UNIVERSITI TENAGA NASIONAL College of Information Technology

BACHELOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IS) (HONS.) FINAL EXAMINATION SEMESTER II 2009/2010 INTRODUCTION TO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT (CISB454)

ANSWER SCHEME
April 2010 Time allowed: 3 hours + 10 minutes for reading

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES 1.

This question paper consists of THREE (3) sections. Section A contains THIRTY (30) multiple-choice questions, Section B contains SIX (6) short-answer questions, and Section C contains THREE (3) essay-type questions.

2.

Answer ALL questions in Sections A and B and any TWO (2) questions in Section C. Answers to Section A must be marked in the answer sheet and answers to Sections B and C must be written in the answer booklet.

3.

4. The total marks for this examination is 100 marks.

DO NOT OPEN THIS QUESTION PAPER UNTIL YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 12 PRINTED PAGES INCLUDING THIS PAGE

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SECTION A: MULTIPLE-CHOICE (20 MARKS) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. (b) (d) (c) (a) (b) (d) (c) (a) (c)

10. (d) 11. (b) 12. (c) 13. (a) 14. (b) 15. (d) 16. (a) 17. (b) 18. (c) 19. (d) 20. (a) 21. (c) 22. (b) 23. (a) 24. (c) 25. (b) 26. (d) 27. (c) 28. (b) 29. (d) 30. (a)

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SECTION B: SHORT-ANWER QUESTIONS (30 MARKS) Instructions: Answer ALL questions in this section. Each question carries 5 marks.

Question 1
Suggested Solutions: (a) (i) Tacit Knowledge is knowledge that cannot be documented and resides in the head of individuals. (ii) Explicit Knowledge is documented knowledge that resides in documents, processes, manuals, systems, etc. (2 marks) (b) An example of tacit knowledge is troubleshooting a defective electrical appliance to locate the source of a fault. Tacit knowledge could be transferred through formal training or mentoring. An example of explicit knowledge is a database of records that stores information about individuals. This knowledge type could be transferred via documentation and accessing the database remotely online. (3 marks)

Question 2
Suggested Solutions: (a) The data I know about the next semester from the handbook are Subject Code and Subject Name. Accessing the information system from the portal I retrieve the information about the Lecturer who will teach the subject next semester. Having the knowledge about the Lecturer, I decided to register the subject for the next semester. (3 marks) (b) Deductive reasoning exact reasoning It deals with exact facts and exact conclusions. e.g. I see black clouds in the sky. Its probably going to rain, so it is a good idea to bring an umbrella. Inductive reasoning reasoning from a set of facts or individual cases to a general conclusion. e.g. The grass is wet this morning. It probably rained last night.

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(2 marks)

Question 3
Suggested Solutions: (a) A knowledge map is a visual representation of knowledge within an organization. An example of a knowledge map is directory that points people to where they can find certain expertise. An organization chart is one form of knowledge map, it shows the structure and management hierarchy of an organization. (2 marks) (b) I would use the decision table to assist the clerk. The decision table shows clearly problem conditions and the corresponding actions to take that would answer the queries of solve the problems. (2 marks) For new conditions or queries, the table should show the information for the clerk to redirect the queries to the relevant personnel. (1 mark)

Question 4
Suggested Solutions: (a) For the expert, quality relates to reasoning process that produces reliable and accurate solutions. For the user, quality relates to systems ease of use and efficiency. For the knowledge developer, quality relates to how valid the knowledge sources are and how well they are codified into KB (3 marks) (b) Types of Testing Logical Testing o to ensure that the system produces correct results. User Acceptance Testing o follows logical testing and check systems behavior in a realistic environment (2 marks)

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Question 5
Suggested Solutions: (a) The three ways are as follows: Experts use analogies to explain events Experts knowledge is the ability to take uncertain information and use a plausible line of reasoning to clarify the fuzzy details Reliable knowledge capture requires understanding and interpreting experts verbal description of information, heuristics, etc. (3 marks) (b) The four things to avoid are as follows (any four will do): Interrupting the expert Asking questions that put the domain expert on the defensive Losing control of the session Pretending to understand an explanation when you actually dont Promising something that cannot be delivered Bring items not on the agenda (2 marks)

Question 6
Suggested Solutions: Students need to elaborate the following points: Introduce and coordinate the brainstorming session Give experts a problem to consider Prompt experts to generate ideas Watch for signs of convergence Call for a vote to reach agreement (5 marks)

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SECTION C: ESSAY AND ANALYSIS (60 MARKS) Instructions: Answer any TWO (2) questions in this section. Each question carries 20 marks.

Question 1
Suggested Solutions:

The figure shows a knowledge management environment where

people learn using insights and thinking about new ideas by getting information about existing processes and the external environment (customer feedback and market needs). From these activities, coupled with the knowledge which is available in the knowledge base, people create new knowledge in the form of, for example, new business processes, using new technology and new strategies. The creation of new knowledge provides many beneficial returns to the organization. The benefits to the organization include: o o o o o New products New markets Value-added innovation Better quality customer service More efficient processes (6 marks)

There are many misconceptions about KM. Some of these misconceptions include: o Reengineering o Discipline or philosophic calling o Intellectual capital, per se

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o Based on information or about data o Information value chain or knowledge capture o Limited to gathering information from the companys domain experts or retiring employees and creating databases accessible by intranets o Digital networks (5 marks)

Organizations want to embark on KM because of the following reasons:

o Sharing knowledge, a company creates exponential benefits

from the knowledge as people learn from it o Building better sensitivity to brain drain o Reacting instantly to new business opportunities o Ensuring successful partnering and core competencies with suppliers, vendors, customers, and other constituents o Shortens the learning curve (4 marks) The key challenges of KM are:

o Explaining what KM is and how it can benefit a corporate environment o Evaluate the firms core knowledge, by employee, by department, and by division o Learning how knowledge can be captured, processed, and acted on o Addressing the still neglected area of collaboration o Continue researching KM to improve and expand its current capabilities o How to deal with tacit knowledge (5 marks)

Question 2
Suggested Solutions: (a) Knowledge transfer is transmitting (or conveying) the knowledge of one source to another source for the appropriate use of the transmitted knowledge. The goal is to promote knowledge sharing and increase collaboration and networking between employees and business partners. (4 marks) (b) The role of the Internet in knowledge transfer and sharing includes: Accommodates knowledge exchange and communication Allows sending messages to multiple persons simultaneously

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 Offers a variety of services Integrates systems and networks

(4 marks)

(c) The strategies for knowledge transfer are (students have to elaborate on the following points): Collective sequential transfer o specialized team performs same function at other sites

(4 marks) Explicit Inter-team Transfer o one team shares experience with another working on a similar job at another site

(4 marks) Tacit knowledge transfer o unique in complex, non-algorithmic projects, where knowledge is mentally stored

(4 marks)

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Question 3
Suggested Solutions: The seven layers of the KM architecture are as follows: 1. Layer 3: Collaborative intelligence and filtering provides the personalized views based on stored knowledge for each knowledge worker. creates a competitive edge for the learning organization. contains: o groupware to facilitate both synchronous and asynchronous interaction & discussion. o intelligent agents reduce search time for needed information o network mining, customization, personalization. (5 marks) 2. Layer 4: Knowledge-enabling Applications referred to as value-added layer this layer creates a competitive edge for the learning organization. Contains all the KM system applications that are connected to knowledge bases, discussion databases, automation tools, etc. The ultimate goal of this layer is to show and enable knowledge sharing could improve the organizational performance. (5 marks) 3. Layer 6: Middleware. This layer focuses on interfacing with legacy systems and programs residing on other platforms. The middleware make it possible to connect between old and new data formats. The designer should address databases and applications with which the KM system interfaces. (5 marks) 4. Physical repositories This layer is the physical layer where repositories are installed. It contains o the intelligent data warehouses, o legacy applications, o operational databases, o special applications for security and traffic management. (5 marks)

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