While we talked about KM being lambasted for not producing results in class, CRM, a component of KM, is also being derailed for producing less than stellar results. Garner Research shows that 85% of companies that buy CRM software, buy the wrong software because they have not clearly defined their business objectives. Sound familiar? An interesting paper by Mercer Management Consulting entitled "Making CRM make money: Technology alone won't create value" addresses concerns surrounding CRM. Link is: http://www.mercermc.com/Perspectives/WhitePapers/Commentaries/Comm01CRM.pdf
The following paragraph from the report mirrors what we've discussed in class in terms of KM not being a technology solution:
"Viewing CRM as a technological "silver bullet" causes companies to ignore or rush past critical business issues that must be addressed first. They fail to develop a comprehensive strategy. They cut corners on the cross-functional planning needed to prepare organizations to deploy new CRM capabilities and underestimate the organization change required to leverage technology. Finally they neglect to build a business case for CRM, embarking on major investments without knowing how the technology supports their business design or estimating the magnitude of expected benefits."
This reminds me of Michael Porter's March 2001 Strategy and the Internet article in Harvard Business Review; in that article he admonishes managers to "distinguish themselves through strategy" and urges a "return to fundamentals". While I don't agree with everything in the article, this point is well received.
10:24:52 AM 
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