Knowledge management driving success of automotive suppliers
In the wake of its recent Detroit Automotive Best Practices Forum, Arthur Andersen LLP announced yesterday that forces such as information overload, globalization, mergers and acquisitions, increasing competition, changing customer and consumer needs, and product and information technology innovation are increasing the complexity of decisions in the automotive supply industry.
The development of an effective knowledge management program can provide suppliers with an infrastructure to leverage their knowledge assets to confidently make better, faster business decisions, leading to improved operational efficiency and innovation.
Andersen surveyed 27 automotive suppliers and two vehicle manufacturers to determine successful knowledge management practices. The forum results indicated that the biggest opportunities for improvement are: creating a culture in the organization that supports knowledge sharing; and, integrating and linking information systems to optimize knowledge sharing.
Suzanne Livernois, manager of Andersen's Automotive Business Consulting unit, specifically cited the importance of developing "an intuitive system for organizing and searching for information."