Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study concerns itself with two issues, (i) quality concerns about the MBA
and (ii) increasing importance of knowledge management, especially tacit
knowledge in the business world.
The MBA course of study was established as a measure to prepare individuals
aspiring to be managers for leadership positions and was originally targeted at
the cream of employees. There are several expectations placed on employees
when they are sent by their employers to do an MBA. Among these expectations
are that employees are expected to tap into the experience of fellow students
while on the program, improve their leadership and management skills, get
exposure to knowledge on other fields and to acquire practical business solutions.
It is said, though, that the MBA study programme is currently not meeting the
desired expectations of the business world, which has, hence, led to the
devaluation of this programme as a premier business education course.
Conversely, knowledge management has gained significant importance in the
recent past, owing to the subsequent empowerment of individuals and
organisations to then create a competitive advantage over their rivals. In
particular, it has been found that the increasing of tacit knowledge is most crucial
for success in this regard. Tacit knowledge resides in the minds of individuals
and is acquired after many years through both professional and general life
experiences. This valuable knowledge, which is hard to capture, is lost whenever
experienced employees leave an organisation, for anyone of various reasons,
which may include retirement, change of jobs and/or restructuring . Organisations
are, therefore, faced with the challenge of capturing tacit knowledge and then
creating an environment where this is freely shared with others within that
organisation, to reap the reward and beat any rivals.
The objective of this study is to shed more light on tacit knowledge sharing within
the MBA study programme and reveal how this action will address concerns
relating to the quality of MBA training. In this regard, in this research study an
attempt will be made to discover ways of harnessing the tacit knowledge found
among the students, to then better the quality of the MBA and increase the value
of this study programme.
The results of this study did indicate that tacit knowledge is shared among the
students in the MBA programme and that it is valuable to the students; that
industry related knowledge and professional experience, closely followed by
general life experiences, are the most valuable kinds of knowledge gained from
fellow students. The sharing of such knowledge usually occurs during
group/syndicate activities, with one's fellow students providing the greatest
source of the knowledge that one gains. Tacit knowledge is shared equally
across the different subject groupings in the MBA study programme, despite prior
MBA tacit knowledge being most useful in LeadershiplHR and Strategy courses
than in any other. The MBA environment is generally supportive of tacit
knowledge sharing. However, a minority of students, mostly women, owing to
other students' negative attitudes, find the environment intimidating. Students
who participate in the MBA programme possess sufficient prior MBA work
experience and higher education qualifications, indicating a wealth of tacit
knowledge.
The results suggest that business schools must continue to target students who
are adequately experienced and who possess higher education qualifications as
they are the individuals who possess a wealth of tacit knowledge, which proves
to be valuable to all concerned . Additionally, after the value of tacit knowledge in
the MBA has been recognised , activities that enhance its sharing are encouraged.
The breadth of student experience is crucial to tacit knowledge sharing and, as
such, calls for the student recruitment process at business schools to be adjusted
accordingly. In addition there is need for the undesirable behaviour of certain
students to be kept in check, that valuable tacit knowledge sharing is not missed
as a result of intimidation. It is worthwhile noting that, through attraction of
students with adequate prior work experience, a higher quality tacit knowledge
would be tapped, thereby meeting part of the requirements of the business world
for a high quality MBA study programme.
In Chapter 1 a general presentation of this subject is presented, and the
approach and rationale of the study are explained. In Chapters 2 & 3 an overview
of literature relevant to the topic of tacit knowledge management, as well as that
of MBA training , is presented. In Chapter 4 the methodology and data gathered
are discussed. In Chapter 5 the summary and conclusions of this study are
presented and suggestions for future research areas are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie handel oor twee sake, naamlik (i) vrae oor die gehalte van die
MBA en (ii) die feit dat kennisbestuur al hoe belangriker word, veral ten opsigte
van algemene kennis in die besigheidswereld.
Die MBA-studiekursus het tot stand gekom om mense wat bestuurders wil wees
voor te berei vir leierskapsposisies. Die kursus was oorspronklik gemik op net
die beste werknemers. Daar was verskeie verwagtinge ten opsigte van
werknemers wat deur hul werkgewers aangesê is om 'n MBA te loop. Daar was
die verwagting dat werknemers tydens die kursus uit die ervaring van hul
medestudente sou leer, dat hulle hul leierskaps- en bestuursvaardighede sou
verbeter, dat hulle blootstelling aan kundigheid uit ander velde sou kry, en dat
hulle praktiese oplossings vir besigheidsprobleme sou vind. Daar word beweer
dat die MBA-studieprogram nie tans meer aan die verwagtinge uit die
besigheidswerêld valdoen nie, en daartoe lei dat die program nie meer as een
van die voorste besigheidsopleidingskursusse beskou word nie.
Voorts is kennisbestuur deesdae baie belangriker, aangesien sekere persone
onlangs bemagtig is, en maatskappye graag 'n mededingende voordeel oor hul
konkurrente wil behou. Die feit dat algemene kennis aan die toeneem is, is veral
ook belangrik vir suksesvolle kennisbestuur. Algemene kennis is kundigheid wat
mense opdoen na baie jare se besigheids- en algemene lewenservaring. Die
kennis is waardevol, maar dit is moeilik om vas te lê, en daarom gaan sulke
kennis verlore wanneer ervare werknemers 'n maatskappy verlaat, ongeag of dit
vanweë aftrede, bedanking of afdanking is. Maatskappye sukkel dus om
algemene kennis te behou. Die uitdaging is om 'n omgewing te skep waarin
sulke kennis vryelik met ander mense binne die maatskappy gedeel word. Dit is
vir die maatskappy voordelig wanneer algemene kennis gedeel word, want dit
gee die maatskappy 'n voorsprong oor sy konkurrente.
Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om lig te werp op die manier waarop algemene
kennis in die MBA-studieprogram gedeel word en te bepaal in watter mate
kennisdeling mense se siening oor die gehalte van MBA-opleiding kan verbeter.
Die doel van hierdie navorsingstudie is dus om maniere te vind waarop die
algemene kennis wat studente het, te benut op 'n wyse wat die gehalte van die
MBA verbeter en die waarde daarvan verhoog.
Die uitslag van hierdie studie dui aan dat algemene kennis wel deur studente in
die MBA-program met mekaar gedeel word en dat dit vir studente nuttig is, dat
veral bedryfsverwante kennis en besigheidservaring, maar ook algemene
lewenservaring, die waardevolste soort kennis is wat van medestudente verkry
word . Sulke kennis word gewoonlik tydens groeps- of sindikeringsaktiwiteite
gedeel, en die meeste kennis wat tydens so 'n sessie verkry word, kom trouens
van medestudente. Dieselfde hoeveelheid algemene kennis word in al die MBA-studieprogram
se vakgroeperings gedeel, hoewel algemene kennis oor die MBA
self in die leierskaps-/mensehulpbron- en strategiekursusse belangriker is as in
die ander. Die deling van algemene kennis word deur die MBA-omgewing
aangehelp. 'n Klein groep studente, veral vroue, beleef die omgewing egter as
intimiderend, as gevolg van ander studente se negatiewe houdings. Aangesien
studente wat aan die MBA-program deelneem, voldoende MBA-verwante
werkservaring en hoëronderwys-kwalifikasies het, kan 'n mens aanneem dat
hulle oor heelwat algemene kennis beskik.
Die uitslag dui daarop dat sakeskole steeds op studente moet fokus wat
voldoende ervaring het en wat oor hoëronderwys-kwalifikasies beskik, aangesien
hulle heelwat algemene kennis het, wat vir alle betrokkenes nuttig is. En wanneer
sakeskole eers besef watter waarde algemene kennis vir die MBA het, moedig
hulle gewoonlik aktiwiteite aan wat die deling van algemene kennis bevorder. As
studente nie aan 'n verskeidenheid ervarings blootgestel word nie, sal die deling
van algemene kennis daaronder ly, en dit moet in gedagte gehou word wanneer
sakeskole oor die werwing van studente besluit. Die ongewenste gedrag van
sekere studente moet ook in toom gehou word sodat intimidasie nie daartoe lei
dat algemene kennis nie gedeel word nie. Wanneer sakeskole studente werf wat
oor voldoende werkervaring beskik, word daar maar algemene kennis gedeel, en
dit laat die program voldoen aan die vereistes wat die sakewereld stel vir 'n MBA-studieprogram
van gehalte.
In hoofstuk 1 word die onderwerp omskryf, en die redes en veronderstellings van
die studie word uiteengesit. Hoofstuk 2 en 3 bevat 'n literatuuroorsig oor
kennisbestuur van algemene kennis en oor MBA-opleiding. Hoofstuk 4 is 'n
bespreking van die metodologie en data wat in die studie versamel is. Hoofstuk 5
beval 'n opsomming en gevolgtrekking van die studie, en voorstelle word gemaak
vir toekomstige navorsing.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/18148 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Ramanteba, Mooketsi |
| Contributors | Butler, M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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