A knowledge structure to support manufacturing tacit knowledge management: a chemical company case study

Abstract

Knowledge Management is a research area widely explored, researches have been leaded in diverse fields, and the Manufacture is no exception, it has emerged as one of the branches of Knowledge Management research. From the manufacture branch has been identified and defined a knowledge super class, the Manufacturing Knowledge, which has been explored by various authors proposing models, and developing systems to manage the knowledge related to the manufacturing industries of a wide range of products like metal-mechanic, pharmaceutical, electronic, automotive, chemical and petro-chemical. The present thesis work explores a Case Study developed in a Chemical Facility located in Monterrey urban area, this facility is dedicated to the manufacturing of synthetic yarns for the textile industry. The facility object of study, is facing a problem traduced in the loss of knowledge from its employees, which is not structured and not captured, it means that exists in an intangible tacit way, this loss is either caused by the employees turnover as well as employees retirement. The problem has turned into an opportunity, since the management is interested in the development of a proposal of a tool that manages and captures the tacit knowledge related to the manufacturing activities, and that resides within employees in the form of Learning, Experiences and Skills developed. Based on previous researches, and in complementary literature in this thesis work is presented a proposal of a Manufacturing Tacit Knowledge Model and a Knowledge Repository, which defines knowledge classes that can be easily identified by the users. The defined classes are based on common terminology of the different areas from a facility that are involved in the manufacturing process. The final product of this thesis work, the named IK Textiles Knowledge is intended to be a tool that can capture the knowledge from the employees, also be the source for knowledge searches when required by employees to improve decision making and prevent potential events; and also provide privileges to the employees to modify and challenge the knowledge that is stored in the repository.