Knowledge management awareness in South African provincial government departments: The case of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works, Pietermaritzburg

Fulufhelo Nenungwi,Francis Garaba

doi:10.4102/sajim.v24i1.1456

Fulufhelo Nenungwi, Francis Garaba

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v24i1.1456

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Abstract

Background: Knowledge management (KM) holds a major influence on the effective delivery of services in government departments as it is tactically affiliated to the formation, composition, and sharing of information to prevent ‘reinvention of the wheel’ by staffs when performing their jobs. However, few government departments within the South African context have implemented formal KM initiatives.Objectives: This research sought to examine the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works (Pietermaritzburg) employees’ awareness of any KM initiatives, their benefits, and barriers that are preventing the successful implementation of a formal initiative.Method: A survey research approach was utilised in which structured questionnaires were administered to respondents. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS).Results: The research established that KM initiatives are being practiced informally within the Department and there is a reasonably high level of awareness of these initiatives together with the benefits associated with them. The lack of a dedicated unit for KM and KM professionals are some of the barriers to the successful implementation of formal initiatives.Conclusion: The research concluded that the Department is in dire need of a formal KM initiative to reap the potential benefits and improve service delivery.

Highlights

The impact that the global economy has on organisations today is realised in the modifications they need to continuously make to the way they operate; the organisations need to have endless phases of transformation for them to be seen as effective. Biswas, Khan and Biswas (2017:66) noted that ‘public sector organizations (PSOs) are lagging in the implementation of knowledge management (KM)’
Formal KM initiatives require a strong organisational culture that encourages knowledge sharing and consultation (Kermally 2002), and the findings of this study revealed that the culture relating to knowledge sharing across departmental boundaries and informal knowledge exchange in the Department was actively encouraged as indicated by a majority 38 (62%) of the respondents
This study was conducted with a special focus on four sections within the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works (KZN DPW) Head Office

Summary

Introduction

The impact that the global economy has on organisations today is realised in the modifications they need to continuously make to the way they operate; the organisations need to have endless phases of transformation for them to be seen as effective. Biswas, Khan and Biswas (2017:66) noted that ‘public sector organizations (PSOs) are lagging in the implementation of KM’. Biswas, Khan and Biswas (2017:66) noted that ‘public sector organizations (PSOs) are lagging in the implementation of KM’. The PSOs are unable to adapt to the rapidly changing society surrounding them because they are not yet making the required paradigm shift brought about by the information revolution (Minnaar & Bekker 2005). Within this paradigm, a resource such as information is imperative for effective management so that organisations can efficiently satisfy and deliver the expected level of service (Minnaar & Bekker 2005). Few government departments within the South African context have implemented formal KM initiatives

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion