Knowledge Management at Whirlpool

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Whirlpool's Knowledge Management System To embed innovation in everyone and everywhere, Whirlpool required a KMS that would democratize knowledge and information and allow people to learn about innovation. For this purpose, Whirlpool decided to build a comprehensive internal KMS that would provide the company with a platform to store and share ideas as well as help change the culture to one that was inclusive about its knowledge. The focus was to create a KMS that would facilitate learning and sharing knowledge and information about innovation within the organization. The company felt that a knowledge-driven environment would offer a unique competitive advantage and innovation opportunities...

As part of its KMS, Whirlpool adapted a tracking system called the Innovation Pipeline (I-Pipe) from Strategos and placed it on the company's intranet with a little modification. The I-Pipe was a dashboard view of the innovation pipeline at Whirlpool which tracked ideas from concept to scale-up. Initially, the I-Pipe was used by innovation teams. Later, the system was opened to every employee within the company who could access it through the employee intranet portal. Through the I-Pipe, employees could view ideas or any single innovation by product category or region, contribute to them, or add to an existing idea. The goal of the I-Pipe was to convert screened ideas into innovative products and services...

Whirlpool realized that it needed to create a technical platform to engage the entire Whirlpool population in the innovation embedment effort. The company wanted to set up an efficient IT infrastructure where employees could provide suggestions and ideas, obtain feedback, and volunteer for innovation projects. The result was Innovation E-space, an intranet-based KM website that allowed all employees to keep track of innovation activities at the company. Innovation E-Space was open to anyone at Whirlpool who had access to the intranet. According to the company, Innovation E-Space was a self-help and exploration system to help innovators get started and gain in-depth knowledge about the customer...

The KMS at Whirlpool contributed to innovation embedment and competency development. According to industry experts, Whirlpool had differentiated itself in innovation by creating a sustainable innovation model and by embedding it across the organization. The outcome of the KMS was a stream of breakthrough ideas for products which came from all over the Whirlpool organization and delivered value to consumers. In a stagnating industry where many of Whirlpool's rivals were struggling to survive, Whirlpool’s overall revenues and profits were growing at a steady rate. Based on innovation in both products and processes, Whirlpool became a market leader in the global appliances industry, said experts...

Over the years, Whirlpool had become a model for the embedment of innovation as a core competence across the entire organization. As of 2011, Whirlpool's branded consumer product businesses represented approximately 22% of the company's annual revenues. Full-year 2011 sales reached US$18.7 billion. "As we enter 2012, we are executing strong actions to continue to improve operating margins through our cost and capacity reduction initiatives, ongoing productivity programs, and previously announced price increases...

Exhibit I: Whirlpool's Strategic Architecture
Exhibit II: Organizational Chart for Innovation-Related Roles
Exhibit III: Whirlpool -Double Diamond Innovation Process
Exhibit IV: Embedded Innovation S - Curve
Exhibit V: The Whirlpool I-Pipe
Exhibit VI: Innovation E-Space Home Page
Exhibit VII: Whirlpool - Income Statement (2011-2008)

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