A Study on Knowledge Management Practices of Auto Component Manufacturing Companies in Ludhiana City

Knowledge Management (KM) is looked upon as the most planned and valuable resource for organizations determined to compete in the knowledge economy. Management scholars consider KM practices as an important area of sustainable competitiveness. The key focus of the information systems has also changed from the management of information to that of knowledge. During the last decade India has emerged as one of the largest markets for automobiles and an important base for global suppliers of auto components. The rapid transformation of the Indian automobile industry with a number of new entrants and joint ventures have changed the structure of auto components industry. It has also put enormous pressure on the areas of quality and cost effectiveness. Punjab has been identified as a hub for promoting auto components industry in India. The main objective of the paper is to study and analyze the KM practices in selected auto component industries in Ludhiana. To carry out the research both primary and secondary data have been used. A structured questionnaire was administered to find out present status, problems and other issues involved in KM. The research indicated that although the companies acknowledge the benefits of KM, there still exist barriers in knowledge sharing