MindTree: A Community of Communities

Abstract

MindTree is a mid-sized Indian IT services company known for its knowledge management practices, its collaborative communities, and its strong culture and values. The CEO has set a goal of becoming a $1 billion company by 2014; to reach that goal, employees must create several new businesses. The head of knowledge management must decide how his function should change in order to become more supportive of innovation and new business development.

Learning Objective: The aim of this case is to introduce students to a set of highly effective knowledge management practices, built around communities of practice, and to show how they have been created and implemented. The case also shows students the power of organizational culture and values, and how leadership activities and HR policies can support a culture of collaboration, openness, and employee development and learning.