INTRODUCTION

Organizations are composed of people; .whose collective skills constitute the organizations human resources one of its most valuable assts. According to Leon C Megginson. The total knowledge, skills, creative abilities, talents and aptitudes of an organizations work force, as well as the values, attitudes and beliefs of the individual involved. Management is the process efficiently getting activities completed with and through people. The management process involves planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling, activities that facilitate the accomplishment of objectives. In other words, management is concerned with the accomplishment of objectives though efficient utilization of physical and financial resources by the companys human resources. Thus, human resources are an important subsystem in the process of management. Human resource management is one of the most complex and challenging fields of modern management. In addition to building up an effective work force, the human resource manager must take into consideration the expectations of the employees and of the society in general. Society at large believes that its human resource have vital needs that extend beyond a work force status. The employee is simultaneously an instrument of the firm, a human being, and citizen. Traditional personnel approaches that were used in cultures where the emphasis was on command and control, are now giving away to new approaches characterized by grater employee, by letting works manage almost every thing, from budgets to inventory control with little direct supervision by top management. In the present scenario, there is a need for change in the way employees are managed. Before the 1980s personal administration was characterized by standardization, and consistency and conformity were the hallmarks of management policy. However, today developing the capacity for flexibility has become a significant aspect of a companys corporate human resource strategy. Though an organizations people are its human resources, are its most critical assets. Undoubtedly, the successful management of an organizations human resource is an exciting, fluid and challenging field. There is a radical difference between the modern HRM and the personnel management that was prevalent decades ago. With that turn of the twentieth century, the managerial philosophy that has defined the years, the scientific management approach and the human relations approach have, come up and declined, and presently the human resource approach has gained prominence. Human resource management deals with the people dimension in management. Byars and Rue. In there book, HUMAN RESOURCE AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, say human resource management encompasses those activities designed to provide for and coordinate the human resource of an organization. Human resource functions refer to those talks and duties performed in organizations to provide for and coordinate human resource.
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Employee Knowledge Management: An Eye Opener

The new millennium is in the midst of explosive change witnessing intense competition amongst the domestic as well as the international players. Little wonder then EMPLOYEE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT is fast emerging as a core strategy that organizations worldwide are adopting to manage and leverage organizational knowledge, for sustainable business advantage. In this world of rapid change, we have to create new knowledge and ideas constantly. We get that by looking at what we know, and applying it to what we do not yet know. The changes taking place in the world economy have made EMPLOYEE knowledge management a business necessity, at least for large multinationals that operate on a global scale, or hope to. Managing your companys knowledge more effectively and exploiting it in the market place is the latest pursuit of those seeking competitive advantage. The organizations that are driven by knowledge are the ones that will succeed. The combination of global reach and speed compels organizations to ask themselves, what do we know, who knows it, what do we not know that we should know? This paper describes in a nutshell, that the organizations can attain maturity in KM only through healthy coexistence of technology, processes and people.

What is Knowledge Management?

Knowledge Management is a process that helps organizations find, select, organize, disseminate and transfer important information and expertise necessary for activities such as problem solving, dynamic learning, strategic planning and decision-making. If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability.

Henry Ford. Knowledge

Knowledge is part of the hierarchy made up of data, information, knowledge and wisdom. Data are raw facts. Information is facts with context and perspective. Knowledge is information with guidance for action. Wisdom is an understanding which knowledge to use for what purpose.

Management
Management is part of another hierarchy that includes supervision, management and leadership. Supervision is dealing with individual tasks and people and works at the operational level of an organization or subunit. Management is dealing with groups and
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priorities at the tactical level. Leadership is dealing with purpose and change at the strategic level. Hence knowledge management is concerned with the exploitation and development of the knowledge assets of an organization with a view to furthering the organizations objectives. No amount of sophistication is going to allay the fact that all your knowledge is about the past and all your decisions are about the future. - E. Wilson

OBJECTIVES OF EMPLOYEE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

The project has been undertaken with the following objectives:

To find out the importance of Employee Knowledge Management in consideration that it is intellectual capital of an organization. To find out uses of Employee Knowledge Management for effective HRM. To know the perceptions of employees towards Employee Knowledge Management. To know the process & methods used in EKM. To evaluate the impact of EKM on HRM effectiveness.

SCOPE OF EMPLOYEE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

The scope of EKM can be found in following ways: EKM Mechanics work as tools for Information Management. EKM Culture makes knowledge as Social Activity. EKM Systems shares knowledge as a part of Organizations DNA. EKM emphasizes shared interests and work across the locations and time zones.

NEED FOR THE STUDY

Examining the process and methods used in implementing the Knowledge Management. Importance of Employee Knowledge Management in Organizational effectiveness. To perceive EKMs importance as emerging concept in the Organizational Development.

COMPANY PROFILE

HISTORY AND PROFILE OF TECUMSEH PRODUCTS COMPANY Tecumseh Products Company started in 1930 when Ray. W. Herrick opened the Hillsdale machine and Tools Company of Hillsdale, Michigan a former employee of Ford Motors Company, Ray Herrick initially produced parts of automobiles, as well as electric refrigerator components in small town 60 miles southwest of Detroit, and Ray Herrick renamed his company after his town. In 1937, the company went public with an offering of 25000 shares. TECUMSEH means CROUCHING PANTHER derived from the chief of Shawnee tribe (1768 1813), it was not in the automobile industry bit in the burgeoning new refrigeration industry. By 1939, Tecumseh turned out 160000 compressors a year for Mechanical Refrigerators. After World War II, Tecumseh resumed manufacturing compressors, expanding its product base to include compressors for window air conditioners in 1947. In 1950, the company acquired two Wisconsin-based small engine manufacturers. Lauson engine and power products. The addition of these two companies made Tecumseh as an important presence in the expanding outdoor power equipment industry. Today, Tecumseh has over 30 principle locations producing compressors, engines and pumps worldwide; with facilities in Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, India and the US. The compressors sell in four major segments: House hold refrigerators and freezers Room air conditioners Commercial and residential unitary central air conditioning systems Commercial devices including freezers, dehumidifiers, water coolers and Welding Machines. The company sells compressors to original equipment manufacturers and cool products distributors in the United States, as well as distributors around the globe. Tecumseh

Products Company continues to invest money and resources in order to develop new and improved products. The head quarters engineering department plays an important role as the technology centre of the Tecumseh group of companies and entails various testing and the facilities for the purpose. The test facilities include Calorimeter, Locked Rotor, Application Testing and Endurance Testing. Development/Production samples, sound testing, etc. in the room of development/Production samples, they work on samples of new compressors not yet released for production, such as scroll and advanced reciprocating design.

TOUCHING THE LIVES OF MILLIONS FOR MORE THAN 75 YEARS. Demonstrated performance. Tecumseh Products Company is renowned for bringing an extra dimension of product innovation, customer reliance, and product quality to the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. As a result of our innovative spirit and product performance, people rely on our products every day. We literally touch the lives of millions. Early beginnings. We developed the first hermetic compressor for consumer refrigerators in 1937. As the name Tecumseh became synonymous with commercial refrigeration and central home air conditioning, we expanded our product line to include automotive air conditioning compressors in 1953. Our reputation for innovation was further enhanced in 1959 when we developed the first high-speed hermetically-sealed compressor for commercial applications. A Focused Company. Although our product manufacturing focus remains constant, Tecumseh has substantially invested in research and development engineering laboratories in North America, Europe, South American and India. We've also partnered with R&D facilities at universities throughout the globe. These facilities are not just responsible for engineering product solutions, but our university partners also provide Life Science Research on how our products interface with mankind and the environment. Tecumseh innovation. Today, we engineer a full-line of hermetically-sealed compressors for residential and specialty air conditioning, home refrigerators and freezers, and commercial refrigeration. But our expertise doesnt stop there; we also offer a complete line
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of indoor and outdoor condensing units, evaporator coils, heat pumps, complete refrigeration systems and authorized spare parts. Global products. Our products can be quickly accessed from manufacturing facilities on four continents when needed on a worldwide basis. We can provide coordination among our global facilities and your plant locations anywhere, so product selection, specifications and delivery of product are assured. Unwavering commitment. Tecumseh has responded to the challenges of the refrigeration and air conditioning marketplace for over seven decades, leading the way with improved products and service in support of the industry we serve. A company-wide dedication to quality control has already earned Tecumseh the highest quality rating from major refrigeration and air conditioning manufacturers. And the people we employ are honored to touch so many lives, in so many countries, every day.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR EMPLOYEE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STUDY

Organization : TECUMSEH PRODUCTS INDIA PVT. LTD,
BALANAGAR TOWNSHIP, HYDERABAD- 500037. (A.P) INDIA.

Employee Description Name Age Department Designation : : : :

1. How many employees are employed in your Organization? A) 1 to 50 C) 100 to 150 2. How many Sub-Ordinates do you have? A) 1 to 5 C) Above 10 B) 5 to 10 D) None B) 50 to 100 D) Above 500

3. Do you have an overview of the system/ procedure available within your department? A) Yes, I have good general overview. B) Yes, I have overview in my field of activity. C) No, I still need to get good view. 4. Please indicate which kind of knowledge you acquired, you are actually using? A) Knowledge gained from professional experience B) Basic knowledge (Studies) C) Privately acquired knowledge D) Special Corporate In-house Knowledge 5. How do you start to solve a problem?
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A) I try to approach the task by inquiring others. B) I delegate the task to others. C) I establish a team. D) I use the know-how of previous projects.

6. What external source you prefer to obtain information? A) Internet C) Reading books/ Library B) Research Institutes D) Professional Literature

7. What is the tool to gauge the knowledge of an employee? A) Performance of tasks B) Age\ Experience of an employee C) Perception \ Behavior towards organization D) Awards \ Rewards received

8. Do you feel that the organization is best using the knowledge you possess ? A) To an extent C) Rarely B) Absolutely D) Not at all

9. How does mutual exchange of information/ knowledge shared between the experienced personnel and freshers ?

A) No regular exchange

B) Mixed project teams

C) Training programs before the experienced personnel leave the organization

10. What kind of Career Development activities that are taken up for employees? A) Special training programs C) Seminars/ Workshops B) Sponsoring further studies D) other activities

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11. Do you feel Quality of Work-Life in your Organization is observed by you ? A) Absolutely C) Better B) Good D) Not good

12. What are the Parameters in selection for testing the knowledge of an employee? A) Qualification of the candidate C) Additional qualifications B) Experience D) other requirements

13. What kind of Employee Retention techniques followed to retain an employee? A) Appraisals C) Gifts B) Awards D) Promotions

14. Please mention the overall satisfaction levels working in this Organization. A) Fully Satisfactory C) Unsatisfactory B) Satisfactory D) Cant say

15. What kind of Training & Development activities are taken up to enhance employee Knowledge in your department ? Ans)

16. What strategies do you suggest to improve the knowledge culture in the organization? Ans)

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