity of
few people is not fair. This creates a mind set that all employees are deceptive and they are
being punished. But that’s not the intention of the higher management.
Question:
Consider yourself as the higher management of the organization, what will you do to resolve
this conflict? Either to continue this practice of “Close Door” policy or go with the majority
who is in the favor of “Open Door” policy. Give solid reasons to support your answer.
Note: Try to write your choice clearly (in bold) at the top and then write reasons in the bulleted
form. Please note that your choice and supporting points should be rational and brief.
Unnecessary details will result in marks deduction.