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In search of an applied leadership model for start-up organisationsSerfontein, Louis 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (Information Science. Decision Making, Knowledge Dynamics and Values))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The topic here is leadership in the start-up organisation. It has become important for both
economic and political reasons that more people successfully start new ventures. Literature on
leadership and entrepreneurship traditionally focus disproportionately on existing businesses
and topics such as organisational change. Not enough conclusive material exists about what
type of entrepreneurial leadership behaviour is required to start an organisation, either as a
new business or as a Greenfield operation in an existing organisation. The hypothesis in this
study is that certain types of leadership traits and behaviours are required to successfully start
a new organisation. The study sets out to determine what these traits and behaviours are. An
attempt is made to prioritise or weight these against each other to provide a model or guide
for the new entrepreneur. This model is tested against existing leadership theories as well as
popular management models. A discussion on its applicability in South Africa concludes the
study.
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Human rights in Africa : will the African renaissance strengthen the international normative order?Pienaar, Gary 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African Presidency has played a significant part in championing the African
Renaissance vision. Elements of the vision attracting most attention are its supposed
recognition of the importance to continental revival of peace, stability and 'good
governance' (including respect for the rule oflaw and fundamental human rights).
The question is whether the vision is able to live up to the hope that it signals new
respect by the governors for the human rights of the governed. The fear has been
expressed that the continent's Renaissance is being crippled in its infancy by an
excessively cautious South African interpretation of the vision, particularly in regard to
human rights issues.
Ex-President Nelson Mandela has urged that, while governments should be mindful of
the high ideals of human rights, they should be conscious also of a democratic realism
that surrounds the issue. Neglect of human rights is the certain recipe for internal and
international disaster. Mandela has called for a "more comprehensive international
policy of 'democratic realism' to replace the traditional concept of 'realism'''. The
policy suggests the protection of diversity both within and between states.
Consequently, consideration is given to options for the promotion, deepening and
defence of 'democracy' as a reliable bulwark against the abuse of human rights.
Foremost among the options considered is armed humanitarian intervention, including
its possible purposes and effects and, particularly, the reliability and durability of its
outcomes.
John Stuart Mill's arguments are examined concerning the vital necessity of domestic
readiness to best utilise any assistance arising from external intervention. If Mill's
thesis is correct, then President Thabo Mbeki' s approach may be the most appropriate
in the circumstances.
Devising agreed policies on intervention in African countries where human rights
abuses are intensifying continues to face significant political resistance based on the
prioritisation of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign
state. Mbeki clearly understands African leaders' caution regarding human rights
promotion and protection. National sovereignty is difficult to surrender in a world of
weak allies and strong competitors, which ensure continued state resistance to foreign
guidance on democracy and human rights.
South African foreign policy suggests a sober reckoning of the complexity and duration
of the task of turning around the continental ship. South African foreign policy, initially
idealistically seen as occupying the 'moral high ground' following the 'democratic
miracle' of 1994, is now more firmly rooted in a 'realist' understanding of the primary need for committed and dependable allies, and sensitive to allegations of hegemonic
aspirations. Mbeki, consequently, follows a non-confrontational consensus-building
process, ensuring that as many African leaders as possible 'buy in' to the vision and its
programme of implementation. He focuses instead on 'educating' and 'encouraging'
domestic populations to object to current experiences of forms of rights deprivation.
While time-consuming, it may at least produce a solidly grounded policy approach to
the amelioration of the continent's ills.
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Patterns in the knowledge management discourse : an analysis of selected knowledge management theoristsBester, Emily Anna 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Knowledge management is a fragmented and ambiguous management practice. This is
evident from the plethora of definitions available for this field. The premise of this study is
that different discourse patterns in knowledge management also contribute to the ambiguity.
Four theoretical lenses describe the typical discourses that are associated with the formation
of management practices, namely management innovation, umbrella construction,
management fashion cycles and institutionalisation of management practice. The following
propositions are indicative of the types of discourses involved – the rationale, business
outcome, management niche, solution definitions and the means provided for the enactment
of the practice.
The discourses of seven proponents were analysed according to the above, viz. Verna Allee,
Nancy Dixon, Leif Edvinsson, Ikujiro Nonaka, Laurence Prusak, David Snowden and
Mathieu Weggeman. Three main patterns were identified based on the manner in which the
discourses associated with the four theoretical lenses manifest in the analysed discourses.
These patterns represent three different conceptualisations of knowledge management,
namely -
(i) Knowledge management as a meta-practice framework: the focus is on the assimilation
and synthesis of the various knowledge-based practices that are part of other
management practices (such as quality management), or practices that originate from
fluid initiatives in organisations (e.g. the role of the librarian transforming to become a
information broker), or practices that are defined through systematic experimentation
(such as the potential of social media for intelligence analysis).
(ii) Knowledge management as a platform and catalyst for systemic management innovation:
the quest is to define new approaches that are appropriate to manage organisations as
complex knowledge-based systems. These approaches should supersede management
practices still rooted in Newtonian or mechanistic thinking. Knowledge management is
regarded to be a revolutionary practice that proposes, conceptualises and diffuses such
new approaches, e.g. value network management (Verna Allee) and the Cynefin
framework (David Snowden).
(iii) Knowledge management as a master idea or master narrative: this knowledge
management discourse is about the theorisation of novel structural arrangements that
emerge in organisations as a response to the new requirements of a knowledge-driven
economy. This theorisation influences the thinking, premises and practices of various
management fields, such as strategic planning, human resource management and
organisational design. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kennisbestuur is ‘n gefragmenteerde en dubbelsinnige bestuurspraktyk. Dit is duidelik uit die
menigvuldige definisies wat voorgehou word vir die veld. Die uitgangspunt van hierdie
studie is dat verskillende diskoerspatrone in kennisbestuur ook tot die dubbelsinnigheid
bydra.
Vier teoretiese lense beskryf die tipiese diskoerse wat geassosieer word met die vorming van
bestuurspraktyke, naamlik bestuursinnovasie, sambreelkonstruksies, bestuursmodesiklusse en
die institutionalisering van bestuurspraktyke. Die volgende aspekte is ‘n aanduiding van die
tipes diskoerse betrokke – die rasionaal, besigheidsuitkoms, bestuursnis, die definisie van die
oplossing en die middele wat vir die implementering van die praktyke verskaf word.
Die diskoerse van sewe voorstaanders is geanaliseer aan die hand van bogenoemde, naamlik
Verna Allee, Nancy Dixon, Leif Edvinsson, Ikujiro Nonaka, David Snowden en Matthieu
Weggeman. Drie hoofpatrone is geidentifiseer, gebaseer op die analise van die wyse waarin
die vier teoretiese lense in die geselekteerde diskoerse manifesteer. Hierdie patrone
verteenwoordig drie verskillende konsepsualiserings van kennisbestuur, naamlik -
(i) Kennisbestuur as ‘n meta-praktykraamwerk: die fokus is op die assimilasie en
sintese van die verskillende kennisgebaseerde praktyke wat deel is van ander
bestuurspraktyke (soos kwaliteitsbestuur), of praktyke wat ontwikkel uit vloeibare
inisiatiewe in organisasies (bv. die rol van die bibliotekaris wat transformeer na
die van ‘n informasiemakelaar), of die definisie van nuwe praktyke aan die hand
van sistematiese eksperimentering (soos die potensiaal van sosiale media vir
intelligensie analise).
(ii) Kennisbestuur as ‘n platform en katalisator vir sistemiese bestuursinnovasie: die
strewe is om nuwe benaderings te definieer wat toepaslik is vir die bestuur van
organisasies as komplekse kennis-gebaseerde stelsels. Hierdie benaderings moet
bestuurspraktyke wat gewortel is in Newtoniaanse of meganistiese denke vervang.
Kennisbestuur word beskou as ‘n revolusionêre praktyk wat nuwe benaderings
voorstel, konsepsualiseer en versprei, soos Value Network Management (Verna
Allee) en die Cynefin-raamwerk (David Snowden).
(iii) Kennisbestuur as ‘n meesteridee of meesternarratief: hierdie kennisbestuurdiskoers
omvat die teoretisering van nuwe strukturele reëlings wat, as ‘n reaksie
op die nuwe vereistes wat ‘n kennisgedrewe ekonomie stel, in organisasies na
vore kom. Hierdie teoretisering beïnvloed die denke, begronding en praktyke van
verskeie bestuursvelde, soos strategiese beplanning, menslike hulpbronbestuur en
organisasie-ontwerp.
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Incongruence and enactment in information systems : a sensemaking analysisLe Roux, Daniel Bartholomeus 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the six decades since organisations rst adopted computer machinery
to support their operations this form of technology has undergone rapid evolution.
This evolution is characterised by both the advancement of the machines
themselves and the expansion of their application in the organisational
domain through the development of increasingly advanced software. A particularly
in uential development for large enterprises has been the introduction
of computerised Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERPs) and the popularisation
of proprietary ERP packages.
By integrating the feature sets of an increasingly wide range of business
software applications ERPs enable organisations to satisfy a large part of their
information processing requirements by adopting a single software artefact.
This approach o ers numerous bene ts to adopters as it ensures the integration
of information processing activities across organisational functions. However,
the realisation of these bene ts depends upon the organisation's ability
to achieve congruence between its own structures and those embedded in
proprietary ERP packages. This includes, on one level, the management of
the processes of adaptation through which organisational actors become accustomed
to a new technology and, on another level, the con guration and
alignment of the artefact with the organisation's operating procedures. Despite the popularity of ERP adoption the achievement of congruence in
information systems is an illusive ideal for many organisations. Accordingly,
many Information Systems (IS) scholars have researched the organisational,
technical and social factors which obstruct congruence and the interventions
proposed to counter these. A key nding following from these investigations is
that, notwithstanding the implementation of countering interventions, organisations
often need to continue operations while experiencing some degree of
incongruence or mis t in their information systems. The research performed
in this study advances knowledge about this phenomenon by investigating the
implications of incongruence for the behaviour of users of proprietary ERPs in
organisations.
Weickean Sensemaking Theory is adopted as conceptual framework to enable
the investigation of instances of incongruence as events experienced by
users in the context of their work environments. The theory dictates that
users, rather than passively adopting the impositions of software artefacts, en-
act information systems in unpredictable ways based on subjective and shared
processes of sensemaking. An empirical investigation is performed and takes
the form of a single, cross-sectional case study in which a variety of data collection
techniques are utilised. The data sources are analysed and triangulated
to trace the relationship between experiences of incongruence and patterns of
information systems enactment among the user community.
The ndings of the study reveal that experiences of incongruence cultivate
knowledge sharing among a user community, a process which aligns their
beliefs about the nature, role and use of a technology in an organisation. Furthermore,
experiences of incongruence encourage users to augment designed
technologies through the development informal information processing activities
and alternative work ows. These forms of behaviour, while resolving
users' experiences incongruence, lead to variance between the designed technology
and the enacted technology creating various risks for the integrity of
the organisation's business processes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die ses dekades sedert organisasies rekenaar masjinerie begin toepas
het om hul bedrywighede te ondersteun, het hierdie vorm van tegnologie
dramatiese ontwikkeling ondergaan. Hierdie ontwikkeling word gekenmerk
deur beide die bevordering van die masjiene self, asook die uitbreiding van
hul toepassings in die organisatoriese domein deur die ontwikkeling van meer
gevorderde sagteware. 'n Besonder invloedryke ontwikkeling vir groot ondernemings
was die bekendstelling van gerekenariseerde Enterprise Resource Plan-
ning Systems (ERPs) en die popularisering van kommersiële ERP pakkette.
Deur die integrasie van 'n toenemend wye verskeidenheid funksionaliteit
stel ERPs organisasies in staat om 'n groot deel van hul inligting verwerking
vereistes deur die aanneming van 'n enkele sagteware produk te dek - 'n
benadering wat talle voordele bied aangesien dit die integrasie van inligting
verwerking tussen organisatoriese funksies verseker. Die verwesenliking van
hierdie voordele is egter afhanklik van die organisasie se vermoë om kongruensie
tussen sy eie strukture en die van ERP pakkette te bewerkstelling. Dit
sluit die bestuur van prosesse waartydens organisatoriese akteurs aanpas by 'n nuwe tegnologie in, asook die kon gurasie van die pakket om belyning met die
organisasie se operasionele prosedures te verseker.
Ten spyte van die gewildheid van ERPs is die bereiking van kongruensie in
inligtingstelsels 'n ontwykende ideaal vir baie organisasies. Gevolglik word die
organisatoriese, tegniese en sosiale faktore wat kongruensie belemmer gereeld
deur Information Systems (IS) akademici ondersoek. 'n Prominenete bevinding
wat uit hierdie navorsing voortspruit is dat organisasies dikwels hul werk
moet voortsit ten spyte van inkongruensie in hul inligtingstelsels. In hierdie
studie word die bovermelde fenomeen verder ondersoek deur die implikasies van
inkongruensie vir die gedrag van gebruikers van kommersiële ERP pakkette te
ondersoek.
Weick se Sensemaking teorie word toegepas as konseptuele raamwerk om
gevalle van inkongruensie as gebeure wat deur gebruikers ervaar word te ondersoek.
Die teorie bepaal dat die gebruikers nie bloot rekenaarstelsels aanvaar
nie, maar dit op onvoorspelbare maniere enact op grond van subjektiewe en
gedeelde prosesse van singewing. 'n Gevallestudie word uitgevoer waarin 'n
verskeidenheid data-insamelingstegnieke gebruik word. Die databronne word
ontleed en kruisvalidasie word gedoen om die verhouding tussen ervarings van
inkongruensie en patrone van gedrag binne inligtingstelsels te beskryf.
Die bevindinge van die studie dui daarop dat ervarings van inkongruensie
die deel van kennis binne 'n gebruikersgemeenskap tot gevolg het. Hierdie
proses belyn gebruikers se verwysingsraamwerke oor die aard, rol en gebruik
van 'n tegnologie in 'n organisasie. Verder word bevind dat gebruikers, agv
ervarings van inkongruensie, 'n tegnologie uitbrei dmv die ontwikkeling van
informele inligting verwerkingstegnieke en alternatiewe werksprosesse. Hierdie
gedrag stel gebruikers in staat om inkongruensie te oorkom, maar lei tot variansie
tussen die ontwerpte tegnologie en die toepassing daarvan binne die
organisasie. Dit hou verskeie risiko's vir die integriteit van die organisasie se
besigheidsprosesse in.
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An evaluation of the information dissemination mechanisms for small scale subsistence farmersTire, Mpho 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rural communities depend on the use of natural resources surrounding them for their daily livelihoods. These communities have in the past lived off these resources amid the day-to-day natural threats that pose a threat to their environmental resources. These communities depend on tending the land and rearing livestock to provide for their day-to-day needs. The only period when these communities decide to sell what they have produced is when they have unexpected surpluses that were neither planned for and these are normally sold to derive extra income.
Given the total dependence on the use of their natural resources as a means of their survival one would expect this group to be provided with relevant information and be kept abreast of developments in the sector to enable them to produce better and derive surpluses that will generate extra income. This is unfortunately not the prevailing arrangement, very often these communities are left on their own to fend for themselves using knowledge and practical experience that has been gained over the years. In other instances the nature of the information provided is in most cases such that it does not lend itself for easy use by a person who is either semi-literate or illiterate. For those who can read the information it is not always forthcoming or does not deal with the relevant local issues, and lack of supportive infrastructure also adds to the farmers ailing conditions.
The kind of agricultural research as well as extension services provided to these farming communities is still lagging behind due to a number of factors, these include: poor interaction with the farmers in an effort to identify and prioritize their needs, high level of illiteracy, insufficient resources, low levels of income and a host of other related problems.
Adomi et.al. (2003), in their study on crop farmers’ access to agricultural information in rural areas of Delta State Nigeria, also stress the importance of farmers having access to agricultural information if their agricultural efforts are to succeed. They further emphasize that farmers need to share knowledge and experience with farmers who operate under similar conditions, this will enable them to adapt and replicate experiences learnt from other farmers. Most importantly farmers need to be provided with information on access to credit and information from research institutions.
The paper intends to look at challenges facing small-scale farmers in as far as information dissemination is concerned, appropriate techniques that can be applied to overcome these challenges and use lessons that have proved to work for countries operating under similar conditions.
It is important to remember that farmers irrespective of their scale of operation, are managers in their own right, they are constantly facing challenges, are forced to make choices and decisions that will determine the future of their farming enterprise in the cut-throat competitive environment. The livelihoods of their families depend on these very decisions. Therefore providing timely, accurate, reliable and user-friendly information at affordable prices is their only hope for survival in the present free- market economy.
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What did they cover? : a cluster analysis of news stories published in the Botswana Daily News, January – December 2004Mogotsi, Isaac Carter 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study, a cluster analysis of news stories published in the Botswana Daily
News during the period January - December 2004 was undertaken. The study
was exploratory in nature and sought to find out what topics were predominant
during the study period. The approach we adopted can be divided into three
phases, namely data collection, document pre-processing, and cluster analysis.
The data used in the study was downloaded from the Botswana Daily News
website using a simple program developed specifically for that purpose. Document
pre-processing was concerned with transforming the raw documents
into a format that could be directly operated upon by the various clustering
algorithms. The documents themselves were represented using the vector
space model, with the tf.idf term weighting scheme. We experimented with
three clustering approaches, namely, direct k-way clustering, k-way clustering
through repeated bisections, and agglomerative clustering. Agglomerative
clustering performed poorly, and we thus discarded its results. Direct k-way
clustering and k-way clustering through repeated bisections produced similar
results, though the former performed better in terms of external isolation and
internal cohesion of the clusters produced. Consequently, we only retained the
results from direct k-way clustering, and subsequently performed a quarterly
analysis of our corpus using only the direct k-way clustering algorithm. Analysis
of the complete corpus identified a number of topics that were prevalent
over the study period. Interestingly, a quarterly analysis of the corpus revealed
other topics whose prevalence appears to have been limited to certain parts of
the year.
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A comparative analysis of leadership and management at Jwaneng Diamond MineMabhudhu, Mark 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The functions of management and leadership are not new to the business fraternity. Whilst these
functions are as pervasive and ubiquitous as the corporate organizations themselves, the same cannot
be said of the organizational successes emanating from these functions. These functions have been
cited throughout literature as pivotal in the successful running of businesses. By the same token, they
have also been cited as the major causes of failed businesses within the corporate landscape. This has
been established throughout small and big organizations alike. This unfortunate phenomenon has
continued to attract significant academic and business research over the years with an overall intent of
establishing why it is the case.
Whilst there are varied reasons for the successes and failures of most organizations, the quality of
both functions of leadership and management seem to take the larger portion of the praise and/or
blame. These functions are regarded as key determinants of organizational success and survival into
the future. Subsequently, this has culminated in myriad theories, frameworks and approaches around
management and leadership as significantly different functions which yield different results in
business organizations. At the core of the debate has been that management and leadership functions
are different and depending on whether an organization is managed or led determines its future
success and overall sustainability.
It is therefore the intention of this study to comparatively analyze both functions of management and
leadership in as far as they impact organizational sustainability and success. A case study of Jwaneng
Diamond Mine in Botswana is used to do this comparative study of the two functions of management
and leadership within the Executive team to try and affirm some of the key factors as alluded to
within the business landscape. In this comparative study it is noted that whilst management and
leadership are two different functions, they are however symbiotic in nature and successful
organizations tap into both functions as they develop and build sustainable businesses for the future.
The Jwaneng Mine case study showed that in an executive team, it is vital to have a balance between
managers (those who provide management capabilities) and leaders (those that provide leadership) if the organization is to be successful going into the future.
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A knowledge approach to software testingMohamed, Essack 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The effort to achieve quality is the largest component of software cost. Software testing is
costly - ranging from 50% to 80% of the cost of producing a first working version. It is
resource intensive and an intensely time consuming activity in the overall Systems
Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and hence could arguably be the most important phase of
the process. Software testing is pervasive. It starts at the initiation of a product with nonexecution
type testing and continues to the retirement of the product life cycle beyond the
post-implementation phase.
Software testing is the currency of quality delivery. To understand testing and to improve
testing practice, it is essential to see the software testing process in its broadest terms – as
the means by which people, methodology, tools, measurement and leadership are integrated
to test a software product.
A knowledge approach recognises knowledge management (KM) enablers such as
leadership, culture, technology and measurements that act in a dynamic relationship with KM
processes, namely, creating, identifying, collecting, adapting, organizing, applying, and
sharing. Enabling a knowledge approach is a worthy goal to encourage sharing, blending of
experiences, discipline and expertise to achieve improvements in quality and adding value to
the software testing process.
This research was developed to establish whether specific knowledge such as domain
subject matter or business expertise, application or technical skills, software testing
competency, and whether the interaction of the testing team influences the degree of quality
in the delivery of the application under test, or if one is the dominant critical knowledge area
within software testing. This research also set out to establish whether there are personal or
situational factors that will predispose the test engineer to knowledge sharing, again, with the
view of using these factors to increase the quality and success of the ‘testing phase’ of the
SDLC. KM, although relatively youthful, is entering its fourth generation with evidence of two
paradigms emerging - that of mainstream thinking and that of the complex adaptive system
theory. This research uses pertinent and relevant extracts from both paradigms appropriate
to gain quality/success in software testing. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: By verre die grootste komponent van sagte ware koste is dié verwant aan
kwaliteitsversekering. Toetsing van sagte ware is koste intensief en verteenwoordig tussen
50% en 80% van die kostes om ‘n beta weergawe vry te stel.
Die toetsing van sagte ware is nie alleenlik duursaam nie, maar ook arbeidintensief en ‘n
tydrowende aktiwteit in die sagte ware ontwikkelings lewensiklus en kan derhalwe gereken
word as die mees belangrike fase. Toetsing is deurdringend – dit begin by die inisiëring van
‘n produk deur middel van nie-uitvoerende tipe toetsing en eindig by die voleinding van die
produklewensiklus na die implementeringsfase.
Sagte ware toetsing word beskou as die geldwaarde van kwalitatiewe aflewering. Om
toetsing ten volle te begryp en die toepassing daarvan te verbeter, is dit noodsaaklik om die
toetsproses holisties te beskou – as die medium en mate waartoe mense, metodologie,
tegnieke, meting en leierskap integreer om ‘n sagte ware produk te toets.
‘n Benadering gekenmerk deur kennis erken die dinamiese verhouding waarbinne
bestuurselemente van kundigheid, soos leierskap, kultuur, tegnologie en maatstawwe
reageer en korrespondeer met prosesse van kundigheid, naamlik skep, identifiseer,
versamel, aanpas, organiseer, toepas en meedeel. Die fasilitering van ‘n benadering
gekenmerk deur kennis is ‘n waardige doelwit om meedeling, vermenging van ervaringe,
dissipline en kundigheid aan te moedig ten einde kwaliteit te verbeter en waarde toe te voeg
tot die proses van safte ware toetsing.
Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om te bepaal of die kennis van ‘n spesifieke onderwerp,
besigheidskundigheid, tegniese vaardighede of die toepassing daarvan, kundigheid van
sagte ware toetsing, en/of die interaksie van die toetsspan die mate van kwaliteit beïnvloed,
of een van voorgenoemde die dominante kritieke area van kennis is binne die konteks van
sagte ware toetsing. Die navorsing beoog ook om te bepaal of daar persoonlike of
situasiegebonde fakfore bestaan wat die toetstegnikus vooropstel om kennis te deel, weer eens, met die oog om deur middel van hierdie faktore kwaliteit te verbeter en die toetsfase
binne die sagte ware ontwikkelingsiklus suksesvol af te lewer.
Ten spyte van die relatiewe jeudgigheid van die bestuur van kennis, betree dit die vierde
generasie waaruit twee denkwyses na vore kom – dié van hoofstroom denke en dié van
ingewikkelde aangepaste stelselsdenke. Hierdie navorsing illustreer belangrike en toepaslike
insette van beide denkwyses wat geskik is vir meedeling van kennis en vir die bereiking van
verbeterde kwaliteit / sukses in sagte ware toetsing.
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Harnessing the intellectual capital of an organisation : an exploratory studyBeyers, Lourens Johannes Erasmus 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although there is a general consensus that the knowledge society and the knowledge
economy has arrived, and that knowledge is a key business asset, organisations are
still in the early stages of understanding the implications of knowledge management
and intellectual capital.
The rise of the new economy that is principally driven by information and knowledge
can be attributed to the increased prominence of intellectual capital in organisations.
Intellectual capital features prominently in recent economic, managerial,
technological and sociological developments in a manner previously unknown and
unforeseen.
The challenge of this research assignment is typified by the problem statement and
its objectives, namely: Although much has been written about knowledge
management, the learning organisation and intellectual capital, little, if any, has been
written about the relationship and correlation between knowledge management and
intellectual capital management. The challenge seems to provide integrated
guidelines and a practical implementation system as to how organisations can use
both knowledge management and intellectual capital for the formulation of a
comprehensive intellectual management approach.
In an attempt to develop guidelines and a practical implementation system for a
comprehensive intellectual capital management approach, the following was
undertaken with this research assignment:
Firstly, the impact of the knowledge economy on organisations is discussed.
Secondly, practical guidelines are provided on how to manage knowledge in
organisations.
The various types of capitals are, furthermore, analysed and specific guidelines
provided on how to harness these different capitals in the organisations. The new phenomena of the intellectual capital entrepreneur is also highlighted. Lastly,
particular emphasis is provided to the formulation of a comprehensive intellectual
capital management approach. Practical guidelines are also formulated for the
implementation of a comprehensive intellectual capital management system for
organisations.
Based on this study, some of the most important conclusions drawn are that:
• Successful management of knowledge is the basis for generating intellectual
capital in organisations on any long-term basis.
• The linking of knowledge management and intellectual capital activities is a
prerequisite for the successful implementation of an intellectual capital
management system in organisations.
• A comprehensive intellectual capital management system can only be
successfully implemented if organisations have structures in place to generate
intellectual capital on an ongoing basis.
Recommendations for further research include:
• The impact of the knowledge economy on South African organisations should be
determined.
• Research should be done as to how organisations can integrate knowledge
management and intellectual capital activities.
• The current role and impact of the intellectual entrepreneur in South African
organisations should be identified.
• Guidelines that will enable organisations to measure intellectual capital should be
developed.
The problem statement, namely, to provide South African organisations with a
practical and comprehensive intellectual capital management approach, is addressed
in this research. Recommendations to enhance intellectual capital in organisations
are provided and explained. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel daar algemene konsensus is dat die kennisgemeenskap en die
kennisekonomie ‘n realiteit is, en dat kennis ‘n belangrike bate is, is organisasies nog
in die vroeë stadiums om te begryp wat die implikasies van kennisbestuur en
intellektuele kapitaal is.
Die opkoms van die nuwe ekonomie, wat hoofsaaklik deur inligting en kennis gedryf
was, kan toegeskryf word aan die toenemende prominensie van intellektuele kapitaal
in organisasies. Intellektuele kapitaal figureer prominent in resente ekonomiese,
bestuurs, tegnologiese en sosiologiese ontwikkelings op ‘n wyse wat voorheen
onbekend en onvoorsien was.
Die uitdaging van hierdie navorsingstaak word gekenmerk deur die probleemstelling
en sy doelwitte, naamlik:
Alhoewel heelwat geskryf is oor kennisbestuur, die lerende organisasie en
intellektuele kapitaal, is baie min, indien enige, geskryf oor die verwantskap en
korrelasie tussen kennisbestuur en intellektuele kapitaalbestuur. Dit blyk dat die
uitdaging geïntegreerde riglyne verskaf en ook ‘n praktiese implementeringsisteem
daarstel oor hoe organisasies beide kennisbestuur en intellektuele kapitaal kan benut
vir die formulering van ‘n alomvattende intellektuele bestuursbenadering.
In ‘n poging om riglyne en ‘n praktiese implementeringsisteem vir ‘n alomvattende
intellektuele kapitaal bestuursbenadering te ontwikkel, is die volgende onderneem
met hierdie navorsingstaak:
Eerstens is die impak van kennisekonomie op organisasies bespreek, en tweedens
is praktiese riglyne verskaf oor hoe kennis in organisasies bestuur moet word. Verder is verskeie tipes intellektuele kapitale geanaliseer en is spesifieke riglyne
verskaf oor hoe hierdie verskillende kapitale in die organisasies toegepas kan word.
Die nuwe verskynsel van die intellektuele kapitaal entrepreneur is uitgelig en
besondere klem is gelê op die formulering van ‘n bestuursbenadering vir intellektuele
kapitaal. Laastens is praktiese riglyne ook geformuleer vir die implementering van ‘n
alomvattende bestuursbenadering tot ‘n intellektuele kapitaalsisteem binne
organisasies.
Met hierdie studie as basis is die volgende van die mees belangrike gevolgtrekkings:
- Suksesvolle bestuur van kennis is die grondslag van enige langtermyn
ontwikkeling van intellektuele kapitaal in organisasies.
- Die ineenskakeling van kennisbestuur en intellektuele kapitaal aktiwiteite is ‘n
voorvereiste vir die suksesvolle implementering van ‘n intellektuele kapitaal
bestuursisteem in organisasies.
- ‘n Alomvattende intellektuele kapitaal bestuursisteem kan alleenlik suksesvol
geïmplementeer word as organisasies strukture in plek het om intellektuele
kapitaal op ‘n deurlopende basis te genereer.
Aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing sluit die volgende in:
- Die impak van die kennisekonomie op Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies behoort
bepaal te word.
- Navorsing behoort gedoen te word met betrekking tot hoe organisasies
kennisbestuur en intellektuele kapitaal aktiwiteite kan integreer.
- Die bestaande rol en impak van die intellektuele entrepreneur in Suid-
Afrikaanse organisasies behoort geïdentifiseer te word.
- Riglyne behoort ontwikkel te word wat organisasies in staat sal stel om
intellektuele kapitaal te meet.
Die probleemstelling, naamlik om Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies te voorsien van ‘n
praktiese en alomvattende intellektuele kapitaal bestuursbenadering, is in hierdie
navorsing aangespreek. Aanbevelings om intellektuele kapitaal in organisasies te
versterk is verskaf en verduidelik.
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10 |
Knowledge emerging from chaos : organisational sensemaking as knowledge creationEloff, Paul 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Organisations find themselves in a world of ever-increasing rate of change. Increasingly
organisations operate in what is known as the edge of chaos—that zone which paradoxically
might lead to paralysis and disaster or to creativity and innovation. In this area of uncertainty,
organisations rely on their ability to create new organisational knowledge. What is unclear is
exactly how new knowledge comes into being under these conditions and what would count
as new organisational knowledge.
The thesis tries to shed light on the process by which new organisational knowledge comes
into being by considering the context of complexity as an environment that demands
innovation while at the same time being the catalyst for knowledge creation. The debate on
the nature of organizational knowledge is revisited and contrasted from individual
knowledge. A review of the mainstream theories of organisational knowledge creation led up
to Boisot’s Social Learning Cycle as the benchmark theory that is used in the rest of the
argument.
Thereafter the work of Weick on Organisational Sensemaking is discussed. It is argued that
the condition of complexity leads to an increase in occasions that activate and heighten
organizational sensemaking processes. Parallels are noted between the process of
sensemaking and parts of the Social Learning Cycle. It is shown that under conditions of
comlexity, organisational knowledge creation processes and sensemaking processes are not
only similar, but that organisational sensemaking can be seen as the mechanism whereby new
organisational knowledge is created when organisations operate at the edge of chaos.
This has a number of implications. The theory of organisational sensemaking is applied to an
area of organisational life where it has not been seen as applicable, organisational knowledge
creation processes are shown to be much more fundamental phenomena than the literature
suggests, and combining Boisot and Weick leads to greater theoretical elegance.
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