This research report captures a detailed exposition of an investigation on Knowledge Management (KM) practices in public and private sector entities in three industries (health, education and business loans) of Limpopo province – a proxy of the rural areas of South Africa. The investigation was necessitated by a need to understand KM in organisational context experiencing constraints in terms of resources that enable KM. It was found through an intensive literature review that there were very few empirical studies on KM practices of organisations operating in the rural areas, particularly in Africa. The theoretical framework of the study emanates from the knowledge-based view which has been popularised by the seminal work of Peter Drucker and Nonaka in the early half of the 90s. The knowledge-based view as presented in chapter 2 recognises the strategic role of knowledge in organisations. Its genesis is traced from the theories of classical scholars such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Various empirical studies of entities which have adopted the knowledge-based view are presented in chapter 2 of this report. The researcher observes from an intensive KM literature study that the average modern organisation could be categorised as knowledge-intensive considering that knowledge workers constitute the majority of its workforce. The definitions of a knowledge-based organisation and knowledge workers are presented in the operational definitions of key concepts. Arising from the identified gaps in KM literature as presented towards the end of chapter 2, this study was conducted as a comparative study between public and private sector entities in three research industries focusing on their extent of ICT application and degree of knowledge-oriented social factors for information and knowledge sharing. The investigation was guided by three research objectives as discussed in chapter 1 of this research report. The main purpose of the study was to answer two fundamental research questions as reflected in chapter 1. In answering the two research questions, the researcher identified four research hypotheses in line with the findings established from KM literature. These hypotheses are discussed in chapter 2 of this report.The underlying hypothesised statement guiding the study was to determine whether there were any significant differences in KM implementation between public and private sector entities in the three research industries in terms of four research constructs. These are: application of ICTs for knowledge and information sharing, degree of achievement of knowledge-based outcomes, tacit knowledge acquisition and the degree of knowledge-oriented social factors. Organisational culture, organisational structures, human resource practices and leadership comprised the social factors tested in the study. The research data were collected through a mixed research design approach combining the advantages of a survey instrument and interviews (this is fully reflected in chapter 3 of this research report). The research results (as presented in chapter 4) pointed to some form of significant differences in KM implementation between public and private sector entities in the education and business loans industry, but there were no significant differences in KM implementation between public and private sector entities in the health industry. Arising from the findings of the study, a model for improved KM implementation is presented in chapter 4 (figure 4.16). It was found during the investigation that all the research entities approached KM implicitly through KM related practices. KM related practices were found to be far more entrenched in the health industry (both public and private sector entities), the private sector entities in the education and business loans industries than was the case with the public sector entities in the education and business loans industries. In the entities where KM related practices were found to be entrenched, there were concerted efforts towards improved organisational processes. The study has managed to unravel the importance of KM related practices in laying the foundation for a formalised KM approach. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D.B.L.

Submitted by Rafael Santana (rafael.silvasantana@ufpe.br) on 2017-04-10T18:45:23Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) CARLO BENITO Dissertação.pdf: 1352708 bytes, checksum: 72e2db16b5803eaabeed49288dacbfdb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-10T18:45:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) CARLO BENITO Dissertação.pdf: 1352708 bytes, checksum: 72e2db16b5803eaabeed49288dacbfdb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-04 / CAPES / O presente estudo tem como objetivo demonstrar o poder dos trabalhadores do conhecimento e a sua capacidade de reconstruir o movimento sindical tal como em sua origem, ou seja, verdadeiramente emancipatório e contra-hegemônico. As lutas coletivas nos últimos séculos tornaram-se meramente reivindicativas, especialmente com o advento do estado do bem-estar social. A revolução informacional subverteu o paradigma capitalista fordista, e nesse cenário surgiram novos atores que protagonizam o jogo de forças entre o capital e o trabalho. A luta de classes baseada no sindicalismo de caráter obreirista não responde mais aos anseios dos trabalhadores da sociedade pós-fordista, que deverá se adaptar ao novo contexto social para reestabelecer a sua força. Para tanto, o movimento sindical deve agregar não só os trabalhadores do conhecimento, como também o proletariado, os desempregados, não empregáveis atingidos pelo desemprego estrutural, autônomos, bem como os sem teto e os sem terra, enfim, toda a classe-que-vive-do-trabalho.Demonstra também, a partir das evidências empíricas e analíticas produzidas pela Teoria Social Crítica, o impacto do desenvolvimento tecnológico nas relações individuais e coletivas de trabalho, e a ascensão do trabalho imaterial, a condição de mola propulsora da sociedade contemporânea. Para se afastar das ambivalências contidas nas propostas da doutrina clássica, aponta para o resgate do movimento sindical libertário, emancipatório e contra-hegemônico em escala supranacional, o que deve ser potencializado pelo uso das novas tecnologias da informação e comunicação. / The present study aims to demonstrate the explosive power of knowledge workers and their ability to rebuild the labor movement as in its origin, ie, truly emancipatory and counter hegemonic. The collective struggles in recent centuries have become merely protest, especially with the advent of the welfare state. Thus capitalism tamed the rights of social movements ensuring minimum. The information revolution overthrew the capitalist fordist paradigm, and new actors have emerged in this scenario who play the game of power between capital and labor.Class struggle unionism based on the character of workers, no longer responds to the desires of the workers of the post-fordist, which must adapt to new social context to restore his strength. Thus, the trade union movement should not only add knowledge workers, as well as the proletariat, the unemployed, unemployable affected by structural unemployment, autonomous, and the homeless and landless, finally, the whole class-that-lives-of-work.It also shows, from the evidence produced by empirical and analytical critical social theory the impact of technological development in the relations of individual and collective work, and the rise of immaterial labor springboard for the condition of contemporary society. Move away from ambiguities in the proposals of the classical doctrine, points to the rescue of the union movement liberating, emancipatory and counter-hegemonic supranational scale, which should be enhanced by use of new information technologies and communication.

Abstracts in English, Zulu and Afrikaans / The looming transition from the industrial era to the technologically driven knowledge era has implications for the practice of Knowledge Management (KM) for all organisations across various employment sectors. My awareness of the paucity of empirical accounts documenting how schools, particularly those situated in townships, apply KM exacerbated the need for a social inquiry to determine the extent to which the selected schools leverage KM in their operations. This study was conducted in three education circuits of Emalahleni, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The qualitative study to investigate KM application in township schools largely drew on the theoretical lenses of Wenger’s (1991) Communities of Practice (CoP), and Rodrigues and Pai’s (2005) Eight Dimensions of KM Enablers and Activators, supplemented by home-grown epistemologies of Ubuntu and Batho Pele Principles. Designed as a case study, the study employed semi-structured interviews to gather data. Responses were solicited from twenty participants comprising of teachers, Heads of Department (HODs), administrative clerks and principals in their varying capacities of knowledge work. Document analysis was done for purposes of triangulation. The study found that, despite a myriad of constraints, the selected schools apply KM sufficiently but not efficiently to meet their constitutional mandate of providing an educational service to learners. In two of the schools where principals practised laissez-faire and transactional leadership styles respectively, organisational cultures were characterised by one-way communication, limited knowledge sharing platforms, dissonance between subordinate staff and School Management Teams (SMTs). In the third school whose principal practised a democratic leadership style, the organisational climate was conducive for knowledge sharing and knowledge creation transactions among subordinate staff and the SMT. However, teachers of this school expressed the need to re-energise the formation of CoPs. In the midst of the cited constraints, personnel’s inclination to do their jobs and their adherence to the gazetted performance standards were found to be major propellants of KM application. The study also indicated that principals’ leadership determines the efficiency of KM application. The main recommendation thereof was that principals must begin to pay equal attention to the knowledge shared by both the subordinate staff and the SMT. / Ushintsho oluzinze kumontho wezezimboni kufikela kumnotho ozinse kwezobuqepheshe lunethmelela engagwemeki kwindlele izinkampani zikahulumeni kanye nezangasese zisebenzisa ngakhona izinhlelo zokuthulwa, zokwakhiwa kanye nokutholakala kolwazi mapheqelezi i Knowledge Management (KM). Ngemva kokuqaphela kwami ukuthi kunokwentula kolwazi olujulile ologxile kusayensi, mayelana nedlela izikole ikakhulukazi ezaseMalokishini zisebenzisa ngakhona i KM kuzinhlelo zazo zangemihla nge mihla; ngakho ke ngiye ngabona kungumqondo ophusile ukuba ngi phenye ngaloludaba. Ngiye ngagxila ukwazi kabanzi ngezikole ezintathu engizikhethile ngaphansi komnyango wezumfundo ehhovisini lasesigodini saseMalahleni esifindazweni saseMpumalanga eNingizimu Afrika. Loluphenyo oluzinze kwi qualitative method lisebenzise umbono ka Wenger (1991) owaziwa ngokuthi yi Communities of Practice (CoPs), kanye nombono ka Rodrigues and Pai (2005) obizwa nge Eight Dimensions of KM Enablers and Activators. Kanti futhi, Ubuntu ne Batho Pele, zasetshenziswa ukusekela lemibono emibili ephothulwiwe. Abasebenzi ababandakanyaka kulolu phenyo bangama shumi ambili emikhakheni ehlukahlukene ezikolweni njengo thisela nabaphathi babo, omabhalane kanye nabo thishanhloko. Ukuthola ubufakazi obungangabazeki ngiye nga qathanisa ulwazi oluphume kwimibono yabasebenzi nalena etholakale emaphepheni amumethe ulwazi mayelana nezinhlelo ze KM kuzo zontathu izikole. Ngaphandle kwezinselelo ezimbadlwana, akungabazekanga ukuba zontathu izikole zinazo izinhlelo ze KM. Futhi kuye kwabonakala ukuthi lezikole zihambisana nemiqathango yomthetho sisekelo wokuhlinzeka ngemfundo. Esikolweni sokuqala uthishanhloko wakhona utholakale esebenzisa ubuholi be-Leissez-faire. Kanti esikolweni sesibili uthishanhloko wakhona utholakale esebenzisa ubuholi be transactional. Kuzo zombili lezikole kusobala ukuthi kunezinselela ezinemithelela engamihle kahle ekwabiweni kolwazi kanye nase kusungulweni kwama qembu wokwakha ulwazi phakathi kwabasebenzi abangenazikhundla nalobo abanezikhundla. Abasebenzi abanganazikhundla ikakhulukazi othishela nabomabhalane baye bazwakalise isikhalo sabo sokungabandakanywa uma izinqumo zezinhlelo ze KM zithathwa. Kanti esikoweni sesithathu lapho uthishanhloko wakhona ebesebenzisa ubuholi bentando yeningi (noma i democratic leadership), kuye kwabonakala ngaphandle kwamathandabuzwa ukuthi abasebenzi abangenazikhundla kanye nabanazo, basebezisana ngokukhulu ukuhloniphana. Yigakho ke isimo salesi sikole sikulungele ukwakhiwa kanye nokwabelwana kolwazi phakathi kwabobonke abasebenzi. Yize noma izinhlelo eziningi ze KM zihamba ngomumu kulesisikole, kodwa othishela bakhona bayebanxusa ukuba kubuye kukhushulwe izinga lokusungula amaqembu wokwabelana nokwakhiwa kolwazi ngaphakathi kwabasebenzi. Kusobala ukuthi ikhono kanye nokuzimisle kwabasebezi emisebenzini yabo linemithelela ethize kwizinhlelo ze KM. Nobuholi bothishanhloko bunemithelela ethize ekuthuthukisweni kwezinhlelo ze KM. Othishanhloko bayacetshiswa ukuthi bamukele ngesasasa elikhulu imibono kwinhangothi zombili zabasebezi, bayeke ukubuka ulwazi oluphuma ohlangothini lwalabo abanezikhundla kuphela. / Die dreigende oorgang vanaf die industriële era na die tegnologies-gedrewe kennis era het implikasies vir die praktyk van Kennisbestuur vir alle organisasies oor verskeie indiensnemingsektore. My bewustheid van die stilte van empiriese rekeninge wat dokumenteer hoe skole, veral dié wat in townships geleë is, pas toe dat Kennis bestuur die behoefte aan 'n maatskaplike ondersoek vererger om die mate waarin die geselekteerde skole-hefboom Kennis bestuur in hul operasie gebruik, te bepaal. Hierdie studie is gedoen in drie bane van Emalahleni, Mpumalanga Provinsie, Suid-Afrika. Die kwalifitiewe studie om kennisbestuur in lokasie skole te ondersoek, het grootliks getrek op die teoretiese lense van Wenger se (1991) Gemeenskappe van Praktyk (CoP), en Rodrigues en Pai's (2005) Agt Dimensies van Kennisbestuur-instaatstellers en Aanwysers, aangevul deur tuisgroei-epistemologieë van Ubuntu en Batho Pele beginsels. Die studie het semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gebruik om data in te samel. Reaksies is van twintig deelnemers in hulle wisselende vermoëns van kenniswerk versoek. Dokumentanalise is vir doeleindes van driehoeking gedoen. Ten spyte van 'n magdom beperkings het die studie bevind dat die gekose skool Kennisbestuur voldoende toepas, maar nie doeltreffend om hul grondwetlike mandaat te ontmoet om 'n opvoedkundige diens aan leerders te lewer nie. In twee van die skole waar skoolhoofde laissez-billike en transaksionele leierskapstyle onderskeidelik beoefen het, is organisatoriese kulture gekenmerk deur eenrigtingkommunikasie, beperkte kennisverdelingsplatforms, besluitneming tussen ondergeskikte personeel en skoolbestuurspanne (SMT's). In die derde skool wie se skoolhoof 'n demokratiese leierskapstyl beoefen het, was organisatoriese klimaat bevorderlik vir kennisverdeling en kennisskeppingstransaksies onder ondergeskikte personeel en die SMT. Te midde van die aangehaalde beperkings is personeel se neiging om hul nakoming van die prestasiestandaarde te doen, bevind dat groot skroewe van Kennisbestuur aansoek is. Die studie het ook aangedui dat skoolhoofde se leierskap die doeltreffendheid van Kennisbestuursaansoek bepaal. Die aanbeveling daarvan was dat skoolhoofde moet begin om die kennis wat kom uit lae arbeidsmag op dieselfde vlak te waardeer dat hulle die kennis wat van KMO's kom, waardeer. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Phil. (Education Management)