S/M/126. LASCAD - comments on the sources of failure from the knowledge management perspective

This paper is about the definition of Knowledge Management (KM) by Malhorta as well as the other definitions by various writers, researchers and practitioners and attempts to show that KM is the key to survival amidst the harsh conditions of the business world, more so if it is service oriented. After taking into consideration the London Ambulance Service Computer-Aided Despatch (LASCAD) case, the writer deduces that due to the lack of KM, the implementation of the project failed disastrously. Key areas of failure were in the way the project was implemented without considering the limitations of time, workforce, IT infrastructure and organisational processes. The latter three are the overlapping factors in KM which is essential in making KM work for any business. Even though London Ambulance Service (LAS) may not be a business of the typical nature, however they are in the business of saving lives.