Knowledge management in research organisations: A knowledge audit By BEATRICE ALIBA . ALBBEA002 A minor dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Library and Information Science Supervised by: Dr. J.G Smith Faculty of the Humanities University of Cape Town University of Cape Town 2008 The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town DECLARATION This work 'Knowledge management in research organisations: a knowledge audit', is my own work. This work has not been submitted previously in whole, or in part for the award of any degree. Each significant contribution and quotation has been indicated, acknowledged and referenced. Signature: ___ _ · ABSTRACT This dissertation focuses on a knowledge audit that was conducted in a research organisation (PLAAS) at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa. A knowledge and information audit provides a framework that examines the ways in which an organisation handles and leverages its knowledge and information assets. The a"'dit examines ways an organisation creates, generates, disseminates, stores and shares its knowledge and information resources. In the process, the gaps, sinks, and duplications are revealed; providing useful information that can support decis.ion making and knowledge management initiatives to enhance organisational productivity and effectiveness. This relates specifically to developing relevant information and knowledge strategies, to understanding an organisation's knowledge and information needs and aligning these with the right tools that will facilitate efficiency"in an organisation's core engagements. This knowledge and information audit was exploratory in nature and sought to understand the current information and knowledge environment of the organisation. It was anticipated that the results would augment and feed into the current reflections of the organisation on how to leverage its knowledge and information assets and improve efficiency and remain competitive in the market place. The audit was carried out at PLAAS, a research unit that produces considerable research output based on the empirical studies that the staff conducts. The organisation, in addition, is actively involved in forums that debate and engage with various players in the land and agrarian sector in South Africa. These engagements are at a level where they influence policy matters related to land and agrarian matters in the new South Africa. This audit sought to examine what information and knowledge supports core engagements of the staff, what information and knowledge they use, where they find it and in the process establish the gaps, and challenges staff face as they carry out their core research duties. The audit adopted a qualitative approach to research, where interviews were the primary source of data collection. An interview guide was developed to facilitate the 11 data collection and twelve (12) interviews were conducted. The themes, recurring items, and unique views that emerged guided the analysis. Recommendations to improve the current knowledge and information environment took the form of a 'Road Map for-Knowledge Management' that the organisation can adopt to enhance the current operating system. The knowledge and information audit showed that the organisation is very knowledge-oriented and extensively engaged in knowledge work even though this is not explicitly referred to as 'Knowledge Management'. Many shortcomings were identified with regard to the knowledge and information system that is currently in place and these specifically relate to: the organisational structure, organisational memory, organisational technology infrastructure, infrastructure, knowledge sharing activities, and the organisational culture. The results suggested that the organisation needs to strengthen aspects in these areas in order to remain efficient and support .. the staff in their daily work activities. The outcomes further suggest that knowledge audit methodologies (as an area of knowledge management) need to develop and be standardized and that more research needs to be conducted in this field of knowledge management. l1l TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION •.•...•••....................•••••..•.......................•••••••••.....•...........•......•.•••••••..••.•.........•......•..••..••...... I ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS•..••.••..•••.•..••..............••••••• •••••••••••••••......•••.....••...•..••••••••••••...•...•••............••.••.•• IX DEDICATION .............................................................................................................................................. X CHAPTER ONE.................. ..................................................................................................................... - 1 - INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY •..........•...........•......•..•...••.........•..•..•.....•.•......•.••••.......................••• - 1 - 1.1 INTRODUCfiON AND BACKGROUND .......••..•..••••......•.••..••.•••••••••••••••.•••...•.....•••..••..•.•••..•••..••..••••..•.•..•. - 1 - 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT ..•••.•••..•.•.•..••••..•.•••••...•.•••••••.•••.••.•••..••••••••..•..•••••••.•.•••••••••••..•••..•••..••.....••..•....•- 4- 1.3 REsEARCH OBJECfiVES ••.•••....•••..........•.....•......••••...•...•...•..•..••..•••••••••••••••.••.•••....•.•.••••••••.•••••..••...•••.. - 4 - 1.4 REsEARCH QUESTIONS ••.•••.••••••••••.•••••..•••••.•••.•••.••...••••••••..••••••••••••••••••.•.••••..••••••••.••••••••••••••.••••.••••.•••. - 6 - 1.5 REsEARCH METHODOLOGY •..•....•.••..•••..••••...•.••.•...••••...•••••.•••••••.•••••........•••••••.••••••.••••.•••••••••...••..•.•... - 6 - 1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ••.••..•...........•.....•••••••..••.....•••..•.•.•.•••.••••••••..••••.••••••••...•••.•.•.•..••...••.•••...•- 6 - 1.7 STRUCfURE OF THE CHAPTERS •••••.......•.•••.••...••.••••..•••••...•..•.••.••••••••••••••••.•••..•••.•••.••..••...•.••..•..••...••..•- 7 - CHAPTER TWO ...•......••..........•..•.......................•••.•••...••..................•.....•.•..••.•••...............•.................•..• - 9 - THE TARGET ORGANISATION ......•••..............•.•••.•••.••••...................•••........••.•••..•.•...•••.............•....... - 9 - 2.1 INTRODUCfiON ••.•••.••••••••••...•...••.•...••....•.•..•••....•.•...•......••.••.•.•••••••..••.••••••.•••.••••.••••.••••.•••••••.••..••..•.••..- 9 - 2.2 'HISTORY, MISSION AND VISION ......................................................................................................- 10 - 2.3 STAFF PROFILE ................................................................................................................................ - 11 - 2.4 DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS, KNOWLEDGE, AND INFORMATION ...................................-12- 2.5 TEACHING, SUPERVISION AND TRAINING ACfiVITIES .......................................................................- 13- 2.6 DIE REsOURCE CENTRE .................................................................................................................. - 13 - 2.7 TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS ..............................................................................................................- 14 - 2.8 SOURCES OF FUNDING .....................................................................................................................- 14- 2.9 PARTNERSHIPS ................................................................................................................................. - 15- 2.10 REsEARCH AND POLICY ENGAGEMENT ..........................................................................................- 16 - 2.11 E MERGING ISSUES AND CONCLUSION..... ........................................................................................- 18 - lV CHAPTER THREE ••••..•••••••.•••.••..•••.•..••••.••..•••••.•.•••••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••..••.••••••.••••••••••••.••.••••••.•••...•••.••• - 19 - KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT •••.••..•••••.•••••.•.•••.•••••••••...•••.•••••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••••••••.••••••..••••••.•••••.••• -19- 3.1 INIRODUCfiON •.•.••..••••..•..•••...•••.•...••......•.•........••••.•••...••..••.••..••...••••••••••.•••.••••.•••••.•••••...••..••..•••..••.• - 19- 3.2 WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE? •...•.•..•.•.....•..•..••.......•..•...••..••...••..•••••.•••.•.•••••••••••••..••••.••••...••••...•.........•..•... - 21- 3.2.1 Organisationallcnowledge ..................................................................................................... - 23- 3.2.2 Tacit knowledge ..................................................................................................................... - 25- 3.2.3 Explicit knowledge ................................................................................................................. - 25- 3.2.4 Cultural knowledge ................................................................................................................ - 26- 3.3 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT DEFINED ............................................................................................ - 27- 3.4 BENEFITS