Refer to Modes of Knowledge Conversion ( Nonaka’s SECI modes of K conversion)*

To apply knowledge management system like in the model  above, three individuals with different skills and backgrounds in food and beverage operations in a hotel have been taken as an example. These three individuals consist of a bartender, a table setter and a fruit carver. The model system started at tacit individual towards other areas in the models.

1. Tacit / Individual

a. Table setter:

•         As a skilled table setter, I have the knowledge that may not be similar like everyone else in the service industry.

•         I know how to set a table for wedding table, fine dining table, and coffee house table and so on.

•         Besides, through the experience that I have gained from several table setting competitions, I can be able to share my knowledge with other people.

•         To document every knowledge and skills that I have in table setting, someone may have to interview me (i.e. student) and asking me to show how to setup a table for certain function or event. While interviewing, he may be using the videotaping technique to record every steps involved in setting the table.

•         Next, a digital camera also can be used to snap the pictures for each step to make it in a form of a book guideline.

•         By using the digital camera, a computer is also needed to edit the picture using several applications software like Adobe Photoshop etc. before the document can be printed out.

b. Fruit carver

•         As a skilled fruit carver, I have the knowledge that may be different with the bartender and the table setter or everyone else in the service industry.

•         I know how to carve fruit and vegetable such as carrot, water melon, papaya, horseradish, onion, cucumber, egg plant, red chili and cucumber to turn them in a very beautiful flower and other motives as well.

•         Besides, through the experiences that I have gained from several ‘Salon Culinaire’ and Battle of Chef competitions, I am able to share my knowledge, skill and technique of carving with other chef from different hotel, country and style of carving.

•         To document every knowledge and skills that I have in fruit and vegetable carving, someone may have to interview me (i.e. student) and asking me to show how to carve different kind of fruit and vegetable with different technique and style. While interviewing, he may be using the videotaping technique to record every steps involved in fruit and vegetable carving.

•         Lastly, a digital camera also can be used to snap the picture and edited to make in the form of book guideline or slide presentation.

c. Bartender

•         From the past experiences, I have learned lots of skills and can produce many types of beverages from cocktails, mocktails to juices that can be served to the customers.

2. Explicit / Individual

a. Table setter

•         After the documentation is finished, the knowledge will then be shared with other people either within the industry or to the public.

•         For example, in a university, several lecturers may be needed to come out with a book on “the proper way to setup a table on various events” (such as royal wedding, buffet table, fine dining, garden wedding etc.)

•         Through this book, several lecturers and Food and Beverage Managers may be called to brainstorm on how to come out with a systematic and standardize guideline on proper techniques to setup a table. 

•         Due to the time constraint, the virtual meeting room can be used to gather all the expertise to discuss at the same time but at different places.

•         Thus, for lecturers involved, they can use the groupware to discuss and share knowledge with each other that beyond their expertise.

•         Email, voice messaging, IP Call, Web cam and so on can also be used to discuss between individuals involved.

b. Fruit Carver

•         After the documentation is finished, the knowledge and idea will then be shared with other people such as with other lecturers, housewives, students, among hoteliers, food caterers and those who are interested, since it can be apply for decorating dining tables with the fruits and vegetables carving in any special event. E.g. wedding ceremony and corporate function.

•         Through this book and edited VCD and tape, other masters in fruit carving may be called to brainstorm on how to come out with a systematic and standardize guideline on proper techniques to carve the fruit and vegetable as well as utilize it. 

c. Bartender

•         From the skills and knowledge that I have, it can then be transferred to other individuals by providing them with written standard recipes for each type of the beverages. This is done by writing it on a piece of paper or video shooting it to keep it as a record.

•         Besides that, the interview session using web conference and virtual meeting with other persons that are interested with my skills and knowledge allowed the Q & A session for further details to be discussed. I will also publish it personally through my own website, so that people who browse my website will know about it.

3. Explicit / Group

•         Once the guideline book is completed and published, it can be used by other people. For examples, students, hospitality workers and even housewives.

•         To make it possible for everybody to get access on it, let say that there is a big event that requires several hotels to prepare the foods and serve it as well to each participant. Thus, the participants may consist of several VVIPs and VIPs like, the royal peoples, prime ministers from various countries, and managers of the big companies and so on.

•         With this, the hotels need to setup several dining hall with a proper table setting.

•         All the Food and Beverage Managers from those hotels were called for meeting and to decide which table setting is going to be used and so on.

•         These hotel managers may discuss among them for brainstorming through the use of multimedia meeting room where everyone can get access to everybody at different location. Their discussion will then be guided by using the book that has been published by several expertises as stated before.

•         The reference from the authors of the book (expertise involved in producing the book) is also needed. This expertise may be involved in the discussion through the virtual meeting room, email, videoconferencing, web cam and so on.

•         This process will also be applied to other areas like fruit carvings and bartender as well.

4. Tacit / Group

•         For each food and beverage Managers, lecturers, caterers and even students, everyone may have different skills and knowledge regarding the food and beverage operations especially with table setting area, bar tender and fruit carver.

•         In tacit group, for example Mr. Ahmad as a food and beverage lecturer may not have an expertise on setting the royal wedding table, so he may seek for help from me, his colleagues and hoteliers.

•         The help may take place in terms of sms, IP call, phone conversation, email and so on to ask others opinion on the royal wedding table setting.

•         In this tacit/group area, everyone can seek help from individual expertise using various IT facilities.