Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Can one measure the value of knowledge sharing? How does one assess the
effectiveness of a knowledge network with regard to supporting knowledge
sharing? These are pertinent questions that knowledge managers are faced
with, because geographically dispersed organizations rely on knowledge
networks to integrate its dispersed knowledge.
These questions must be understood in the context of a knowledge
management approach, for the approach determines how one navigates the
complex landscape of knowledge sharing. This complexity is driven by the
social dynamics that exist between organizational members. If the intricacies
of these social dynamics can be highlighted, it will assist management in
deciding which interventions to implement to increase a knowledge network’s
effectiveness.
Firstly, a pragmatic approach to knowledge management proposes that
management can switch between a bottom-up and top-down view of
knowledge sharing in a knowledge network.
Secondly, management requires a vehicle to implement the pragmatic
approach. The proposed vehicle is the knowledge network framework, for it
plays a central role in the design, implementation and maintenance of a
knowledge network.
Finally, the embeddedness-measuring framework is developed to analyze the
social dynamics between knowledge network members and the content they
share amongst one another. The implementation of this framework allows for
the analysis of interviews that were conducted in a case study at A Chemicals
Company (ACC). Five communities of ACC’s knowledge network are
investigated and the results emphasize the dynamics of knowledge sharing
between network members.
The implications of the results are as follows:
• A navigation system is proposed that enables the implementation
of the pragmatic approach.
• A schedule for the evaluation of a knowledge network enables
management to assess the effects of interventions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kan die waarde van die proses om kennis te deel, gemeet word? Hoe word
‘n kennis-netwerk se doeltreffendheid gemeet met betrekking tot die
ondersteuning wat dit bied vir netwerk-lede om hul kennis te deel? Dit is die
tipe vrae wat kennis-bestuurders mee gekonfronteer word, want organisasies
wat geografies versprei is maak staat op kennis-netwerke om verspreide
kennis te integreer.
Om hierdie vrae te verstaan, moet dit gesien word in die konteks van 'n
kennisbestuur-strategie. Die kennisbestuur-strategie bepaal hoe ‘n mens die
kompleksiteit van kennis-skepping en -uitruiling benader. ‘n Groot faktor wat
dié kompleksiteit beïnvloed, is die sosiale dinamika tussen netwerk-lede.
Daar word dus geredeneer, dat as sin gemaak kan word van dié dinamika,
bestuur se vermoë om in te gryp in die kennis-netwerk verbeter sal word.
Gevolglik kan die doeltreffendheid van ‘n kennis-netwerk verbeter word.
Eerstens word die pragmatiese benadering tot kennisbestuur voorgestel. Dié
strategie gee bestuur die vermoë om te wissel tussen ‘n top-down benadering
en ‘n bottom-up benadering tot kennisbestuur.
Tweedens word die kennis-netwerk raamwerk bespreek. Hierdie raamwerk
beskryf die ontwerp, implimentering en instandhouding van ‘n kennis-netwerk.
Dit bied bestuur die vermoë om die pragmatiese benadering te volg.
Ten slotte word die geïntegreerde metings raamwerk ontwikkel. Hierdie
raamwerk stel mens instaat om ‘n analise te doen van die sosiale dinamika
tussen netwerk-lede en die inhoud wat hulle met mekaar deel. Die
geïntegreerde metings raamwerk word gebruik om onderhoude te analiseer
van die lede van ‘n kennis-netwerk gevallestudie. Hierdie gevallestudie is
gesentreer rondom die bedryf A Chemical Company (ACC) se kennisnetwerk.
Vyf kennis-uitruil gemeenskappe van ACC se kennis-netwerk word
ondersoek. Die resultate beklemtoon die dinamika tussen netwerk-lede in die
proses om kennis uit te ruil.
Die gevolgtrekking van die navorsing is soos volg:
• ‘n Strategie word ontwikkel wat die implimentering van die pragmatiese
benadering tot kennis-bestuur beskryf.
• ‘n Skedule vir die evaluering van ‘n kennis-netwerk word voorgestel wat
bestuur die vermoë bied om die gevolge van veranderinge in ‘n kennisnetwerk
te assesseer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/18047 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Le Roux, Jacous Petrus |
| Contributors | Schutte, C. S. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 96 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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