Case Studies in Knowledge Management

Infosys Technologies, Limited 295

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GDM envisioned Infosys as a virtual corporation. Marketing teams at the PDCs
would pitch in for the projects. Once a project was won, a team of experts would travel
to the client’s site to assess project requirements. On return, they would quickly assemble
a virtual team from multiple GDCs that would execute the project, all this while a small team
would stay on-site to update the virtual team on matters related to the project. On
completion of the project, the virtual team would be disbanded and redeployed on
another project, while a team from the PDC would travel to the client’s site to take care
of the installation, testing, and training issues. Exhibit 9 illustrates the distribution of
project management activities between the client site and the GDCs. Capabilities
developed to facilitate the GDM included:

• a highly flexible infrastructure to avoid resource redundancy;


• reliable information connectivity to enhance seamless communication between
  various GDCs and client sites; and


• standardized processes. To ensure process quality, Infosys attained Level 5 of
  Software Engineering Institute’s Capability Maturity Model (SEI CMM).

GDM accrued many advantages to Infosys:

• Scalability was a natural outcome. Software engineers at all locations had access
  to organizational resources, a fact that helped them respond swiftly to clients’
  changing requirements.


• Cost of ownership was drastically reduced for the client as well as for Infosys.


• Derisking of the project was assured, as critical services were available 24/7. GDM
  enabled a highly networked environment where one project location could act as
  a complete backup for another to ensure recoverability.


• Time to market was radically reduced. GDM offered extended workdays across
  multiple time zones all over the world. Also, projects were divided into modules that
  could be completed independently and simultaneously at multiple GDCs.

SETTING THE STAGE

The Need to Improve the Knowledge Flows

In 1992, a number of multinationals, such as IBM Global Services, Accenture, and
EDS, entered India to demand their share of the software outsourcing market. Infosys was
faced with a challenge to retain its personnel and the market share. Murthy and other
cofounders realized that success would rely on two pillars: developing intellectual
resources and constantly innovating the core processes. Time proved them right on both
accounts.

Developing Intellectual Resources
A crisp human resource strategy was designed, which initiated the following
changes:

• Formalizing recruiting, training, and retaining processes: Murthy mentioned,
  “The biggest challenge was to recruit, enable, and retain the brightest talent.”
  Stringent recruiting standards such as ‘academic excellence’ and ‘learnability’