INTRODUCTION
Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS) is an IT services, consulting and business solutions
organisation that delivers real results to global businesses, ensuring a level
of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated
portfolio of IT, BPO, infrastructure, engineering and assurance services. This
is delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery ModelTM, recognised as
the benchmark of excellence in software development.
A part of the Tata
group, India’s largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 285,000 of the
world's best trained consultants. The company generated consolidated revenues
of $11.6 billion for year ended March 31, 2013 and is listed on the National
Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange in India.
Areas of business
Services
TCS helps clients optimise business processes for maximum efficiency and
galvanise their IT infrastructure to be both resilient and robust. TCS offers
the following solutions:
- Assurance services
- Business information and
performance management
- Business process
outsourcing
- Cloud services
- Connected marketing
solutions
- Consulting
- Engineering and industrial
services
- Enterprise solutions
- iON small and medium
businesses
- IT infrastructure services
- IT services
- Mobility solutions and
services
- Platform solutions
Industries
TCS has the depth and breadth of experience and expertise that businesses need
to achieve business goals and succeed amidst fierce competition. TCS helps
clients from various industries solve complex problems, mitigate risks and
become operationally excellent. Some of the industries it serves are:
- Banking and financial
services
- Construction
- Energy and utilities
- Government
- Healthcare
- High tech
- Insurance
- Life sciences
- Manufacturing
- Media and information
services
- Metals and mining
- Retail and consumer
products
- Telecom
- Travel, transportation and
hospitality
Software
- TCS BaNCS
- TCS MasterCraft
- TCS technology products
PROBLEM
OF STATEMENT
- Analyze the knowledge management
efforts at Tata Consulting Services (TCS) using the knowledge management
value chain model. Which tools or activities were used for managing tacit knowledge
and which ones are used for explicit knowledge?
- Describe the growth of knowledge
management systems at TCS? How have these systems helped TCS in its
business?
- Describe the collaboration tools used
at TCS? What benefits did TCS reap from these tools?
- How did Web 2.0 tools help TCS manage
knowledge and collaboration among its employees?
- How do you think KM tools have
changed some key operational processes at TCS, such as bidding for new
projects, project development and implementation, customer service, and so
on?
SUGGESTION AND
ACTION
QUESTION 1:
Analyze the
knowledge management efforts at Tata Consulting Services (TCS) using the
knowledge management value chain model. Which tools or activities were used for
managing tacit knowledge and which ones are used for explicit knowledge?
ANSWER:
Using the value
chain model, the knowledge management efforts at TCS can be divided into the
following activities:
- Knowledge Acquisition:
Over the years, TCS had acquired a vast body of knowledge and experience in
several fields through on-shore and off-shore projects for its clients across
the globe including GE Insurance, GE Health, Hewlett Packard, Prudential,
Standard Chartered Bank etc. In addition, TCS regularly rotated people across
various functions and within other Tata Group companies to gain cross-industry
experience. Employees were also encouraged to be part of outside bodies like
the IEEE, and go in for certifications.
- Knowledge Storage:
TCS had developed various repositories and databases for knowledge storage such
as KBases, Process Asset Libraries, KnowMax, and Ultimatix.
- Knowledge
Dissemination: Knowledge was disseminated using a variety of techniques such as
Ultimatix – a web based electronic knowledge management portal; propel sessions
that brought together employees with similar interests; Live Meeting and
Knowledge Transition sessions at the project level; and “Tip of the Day” email comprising technical,
conceptual or human skills tips were shared within the organization daily.
- Knowledge
Application: Students should visit the TCS website to explore the new
capabilities developed by TCS and how it relates to the knowledge they have
accumulated over the years about the customers, markets, systems development,
and technologies.
- To manage explicit
knowledge, TCS had used KBases, Process Asset Libraries, KnowMax, and
Ultimatix.
- Tacit knowledge was
managed through redesign of development centers, Propel sessions, Knowledge
Transition Sessions, and communities of practice.
QUESTION 2:
Describe the growth
of knowledge management systems at TCS? How have these systems helped TCS in
its business?
ANSWER:
The concept of
knowledge management (KM) was introduced in TCS in 1995 and a dedicated KM team
called “Corporate Groupware” was formed in 1998. This group launched the
KM-pilot in mid-1999. At that time, KM in TCS covered nearly every function,
from quality assurance to HR management. The employees could access the
knowledge repository that resided on the corporate and branch servers through
the intranet, with a browser front-end or a Notes client. The knowledge
repository, also called KBases, contained a wide range of information about
processes, line of business, line of technology, and projects.
The next step was to
create Process Asset Libraries (PALs) which contained information related to
technology, processes, case studies for project leaders which were made
available to all development centers through the intranet. The same thing was
done through the web-based electronic knowledge management portal called
Ultimatix, of which PAL was the precursor. The PAL library and KBases, which
were hosted on the intranet, were merged with Ultimatix, which had sub-portals
for quality management system, software productivity improvement, training
materials, and tools information. In 2007, TCS developed Knowmax, a knowledge
management system, using Microsoft sharepoint portal server that gave TCS
consultants access to nearly 40 years of experience and best practices arranged
by type of engagement, the technology in use, and customer requirements. It
supported more than 60 knowledge assets and was accessible via Ultimatix to all
TCS associates. Any associate could contribute to the K-Bank and Knowledge
officers were made responsible for maintaining the quality of content.
The benefits of
these tools and systems to TCS are described in detail in Q5.
QUESTION 3:
Describe the
collaboration tools used at TCS? What benefits did TCS reap from these tools?
ANSWER:
- ·
TCS used a variety of
collaboration tools – Infinity that includes instant messaging, IP telephony,
and video conferencing; blogs and wikis; IdeaStorm, TIP, and Mysite.
- ·
As a result of adopting
Infinity, collaboration of overseas and
local offices improved as instant messaging (IM) got rid of cultural and
pronunciation differences that could occur on the phone. Furthermore, corporate
communications was able to run a 24-hour internal news broadcast to all TCS
offices in the world. In addition, travel and telecommunications costs were
reduced by 40 percent and 6 percent respectively.
- ·
The other tools improved
collaboration, communication, and knowledge sharing among the employees.
QUESTION 4:
How did Web 2.0
tools help TCS manage knowledge and collaboration among its employees?
ANSWER:
Blogs, wikis, and
other tools were used to boost communication and productivity among the
employees. Wikis were used for
collaborating on materials related to project, supporting brainstorming
sessions, and developing presentations. Employees used blogs as a means to
gather inputs on problems that they faced on a project. JustAsk System allowed
employees to pose a question and in turn get answers from other colleagues,
sometimes leading to a detailed discussion. If someone often answered questions
on a particular domain, the relevant specialist group invited that person into
the domain group and thus gave the visibility to talent within the company. The
IdeaStorm, used by the management, helped in generation of ideas on topics
posted by the corporate team. TIP was used as a portal for product innovation
and new ideas. It helped the management to garner ideas related to
product/service innovation and helped in solving problems. TCS also used social
networking like MySite to help employees communicate better with each
other.
QUESTION 5:
How do you think KM
tools have changed some key operational processes at TCS, such as bidding for
new projects, project development and implementation, customer service, and so
on?
ANSWER:
TCS aims to move up
the value chain and to continue to bid for higher-level projects, beyond those
of maintenance and development. By
accumulating knowledge, it has built capabilities to understand how to service
clients through consulting and in other strategic areas. So KM has enabled TCS
to continue to move higher-up and to bid for more strategic projects. KM repositories that capture best practices
in the projects it has undertaken make the company more efficient in servicing
clients. This means it can execute better.
Thus, systems development and implementation activities are more likely
to be done by TCS in a manner that is timely, effective, and cost
efficient. The same for customer service
– by knowing customer requirements and also taking ideas from other industries
that are stored in the KM databases, the company can provide new and innovative
solutions to resolve customer queries.
Overall, KM tools
have become a key strategic resource at the company and all hires are required
to learn them as a part of their orientation.
These tools are also the first go-to before starting any project or
approaching a client. Knowledge in these
databases allows TCS consultants to quickly gather intelligence about the
client or similar projects and thus align themselves better with what the
client might want. This has led to a higher success rate in bidding and in
project execution.
CONCLUSION
Going forward, Tata
companies are building multinational businesses that seek to differentiate
themselves through customer-centricity, innovation, entrepreneurship,
trustworthiness and values-driven business operations, while balancing the
interests of diverse stakeholders including shareholders, employees and civil
society.