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Research Publications (Academic Support)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/211

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Start date: 2023Subject: search.filters.subject.Human resource management

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    HRM alignment and integration in knowledge risk management in South African state-owned enterprises
    (Academic Conferences International Ltd, 2024) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas
    Most state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa face serious challenges with tacit knowledge loss risks, largely due to a lack of alignment and integration points for human resource management (HRM) practices in knowledge management to effectively manage such knowledge loss risks. This study was interdisciplinary in nature, presenting empirical evidence of a strong connection between HRM and knowledge management (KM), especially its knowledge risk management (KRM) sub-domain. The research paper employed a qualitative research design, which involved collecting in-depth qualitative data through interviews with 20 human resource (HR) managers in 9 SOEs. The qualitative data extracted through the interviews were analyzed thematically using Atlas.ti software. The research results revealed that HRM practices are not aligned, integrated and focused on mitigating enterprise tacit knowledge loss risks in most South African SOEs. A lack of HRM alignment and integration was a serious issue across the board, irrespective of whether the participating SOEs had knowledge management structures, roles and strategies in place. However, on a positive note, HR managers acknowledged the need for the integration and alignment of HRM strategies regarding effective knowledge loss risk management. The study highlights a deficiency in HRM alignment and integration for effective knowledge loss risk management. The researcher infers that HRM alignment and integration in KRM has a critical strategic and operational role to play in the mitigation of enterprise knowledge risks, as well as in developing the required knowledge management capabilities. The study sought to close a knowledge gap in the existing body of knowledge by presenting empirical evidence identifying alignment and integration points of HRM strategies into KRM for SOEs to effectively reduce knowledge loss risks. Furthermore, the study presents a strong link between HRM and KRM in building KM capacity for the reduction of the risks associated with tacit knowledge loss.
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    Key organisational barriers to effective knowledge risk management in South African public sector enterprises
    (OmniaScience, 2024) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas
    Purpose: The aim of this study was to delve into the obstacles preventing the effective management of tacit knowledge risks in South African public sector enterprises (PSEs) from the perspectives of human resource management (HRM) and knowledge management (KM).A perusal of the literature reveals that most South African PSEs are grappling with significant challenges related to potential tacit knowledge loss risks.Design/methodology/approach: The research utilised a mixed methods exploratory sequential design, collecting qualitative data through interviews with 20 HR managers in 9 PSEs and survey data from 585 questionnaires. The reliability of the data was tested, and thematic analysis was performed using Atlas.ti software.Findings: The study identified key barriers to effective tacit knowledge loss risk management in PSEs, including a silo mentality, organisational red-tape, knowledge as a power source, lack of recognition and rewards, KM awareness, cultures and structures, employment equity, fixed-term contracts, competing priorities for leadership, knowledge hoarding, HRM practices, and inadequate KM technologies and systems. These pressing issues need to be addressed to improve knowledge risk management (KRM) efforts in PSEs.Research limitations/implications:The exploration of organisational barriers was only limited to the tacit knowledge loss risks category, induced by human resource turnover in country-specific PSEs. Future studies could explore the organisational barriers and factors affecting other types of knowledge risks in PSEs or similar knowledge-intensive business enterprises across the globe using different samples and populations. Other similar studies could include strategic sectors of the economy such as energy generation, civil aviation, defence, mining and rail. The study contributes to the knowledge-based view and knowledge stickiness theories, and proposes an interdisciplinarity approach using mixed methods for future research on tacit knowledge loss.Practical implications: The research findings conclusively indicate that PSEs face the aforementioned barriers that hinder the effective implementation of the KRM system. This study identifies that key organisational barriers were mainly due to a lack of knowledge-driven HRM strategies in KM. To address these barriers, HR managers and other stakeholders must collaborate to ensure effective knowledge management and mitigate the negative impact of knowledge loss risks on organisational performance.Social Implications: The study highlights the importance of removing key barriers for improved KRM in PSEs. The improved KRM can enhance public service delivery efficiency, transparency and the accountability of PSEs by addressing socio-economic developmental issues in developing economies. Originality/value: Using South African PSEs as a case to address this challenge, the paper sought to explore key organisational barriers to effective knowledge loss risk management in organisations with a view to shaping discourse, policies, research, theories and practices in KM and HRM. Organisational barriers affecting the management of such risks remain unexplored in the extant body of knowledge and practice.
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    Understanding tacit knowledge loss in public enterprises of South Africa
    (AOSIS, 2024-01-01) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas; Ngulube, Patrick
    Orientation: South African state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are facing a perpetual struggle of institutional tacit knowledge loss, which poses a risk to these entities and threatens their sustainability. The research project endeavoured to tackle these challenges from knowledge management (KM) and human resource management (HRM) perspectives and proposes a plethora of integrated knowledge-driven HRM processes to mitigate risks associated with loss of tacit knowledge. Research purpose: The study provides an integrated understanding of the issues relating to the causes of enterprise tacit knowledge loss and extent to which there is recognition of company knowledge loss in selected SOEs in South Africa. Motivation for the study: There is limited research that provides an integrated approach to tacit knowledge loss from KM and HRM standpoints. Research approach/design and method: The exploratory sequential mixed-methods research design was used in this study. In the qualitative phase of this research, data were collected from the annual reports of the SOEs and unstructured interviews with 20 purposively selected human resource (HR) managers, which was subsequently analysed thematically using ATLAS.ti software. The quantitative data from 145 out of 585 respondents were analysed statistically using Statistical Analysis Software (SAS). Main findings: The study revealed that organisational tacit knowledge loss is largely caused by voluntary and involuntary employee turnover and a lack of retention strategies. This adversely affects the knowledge base and the knowledge absorptive and protective capacities of the SOEs. Practical implications/managerial implications: The study concludes that the journey for ensuring effective knowledge transfer and retention of valuable enterprise knowledge starts with the appreciation of knowledge as a key firm-specific strategic issue. Contribution/value-add: This study offers an integrated understanding of the causes of tacit knowledge loss for effective management in SOEs researched interdependently from KM and HRM perspectives.
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    Building knowledge absorptive capacity in South African public companies through recruitment practices
    (Academic Conferences International Ltd, 2023-01-01) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas
    Most state-owned companies (SOCs) in South Africa are in a perpetual struggle to recruit human resources and replenish their intangible knowledge asset losses that are largely due to high employee turnover. The study is interdisciplinary in nature, presenting a strong link between recruitment practice, employee turnover, knowledge loss and knowledge absorptive capacity. The research project used a mixed methods exploratory sequential design by gathering in-depth qualitative data through interviews with 20 human resource managers in 9 SOCs. Survey data was collected from a 25% response rate to the 585 distributed questionnaires. The survey instrument was tested for reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha at 0.94. The qualitative data extracted through the interviews were analyzed thematically using Atlas.ti software, whilst the quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Analysis Software (SAS). The findings revealed that due to increased human resources mobility, human resource management (HRM) establishments in many SOCs were in a perpetual struggle to fill vacancies in mission-critical areas. Knowledge-loss induced by human resource attrition was a serious challenge in most SOCs. On a positive note, the study revealed that recruitment practices were knowledge-driven, largely because they supported SOCs in the sourcing of the required company-specific human and knowledge resources, albeit some extant challenges. The study concluded that HRM recruitment practices build knowledge absorptive capacity in South African SOCs.