Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The increased rate of competitive challenges imposed on organisations by global economy,
technological product changes, processes (Dixon, 1992; Dodgson, 1993), and abundance of
information available (Huber 1991) necessitate organisations to unlearn, learn and relearn faster than
others to survive. The development of sustainable competitive advantages is a vital management
function and an important organisational requirement is to nurture learning and create new knowledge
enabling organisations to exploit, develop and utilise resources better than rivals do. This paper
originated from the need identified in my company that learning and use of new knowledge are
essential elements to sustain competitive advantage. At the moment this is not the case and the
challenges imposed on the organisation regarding technological advancements and rapid local and
global environmental changes, has already negatively impacted the organisation's competitive
position. Today learning is being experiences as just another expense and the use of new knowledge
is not visible, as a matter of fact knowledge is being confused with information. Information is being
"recycled"; in other words more of the same is shared and used within the organisation. Hardly any
new knowledge is generated as the same minds that created problems are being used to solve them.
In my opinion both learning and knowledge are strategic organisational requirements which must be
nurtured and managed to (i) ensure return on investments, and (ii) strengthen the organisations future
competitive position. The focus of the paper is to contribute to a deeper understanding of learning and
knowledge, the linkage between individuals, organisations and learning loop approaches. Barriers
preventing learning and use of knowledge will be identified as well as how the use of knowledge forms
the foundation to achieve sustained competitive advantages to outsmart, outmaneuver and outwit the
competition.
Keywords:
Knowledge; learning; organisational learning; competitive advantage; learning approaches,
organisational barriers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die snel veranderende kompeterende uitdagings waaraan maatskappy vandag blootgestel word, bv
globalisering, ekonomiese impak, tegnologiese produk en proses veranderinge asook die oorvloed
inligting wat beskikbaar is, vereis dat maatskappye hul leerprosesse mbt "unlearn, learn and relearn"
vinniger moet toepas om kompterend te bly. Die ontwikkeling van kompeterende voordele is 'n kern
bestuursfunksie en 'n belangrike voorvereiste tov die organisatoriese leerproses en skepping van
nuwe kennis om 'n voorsprong bo die konkurrente te bewerkstellig. Die oorspronklike idee vir die
skripsie het binne my eie maatskappy ontstaan, waar die tekortkominge mbt die gefokusde
daarstelling en gebruik van nuwe kennis, vir die behoud van 'n mark leierskap posisie, tans nie
sigbaar is nie. Die snel veranderende tegnologiese en ekonomiese eksterne omgewing het reeds 'n
negatiewe en detrimentele impak op die maatskappy gehad. Vandag is die leerkurwe en gebruik van
nuwe kennis binne die maatskappy nie 'n fokus area nie. Kennis word tans met inligting verwar en
dieselfde persone verantwoordelik vir die oorsaak/skep van probleme word gebruik om probleme op
te los, maw inligting word "gehersirkuleer" binne die maatskappy. Die doel van die skripsie is om 'n
bydrae te maak mbt die raakvlakke tussen die onderskeie leer benaderings, kennis, individue en die
maatskappy en hoe die onderskeie benaderings by die leerproses inpas. Hindernisse wat die gebruik
van kennis kan inhibeer en beperk word ge-identifiseer en laastens word die fokus op hoe die gebruik
van kennis en kundigheid die basis kan vorm vir die verkryging van onderhoudende kompeterende
voordele, geplaas.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53485 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Weitsz, Marijke (Marijke Adriana) |
| Contributors | Fouche, B., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 71p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
Page generated in 0.0147 seconds