INFORUM 2006 - 12. Annual Conference On Professional Information Resources

Selected Problems of Information and Knowledge Management in Large Metallurgical Corporation

Author: Miluše Fukalová,  Mittal Steel Ostrava a.s., Czech Republic

Fulltexts

Abstract

Character of information and knowledge generated and used in metallurgical corporation is very large. The necessity of permanent improvement of intra-corporate processes requires transfer of knowledge, monitoring of innovations and developments of scientific progress. Many tools are available for gathering, sorting and searching of this information. Sharing of this information is of utmost importance and necessitates utilisation of appropriate information technologies. Corporate information portal can serve as an example of efficient information system determined for sharing of internal and external information. One of its integral parts is external information provided by the corporate information centre (presented on the example of experience of the Mittal Steel Ostrava a.s. Technical Library – provided services, users, TOP management requirements, profile of the library employees). Present situation is characterised by globalisation of companies, grouping of business and non-profit subjects into branch clusters, emergence of various technological centres. Between individual subjects in these groupings there should also function a "supra-corporate" efficient system of knowledge and information management. One example is the Knowledge Management Program realised by the Mittal Steel Company. Main idea of this program consists not only in gathering of information but also in its mutual exchange and implementation.

About the author

In 1987 she graduated cum laude at the Technical University of Mining and Metallurgy in Ostrava and immediately started to attend there a one-year research fellowship. Since 1988 she worked as information specialist in departmental information centre for metallurgical industry at Nova hut a.s. Ostrava. In her position she ensured among others abstracting of information sources dealing with metal forming. Since 2000 till present she is employed at the Mittal Steel Ostrava a.s. as Head of Department Technical and Economic Information and Manager of the Company Technical Library. She also participates as co-investigator in the project of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MSMT) entitled "Integrated information and library system for development of metallurgical industry". Since 2004 she is member of the Council of the program "Information Society".