3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Knowledge in modern organisations: establishing the link between knowledge management, organisational learning, environmental dynamism and innovation : (a comparative study of mobile companies in Zimbabwe and South Africa)(2019) Masoka, TinasheKnowledge Management has become a key fundamental asset for any organisation`s productivity gains, i.e. product or service innovation. But it does not work in isolation; aspects such as Organisational Learning have proved to be important too as organisations aim to have their employees well equipped with the internal and external environment. That being said, organisations operate in a dynamic environment that keeps changing all the time in terms of technology, financial markets, customer buying-behaviour, amongst other factors. As such, mobile organisations are innovation bound in terms of their products and services that they offer; hence, innovation is their main priority. This research study examines the link that exists between knowledge management, organisational learning, environmental dynamism towards achieving innovation amongst mobile organisations, Organisation A and Organisational B, in Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively. This research study will hypothesize and test knowledge management, organisational learning and environmental dynamism against innovation across the two organisations with a total sample of 370. The results highlight knowledge management, organisational learning and environmental dynamism as positively correlated and there is a statistical significant relationship between knowledge management, organisational learning and environmental dynamism towards innovation. The results also indicated that ED plays a moderating role in regulating how innovative organisations can be with organisations in high unstable environments having high innovation levels. The major implication that will be a limitation for this research study is that the data collected is limited to organisations in South Africa and Zimbabwe only. The practical implications for this research study will aim to contribute to management of organisations to utilise and illustrate that knowledge management, organisational learning and environmental dynamism form part of the bottom line of the organisation towards achieving innovation levels. This research study aims to contribute to the literature that exists on knowledge management, organisational learning, and environmental dynamism by empirically analysing their effects on innovation. It also highlights the interaction and link that exists between knowledge management, organisational learning and environmental dynamism and how these facets work hand in hand to attain innovation levels in organisations that will make them competitive over their rivals.Item The role of leadership in knowledge management at Limpopo provincial treasury(2018) Mabundza, Nkhensani ThelmanOrganisations are now operating in the knowledge era; therefore knowledge resources have gained more value when compared to other resources. The main objective of Knowledge Management is to create systems that can facilitate the conversion of these resources into practices that could be operationalized. Leadership is a knowledge management enabler; hence it is necessary for effective Knowledge Management implementation. The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons for leadership deficits in relation to Knowledge Management in the Limpopo Provincial Treasury (LPT). The study took the form of a qualitative research approach. Primary data was obtained through interviews and focus group interviews. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Senior Management Services (SMS) members and focus group discussions were held with 16 Middle Management Service (MMS) members. The study found that there are leadership deficits in Knowledge Management at the Limpopo Provincial Treasury. Knowledge Management practices are in place but there is no formal structure therefore participants did not prioritise Knowledge Management programmes. Knowledge Management is not part of the organisational structure and institutional arrangements of the LPT. The study further found that there is no common leadership style at the Limpopo Provincial Treasury. The findings of this study will have negative impact in achieving the objectives of the LPT KM strategy and also affect the implementation of the Provincial KM Strategy. The study recommended the establishment of a Knowledge Management structure and that training and a leadership seminar be provided for all SMS members and furthermore, that Knowledge Management should become a Key Performance Areas for all SMS members.Item Adoption of knowledge management systems by South African municipalities: a technology-organizational-environment (TOE) perspective(2018) Ndaba, Sandile LennoxThe purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which South African municipalities have adopted the use of knowledge management systems. The study was also aimed at explaining the reasons behind the adoption of these systems. As knowledge management systems are there to enable the use of knowledge management in organizations, the adoption of knowledge management practice was briefly reviewed. The causal factors that enable or inhibit such adoption were explained. The focus of the research was both descriptive and explanatory. Within municipalities, questionnaires through an on-line system, were sent to senior managers/executives such as Chief Financial Officers or Chief Information Officers or Knowledge and Information Officers. Questionnaires were sent to all 281 South African municipalities. 93 responses were received from these municipalities. Although the target respondents were the heads of departments with municipalities, some responses were from the category “other”. The research paradigm that was employed was a positivist approach.. The research was based on a firm-level theory, called the Technology-Organisational-Environmental(TOE) model. This model was chosen, after a comparison with other theories such as Diffusion on Innovation, Institutional theory and lacovou et al model. The results on the extent of adoption of knowledge management systems showed that half of the municipalities that responded to the questionnaire have adopted some form of knowledge management systems. The results of the type of knowledge management systems adopted showed that more than 50% of the municipalities that responded have adopted at least one knowledge management system. The discrepancy can be attributed to the understanding of knowledge management systems by some of the respondents. The hypotheses that were supported were that size has a positive correlation to the adoption of knowledge management systems, and that the complexity of the knowledge management system has a negative relationship to the adoption of knowledge management systems. Relative advantage and compatibility were partially supported, while cost, top management support, maturity and stakeholder pressure were not supported. The implications for practice are successful adoption of knowledge management systems are that the systems to be adopted must be usable and less complex, must be compatible with other legacy systems in the organisation and that the benefits that these systems bring to organisation must be clearly communicated. Implications for academia are that both the technology and organisational factors play a crucial role in the adoption of knowledge management systems in the South African context.Item Developing a fuel cell industry in South Africa: a triple-helix analysis(2018) Peverelle, FrancaGlobally, the concept "knowledge economy" has evolved as the dominant economic logic that is premised on the importance of new knowledge for innovation and competitiveness, and on the sharing of that knowledge through various forms of knowledge transfer based on collaboration. This is the context of this study, which focuses on how knowledge transfer and the relationship between university, industry and government impact the development of the fuel cell industry in South Africa as informed by the triplehelix systems theory. From the literature it is evident that the beneficiation potential of South Africa is a top development priority for policymakers with a view to boosting the country’s economic potential. Furthermore, South Africa is reportedly not leveraging its natural platinum resources effectively, resulting in high levels of raw-platinum exportation and high levels of platinum product imports. The problem statement thus suggests that supporting and developing a local fuel cell industry in South Africa through active partnerships between universities, industry and government may contribute to a reduction in the amount of raw platinum being exported, exploiting the platinum reserves for heightened South African economic development. This is a qualitative case study comprising semi-structured interviews based on the selection of participants through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The Hydrogen South Africa programme, a large player in the South African fuel cell industry, has partnered with three South African universities, namely North-West University, University of Cape Town and Western Cape University, to develop various elements of hydrogen fuel cells, providing a key opportunity for a case study on the current relationship between university, industry and government in the fuel cell industry. The triple-helix system depicts the importance of the roles played by universities, industry and government as well as the importance of collaboration among them. Overall, this study aims to demonstrate the potential power of the triple-helix system to allow for the development of a globally competitive local fuel cell industry that may reduce the exportation of platinum resources for beneficiation purposes, rather utilising the potential within South Africa. This study will firstly explore the role of higher education institutions in supporting the development of the required skills for the fuel cell industry through relevant research and development projects that may result in fuel cell technology innovations and commercialisation opportunities. Secondly, the study will seek to demonstrate industry's role in continuously advancing workers’ skills through training and active knowledge transfer in collaboration with universities, as well as b eing involved with research and development projects at universities and research institutes with the aim of developing the fuel cell industry. The study will thirdly seek to document government’s role in providing support and guidance in the form of policy development and funding for research initiatives in the science and technology innovation space, as well as its role as mediator between the education and industrial sectors.Item The relationship between personal knowledge management and individual work performance: the moderating effect of self-perceived employability(2018) Rakotoarison, Lova MiarantsoaThis study sought to contribute to a further convergence between three topical research areas: Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), Individual Work Performance (IWP) and SelfPerceived Employability (SPE). Specifically, this study investigated the moderating effect of SPE on the relationship between PKM and IWP. PKM is an interdisciplinary concept, connected with management science, information science; information technology and other disciplines. The shift from the industrial economy to the knowledge economy has contributed to the surfacing of the knowledge-based view of the organisations and the emergence of the concept of knowledge workers or “people who think for a living” (Davenport, 2005). Knowledge workers are individuals who possess or seek to develop unique cognitive competencies and skills built upon effective PKM. While it has been acknowledged in the literature that PKM encompasses a competency aspect on the one hand and a technological perspective on the other hand, the overall reflection conducted in this study claimed to be skills/competencies centric. In that regard, a competency model developed by Kirby (2005, 2008) comprising of four-fold dimensions was used in this study to measure PKM. These four dimensions include analytical competencies (ANL), social competencies (SOC), information competencies (INF) and learning competencies (LRN). The construct of IWP relates to the individual behaviours or actions displayed by knowledge workers which are relevant to the goals of the organisation. This implies that IWP focuses on behaviours or actions of workers rather than the results of these actions. In addition, these behaviours should be under the control of the individual, thus excluding behaviours that are constrained by the environment. IWP was measured using the three components relevant to the IWP namely task performance (TSK), contextual performance (CON) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Employability concerns the extent to which people possess the skills and other attributes to find and stay in the kind of work they want. Such individuals are assumed to display a greater propensity to IWP. SPE is relating to a self-assessment of the employees as to how the organisation they are working for value them as individuals. Most importantly, SPE is associated with v individuals’ self-perception of their merit based more on their personal competencies than features of their occupation. Through a review of relevant literature this study discussed how PKM impacts IWP, and how SPE can potentially impact that relationship. This study used a sample of working professional students studying at Wits Plus (the University of the Witwatersrand’s centre for part-time studies), Wits Business School and Wits School of Governance and will perform Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and hierarchical regression for data analysis.Item The relations between leadership and knowledge management(2018) Jada, ShaheerIn their aim to gain the competitive edge, organisations are attempting to leverage off of their individual core competencies by turning towards knowledge management practices (KM). By successfully boosting knowledge management practices, organisations believe that this will aid them in increasing their productivity, achieving innovative solutions and achieving a better level of quality for their services and products to customers. Therefore, the contributions that may be brought by KM practices to the overall success of the firm have been extensively recognised. However past research has shown that both leadership behaviours as well as organisational climate are proven barriers to the organisations leveraging and creating knowledge. The existing body of knowledge posits that in order for knowledge management practices to be effective and implemented efficiently, a diagnostic fit needs to be done between the firm and the proposed knowledge management objectives. Therefore, it is critical to establish how leadership styles and organisational climate affect the firm’s capability to apply and create knowledge. Thereafter the firm may focus on relevant strategies that may be used to adjust the climate of the organisation or redesign it in order to support the knowledge management objectives. After critically evaluating the research pertaining to KM and leadership styles research illustrates supporting links. However, research relating to the combination of all three is severely lacking. Therefore, this study will examine this research gap. In precise terms, this study will examine the relationship between KM practices and leadership styles, whilst evaluating the moderating effects of the organisations climate. In order to do this, a conceptual framework will be developed that will compromise of four constructs, namely: transformational leadership, transactional leadership, organisational climate and KM practices. This research study will make use of a post positivist paradigm and will consist of a cross sectional research design. Quantitative data will be collected after evaluating the four main hypotheses in order to conclude if a relationship exists between all three variables. The participants for this study will be from a small and medium sized enterprise within South Africa. It is expected that all three variables bear a positive relationship to each other.Item Accelerating decision making under partial observability using learned action priors(2017) Mabena, NtokozoPartially Observable Markov Decision Processes (POMDPs) provide a principled mathematical framework allowing a robot to reason about the consequences of actions and observations with respect to the agent's limited perception of its environment. They allow an agent to plan and act optimally in uncertain environments. Although they have been successfully applied to various robotic tasks, they are infamous for their high computational cost. This thesis demonstrates the use of knowledge transfer, learned from previous experiences, to accelerate the learning of POMDP tasks. We propose that in order for an agent to learn to solve these tasks quicker, it must be able to generalise from past behaviours and transfer knowledge, learned from solving multiple tasks, between di erent circumstances. We present a method for accelerating this learning process by learning the statistics of action choices over the lifetime of an agent, known as action priors. Action priors specify the usefulness of actions in situations and allow us to bias exploration, which in turn improves the performance of the learning process. Using navigation domains, we study the degree to which transferring knowledge between tasks in this way results in a considerable speed up in solution times. This thesis therefore makes the following contributions. We provide an algorithm for learning action priors from a set of approximately optimal value functions and two approaches with which a prior knowledge over actions can be used in a POMDP context. As such, we show that considerable gains in speed can be achieved in learning subsequent tasks using prior knowledge rather than learning from scratch. Learning with action priors can particularly be useful in reducing the cost of exploration in the early stages of the learning process as the priors can act as mechanism that allows the agent to select more useful actions given particular circumstances. Thus, we demonstrate how the initial losses associated with unguided exploration can be alleviated through the use of action priors which allow for safer exploration. Additionally, we illustrate that action priors can also improve the computation speeds of learning feasible policies in a shorter period of time.Item Information technology, knowledge management and competitiveness: an empirical study in the South African hospitality context(2012-06-29) Olsen, KarenThe current contribution of the hospitality industry to South Africa’s GDP is estimated at 8.7% and this is targeted to increase to 9.4% by 2015. Yet, hospitality organisations in South Africa are under increasing pressure to remain competitive. One emerging school of thought links knowledge to competitiveness. Knowledge management has been the focus of much recent research, but there are few studies that investigate the potential competitive gains of knowledge in combination with IT, and even fewer within the context of the hospitality industry. The purpose of this paper is to examine the joint and independent effects of knowledge content, knowledge processes, and IT resources on the competitiveness of hospitality organisations. A research model was developed following a review of the literature. To test the model, a structured questionnaire was developed and a survey was conducted in hospitality organisations across South Africa. 112 Hospitality organisations participated from a sample of 656. Knowledge and IT together significantly and positively influence the financial performance of hotels. Results indicated that the acquisition, conversion, protection and application knowledge processes, knowledge content, IT infrastructure quality and IT capabilities significantly and positively affect market, financial, employee and customer performance, while knowledge sharing significantly and positively affects market, financial and employee customer performance. The mediating role of knowledge application on the relationship between knowledge processes and competitiveness was confirmed. The resulting models had adjusted R2 of .210 for market performance, .226 for financial performance, .118 for employee performance and .117 for customer performance. The findings of this paper benefit the hospitality industry by providing guidance to managers of hotels in their decisions to invest in knowledge management and IT to improve market, financial, employee and customer performance. An earlier version of this study’s research model and design was presented at the 12th annual Global Technology Management Association (GITMA) World Conference held in Las Vegas in June 2011. Citation: Cohen, J.F., Inward, K., Toleman, M. (2011). 'Knowledge Management, Information Technology Resources, and the Competitiveness of Hospitality Organisations' Twelfth Annual Global Information Technology Management (GITMA) World Conference, Las Vegas, USA, June 2011.Item Interdependency of knowledge management and learning : the case of higher education institutions in Uganda(2011-12-13) Turyasingura, WilberforceKnowledge management and organisational learning have received much attention in recent times, owing to the increased recognition which has been accorded knowledge as a source of organisational success and sustainability. Researchers and practitioners have become increasingly interested in striving to understand how the two notions can be harnessed in order to attain that success. However, while it seems clear that both knowledge management and organisational learning have the same goals, that is to nurture and harness knowledge resources, the concepts have tended, in the past, to be regarded independently of each other, with parallel strategies having been implemented for each. Such an imposed separation has, at times, resulted in resource duplication and unsatisfactory outcomes for the organisations concerned. The current study examines the nature of the relationship between knowledge management and organisational learning in higher educational institutions in Uganda, with the aim of providing a unified framework for understanding how the above-mentioned knowledge-based concepts relate to each other. A mixed methodology approach was applied to achieve the set objective. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires from 270 respondents, employed at six higher educational institutions (comprising four universities, one management development institute, and one business school). Qualitative data, in contrast, were collected by means of interviews which were conducted with 13 key informants from three different institutions. Analytical techniques of correlation analysis, regression analysis and canonical correlation analysis were applied to the quantitative data, while content analysis procedure was applied to the qualitative data. Empirical evidence confirmed that knowledge management and organisational learning have an interdependent relationship, which is manifested in two main dimensions, namely the institutional strategic focus and people (human resources) focus. Based on such dimensions, the study proposes a re-conceptualisation of the linkage between knowledge management and organisational learning, aimed at evolving the two concepts into a single organisational knowledge sustainability concept in higher educational institutions. Such a joint concept emphasises the effective utilisation of existing knowledge, while, at the same time, focusing on the importance of continuous learning for acquiring new knowledge to meet future organisational knowledge requirements. In addition, empirical evidence from this study show that knowledge management practices play an important role in promoting learning at various levels of the organisation. The study concludes that knowledge management has not been fully integrated in the strategic agenda of most higher education institutions in Uganda and much internal knowledge is not properly harnessed for the benefit of such institutions. The study recommends that, in the current information age, higher education institutions in Uganda should prioritise both knowledge management and organisational learning by implementing strategies aimed at exploiting existing knowledge, as well as at exploring new knowledge. Lastly, recommendations for future research are presented.Item Unit standards and organisational training in the financial services industry.(2011-04-20) Master, LindaThis research report investigates the way that course designers in the financial services industry use and engage with unit standards. The origins of unit standards, theories drawn from the sociology of education, and interviews with course developers jointly contribute to understanding how unit standards are received and used within an organisational context. Eight informal interviews were conducted with self-employed course designers, to examine how they use unit standards when developing learning material in business contexts. These interviews indicated that course designers had many issues and concerns regarding these documents. Five course developers working in three large organisations in the financial services industry were further interviewed, formally, to establish how they use and engage with unit standards. The findings from both sets of interviews suggest that unit standards are used in a limited capacity in organisational course development in this industry, because they do not correspond to the training requirements of the respective organisations interviewed. However, unit standards are used in Learnership programmes, because a different training objective is pursued, namely a social justice and redress objective and not a business objective. Although the research indicates that course developers would welcome some kind of standardisation or regulatory system to direct course design, they are opposed to the existing design and structure of unit standards.