Which phase in KCS focuses on leveraging established practices?

The phase that focuses on leveraging established practices in KCS is correctly identified as Leveraging. In this phase, the emphasis is on actively utilizing and applying the knowledge that has been created and captured during the previous stages, which includes identifying best practices, processes, and information that can be tapped into for ongoing improvement.

Leveraging signifies making the most of the existing resources and knowledge to enhance service delivery and efficiency within an organization. It encourages teams to not only utilize the information that has been previously documented but also to integrate these practices into day-to-day operations to drive continuous improvement.

This stage is critical because it ensures that the knowledge is not static but is instead actively used in decision-making, support processes, and innovation. This way, organizations can benefit fully from their knowledge management efforts, potentially leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and operational effectiveness.

The other options, while related to KCS, don't specifically capture this focus. The Planning and Design phase is more about setting up the framework and understanding the goals of the KCS practices. The Adopting phase is centered on implementing the practices and ensuring that the team is on board with the changes. The Maximizing phase typically addresses how to increase the depth and breadth of knowledge use and further embed KCS into