It is a widely held belief that those who are attractive generally experience an easier life; that the door to success is opened by perfect bone structure and a sparkling white smile. However, this might not be the case. Attractiveness might play a far lesser role in individual’s achieving their objectives than has previously been thought. Is it possible that an individual’s qualifications may have a greater influence regarding the perceptions of managers who question the suitability of a candidate to fill the position of a Knowledge Worker? The main purpose of this research was not only to identify the existence of the so-called Beauty Premium in the Knowledge Economy but, to determine that if it does indeed exist, how to explore the influence of this aspect regarding the hiring decisions for which managers are responsible. A two-phased experimental design was followed that investigated the existence and strength of the Beauty Premium amongst a group of managers who were provided with fictitious resumes coupled with photographs of the applicants. These managers were requested to make a hiring decision based on the information in front of them. The results revealed the existence of a Beauty Premium but that is was relatively weak and that the qualification of an individual had a far greater influence on a manager’s perception of the suitability of a candidate to fill a position of a Knowledge Worker. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

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Knowledge economy management literature is prolific but very little of the retrieved literature relates to the application of these management philosophies within the library and information services industry. The assumptions that underlie this research are in the first instance that, if it is not reported in the literature, it is questionable whether library and information services are implementing the new management practices. Secondly, a perception exists that knowledge economy management philosophies are only truly applicable when managing knowledge workers. Although the traditional 'administrative' or back office library environment is not seen as a knowledge worker domain, for the purpose of this study it was presumed that the advantages of these knowledge economy management philosophies are such that they should also be applicable within the back office environment. The purpose of the study was therefore to test the applicability of knowledge era management practice within an environment not associated with typical knowledge workers. Intellectual capital management was chosen as the core management philosophy to apply but the knowledge management as well as learning organization philosophies were also briefly reviewed. To measure success, a variety of measuring methodologies were investigated. Within the context of the research the most suitable methodology was identified as a hybrid version of Kaplan and Norton's balanced scorecard, based on the philosophy of the intangible asset monitor and including aspects of the value chain scoreboard. An opinion was expressed that the monitoring of intellectual capital growth needs to take place at both the individual and the organizational level if monitoring is to be of real objective value. Implementation of the management practice (intellectual capital management) occurred in two phases and stretched over a period close on 18 months. A situation analysis was done at the start of the research period. Kaplan and Norton's adapted scorecard framework was then utilized to set objectives for each of the two implementation phases. An adapted version of Sveiby's Affärsvärlden model was utilized to identify specific implementation actions and initiatives to be taken. All activities were structured into human, structural, customer and financial capital related issues. This was done to ensure that all capitals were addressed and to be able to measure growth in all of these areas. Measurement results were reported in an intellectual capital report, which was prepared at the end of the study period. The report identified both strengths and weaknesses in the intellectual capital of the service section. From the weaknesses, a number of priority actions were identified while the strengths provided a good lead as to what could be considered the good practice that should be continued. Stakeholders were asked to make use of a list of priority actions and to assist in identifying only those items that should be addressed after the completion of the research. The last chapter of this report was used to: · report and reflect on the results achieved; · identify the lessons learnt in the process of implementing intellectual capital management; · to make recommendations for the service unit; and · to provide recommendations for further study. In brief it is possible to say that intellectual capital management has been an appropriate management philosophy to use within the chosen service environment. It was therefore seen as appropriate to recommend that the principles and practices of intellectual capital management be rolled out to the rest of the service unit. / Dissertation (DPhil (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Information Science / unrestricted

At present there are concerns that new housing in the UK under-performs in terms of energy-efficiency. In research studies where the thermal performance of the building fabric has been measured, post-construction, significant gaps between design predictions and the as-built performance of new housing have been found. This thesis is concerned with how thermography may be used to assess the thermal performance of new housing during the construction process. The practical utility of this testing approach, which has not been investigated in-depth by previous research, is to identify performance issues at a stage when undertaking remedial work is less costly and disruptive. Moreover, by identifying issues that could reduce the energy-efficiency of the building fabric, these tests could help address the observed "performance gap". An approach for using thermography at different stages of construction has been developed through practical case studies and experimental work. The complementary use of heat transfer modelling and thermography is also explored. Finally, through interviews with industry professionals, the context of implementing tests within UK housing development practices is examined. The results of applying the testing approach demonstrate that beneficial feedback can be obtained without significant interruption to construction activities. However, test procedures need to be modified according to the stage and method of construction. It is proposed that heat transfer modelling can inform the interpretation of test results and analysis of defect severity. For the testing approach to be implemented more widely, there would need to be further development and trials on different types of construction and the oversight of an independent body to establish its credibility. In conclusion, thermography has the potential alongside other testing and inspection practices to help improve standards of site construction. However, there are limitations to its use which need to be considered if such tests are to be implemented effectively.

The development of the next generation of researchers is a priority if South Africa is to make a significant contribution to the international knowledge economy and establish itself as a force to be reckoned with in international research circles. In the context of this knowledge economy, researchers are increasingly being recognised as agents of economic growth. In order to be competitive, therefore, an extensive pool of active researchers needs to be cultivated. One way of doing this is to promote and develop doctoral capacity at the country’s universities. This entails, among other things, a move away from the traditional focus on what the supervisor does, to a more student-centred understanding of how the doctoral candidate experiences the process, and by implication, how this impacts on their research contribution. In this qualitative study, thirty doctoral candidates from the Faculties of Science and Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, were interviewed in order to establish firstly, how they had experienced their supervision at this level, and secondly, whether or not these experiences had influenced the successful completion of their doctorates. One of the principal findings of the research was that the role of the supervisor was not central to the achievement of their degree; rather, many of the doctoral candidates asserted a significant level of agency in both identifying and making contact with experts beyond their university-appointed supervisors in order to supplement their access to relevant knowledge. In the majority of cases, this was encouraged by the supervisors. Such enterprises represent a marked departure from the traditional models of supervision in the Science and Humanities faculties. In the case of the former, the customary co-supervision arrangement is increasingly being augmented by student-initiated collaboration with authorities located outside the formal boundaries of the institution. The traditional Humanities model of supervision is also transforming from a one-on-one relationship to a style characterised by multiple supervisors, each from separate but cognate disciplines. The research suggested that these emergent models are eclipsing their predecessors as doctoral candidates increasingly recognise the value of extending the breadth of their disciplinary exposure beyond the confines of the university.

Magister Library and Information Studies - MLIS / This study investigated knowledge sharing (KS) practices at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) in Zimbabwe. The study assessed the knowledge sharing practices in the ZOU regional campus faculty departments and identified gaps, with the aim to find out how knowledge is being managed, shared in an Open and distance learning institution and if knowledge management (KM) is playing a role. The quantitative study was undertaken at the 10 regional campuses of the Zimbabwe Open University. A questionnaire survey was carried out to collect data from a sample of 100 academic staff in the 10 Regional Centres. The underlying question was whether the university academic members were aware of the knowledge that exists, how this knowledge is created and, shared and flows in the organization. The study also sought to establish the views of academic staff, on the benefits that can be reaped from KM practices. The study confirmed that there is willingness to engage in knowledge sharing activities. However, the lack of a clear knowledge policy negatively impacts on the university’s ability to competitively position itself in the knowledge economy as a knowledge driven university and this impacts research productivity and distance learning course delivery at the ZOU. One of the key recommendations emanating from this research is that the university should have a Knowledge policy aligned to its strategic plan which will act as a guideline on the sharing of knowledge internally and externally as well as make it mandatory for academic staff to publish internally as well as to store their publications in the university repository.

The main aim of the diploma thesis is to analyse corporate culture in selected companies and to propose changes that will help them to reach desirable cultural dimensions of the knowledge economy. The thesis consists of two main parts. The first one is devoted to the theoretical background and the second one to the practical part. The content of the first part is literary research, which consists of basic knowledge about company culture and related subjects. The second part is dedicated to an analysis of company cultures in selected companies. The data for this research was obtained by the VSM 94 & 2013, TBSD test, observation and unstructured interviews with the employees, which were used to help us fully understand this problematic. Results of each method in cultural dimensions were compared and final results determined in which cultural dimensions they have problematic areas. At the end of the thesis, proposals that will lead the companies towards desirable knowledge economy were made.

The notion of Queensland as a ‘Smart State’ is the Queensland Beattie Government’s response to global conditions that require a new type of worker and citizen for a new knowledge economy. The role of education in the success of the ‘Smart State’ is clearly outlined in the Queensland Government’s vision statements and policies, identifying teachers as a key factor in the production of this new type of worker and citizen. In this study I explore the relationship between Queensland’s Smart State policy and the daily practices of teachers as they are implicated in the building of a ‘Smart State’. The study takes place during what is unquestionably the largest and most comprehensive reform effort to be imposed on Queensland schools and teachers, under the auspices of a ‘Smart State’. The research includes policy analysis of two key Smart State documents, and fieldwork involving semi-structured interviews, observations and artefact collection of the work of two primary school teachers. Using Fairclough’s theories regarding the relationship between discourse and social change, it is possible to show how changes occurring in contemporary organisations are related to changes in discourse, in particular, those surrounding the discourses of a ‘knowledge economy’ or ‘globalisation’. The ‘Smart State’ is conceptualised in this study as regimes of discourses that may produce new practices and new ways of acting and being (Fairclough, 2001a). The interdiscursive, linguistic and semiotic strategies used in Smart State policy are analysed to show how this discourse is emerging into a hegemonic position, while identifying the dominant discourses reiterated in the policy as necessary skills for a new type of worker. These discourses are mapped onto those identified through the fieldwork of teachers’ daily work practices to determine if Smart State discourses are becoming apparent in teachers’ work. This study is significant because it makes visible the current relationship between the discourses of the ‘Smart State’ and teachers’ daily work. In this current climate of rapid change and economic survival it is important that the operationalization of a ‘Smart State’ can be attributed to teachers’ work as new ways of acting and interacting become a part of their daily practices.

The study investigates knowledge management (KM) practices in the public sector in Botswana. The underlying premise is that good KM leads to efficiency and effectiveness. The study assesses the KM practices in the government departments by means of a questionnaire survey of senior managers. The assumption is that the corporate manager/directors will know what knowledge is there, how knowledge is created, shared and flow in the organization. The main question of this study is whether the Botswana public sector is practicing KM. The study explores the problem and questions by means of a questionnaire survey amongst 43 departmental directors of the Government of Botswana. The overall finding is that information management rather than KM is being practiced. The respondents, senior public service managers, certainly recognize the value of and the need for KM. But, they themselves identify certain weaknesses, such as lack of knowledge of KM among their staff, weak communication inside and across the departments, lack of policy and lack of good KM systems.

<p>The study investigates knowledge management (KM) practices in the public sector in Botswana. The underlying premise is that good KM leads to efficiency and effectiveness. The study assesses the KM practices in the government departments by means of a questionnaire survey of senior managers. The assumption is that the corporate manager/directors will know what knowledge is there, how knowledge is created, shared and flow in the organization. The main question of this study is whether the Botswana public sector is practicing KM. Related questions are:&nbsp / What are the views of public service managers/ directors on the benefits that can be reaped from KM practices?&nbsp / What evidence is there that the public service has a culture of sharing information and knowledge? And how are staff members encouraged to internalize and use new knowledge? How are creativity and new ideas encouraged?&nbsp / Are there appropriate technological resources to facilitate effective KM, for example central knowledge repositories and social networking?The study explores the problem and questions by means of a questionnaire survey amongst 43 departmental directors of the Government of Botswana. The overall finding is that information management rather than KM is being practiced. The respondents, senior public service managers, certainly recognize the value of and the need for KM. But, they themselves identify certain weaknesses, such as lack of knowledge of KM among their staff, weak communication inside and across the departments, lack of policy and lack of good KM systems.<br /> .</p>