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Developing knowledge protective capacity through retention practices in South African state-owned companies
(AOSIS, 2023-12) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas
Background: Extant knowledge management (KM) literature has established the importance of human resource management (HRM) practices and their relationship in support of the effective management of organisational tacit knowledge, albeit at a theoretical level. This study attempts to address this research gap by empirically exploring and focusing on specific HRM retention practices in support of knowledge transfer and retention efforts in the context of South African state-owned companies (SOCs). Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which HRM retention practices help to develop knowledge protection capacities in ensuring effective mitigation of enterprise tacit knowledge loss in South African SOCs. Method: This study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods research (MMR) design to investigate knowledge retention practices in South African SOCs. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 human resource managers and a survey with 585 randomly selected respondents, achieving a 25% response rate. Results: South African SOCs lack knowledge-driven retention strategies, which could reduce labour turnover and knowledge loss risks. These issues include success management, incentive schemes, job rotation, post-retirement knowledge contracting, counter-offers and job shadowing. If unaddressed, these issues could threaten organisational performance and economic sustainability. Conclusion: Insofar as human resource retention practices are concerned, this study concludes that they are not knowledge-driven, thus not helping SOCs in building the necessary capacities and capabilities for the protection of enterprise-specific knowledge assets. Contribution: This study sought to close a gap in research and practice linking human resource retention and knowledge protective strategies to address knowledge loss risks in SOCs. Keywords: knowledge protective capacity; human resource retention practices; knowledge loss; knowledge retention; knowledge transfer; state-owned enterprises; South Africa.
Human resource management as a facilitator of a knowledge-driven organisational culture and structure for the reduction of tacit knowledge loss in South African state-owned enterprises
(AOSIS, 2022-10-10) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas
Background: Many state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa face the serious problem of knowledge-unfriendly organisational cultures, structures and human resource management (HRM) practices that hinder the reduction of the risks associated with tacit knowledge loss. Objective: The article examines the role of HRM in facilitating knowledge-driven organisational cultures and structures for the reduction of tacit knowledge loss in South African SOEs. Methods: The study deployed an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design to examine the role of HRM in facilitating organisational cultures and structures that are supportive of knowledge management (KM). In the qualitative phase, data were collected through interviews with 20 purposively selected HR managers in nine SOEs. In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was distributed to 585 randomly selected employees in three state owned companies. The instrument was considered reliable with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.94 and a response rate of 25%. Results: The research findings revealed that a majority of organisational cultures and structures in SOEs did not facilitate or assist to propel and support KM activities, behaviours and practices. On a positive note, human resource managers acknowledge that they have a crucial role to play in influencing culture management and structural designs in their companies to boost KM activities, behaviours and cultures. Conclusion: Numerous SOEs did not exhibit certain knowledge-driven behaviours and cultures because of a lack of structures to drive KM. Human resource managers did not exert their role in driving and influencing such knowledge-based behaviours, cultures and structures to lessen potential tacit knowledge loss.
Mitigating risks of tacit knowledge loss in state-owned enterprises in South Africa through knowledge management practices
(AOSIS, 2022-02-01) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas; Ngulube, Patrick
Background: State-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa face a serious challenge of knowledge loss caused largely by resignations, the ageing workforce and a lack of knowledge management (KM) practices. Objective: This article explores KM practices in the South African SOEs to mitigate the risks inherent in tacit knowledge loss. Methods: The study adopted a mixed methods research strategy using an exploratory sequential design to identify KM practices and their effectiveness in addressing the issue of tacit knowledge loss. The qualitative data was collected through the interviews and document analysis of 2018 annual reports in nine SOEs across five market sectors. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 585 respondents, with a 25% response rate (145) for quantitative data in three SOEs. Results: The results revealed that the majority of the SOEs lacked KM practices in their structures. The lack of KM practices implies that the SOEs are lagging behind in knowledge protective capacities to mitigate the risks inherent in the organisational tacit knowledge loss. With many South African SOEs, facing all these sorts of knowledge loss risks and a lack of KM practices to mitigate them, achieving the objectives of a developmental state remains a far fetched idea. Conclusion: The absence of KM practices negatively affected knowledge transfer and retention in most of the SOEs. A lack of KM practices will negatively affect their performance and their sustainability to deliver on their developmental mandate. Investment in KM practices will assist SOEs to mitigate the risks associated with loss of organisational tacit knowledge.
Mitigating tacit knowledge loss in South African state-owned companies : HRM approach
(Academic Conferences International Ltd, 2023-01-01) Phaladi, Malefetjane Phineas
This study is an interdisciplinary research that sought to explore knowledge loss risks interdependently in relation to the knowledge management (KM) and human resource management (HRM) disciplines in South African state-owned companies (SOCs). This study highlighted the significant role of knowledge-based HRM systems, which will naturally enhance the management capacity of tacit knowledge to mitigate risks and assist SOCs to deliver on a developmental mandate, as well as ensure their survival and the economic growth of developing nations. The paper aims to explore the connection between KM and HRM practices for the effective management of enterprise tacit knowledge loss risks using the SOCs of South Africa as a case. This study is a mixed methods research project, using the exploratory sequential design as a research strategy. Data were collected qualitatively through interviews with 20 purposively nominated human resource managers, and survey data was collected randomly from 25% (145 of the 585 responses) of the workers employed in SOCs. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using Atlas.ti and Statistical data were analysed using SAS and exploratory factor analysis. The relationship between HRM and KM practices in lessening the risks inherent in tacit knowledge loss, mainly from voluntary turnover, is underdeveloped in many South African SOCs. The study established that the role of HRM in supporting KM is limited and underdeveloped in many SOCs, largely because they are lagging in key structures and knowledge-centric cultures, behaviours and HRM practices to drive the effective management of company knowledge. This study assists HRM executives and KM practitioners to develop knowledge-driven HRM practices in order to mitigate risks from the loss of tacit knowledge, whilst ensuring sustained performance in public enterprises. The study and proposed strategies seek to influence the discourse, policies, practices and theories on KM and HRM praxis in companies to mitigate the risks associated with the loss of tacit knowledge.