CHAPTER 7: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.3 Summary of the findings based on the study’s research questions
126 This section provides a summary of the findings relating to the readiness of the KZN DPW in regard to implementing a KM initiative. From these findings, conclusions are drawn, based on the research questions the study aimed to answer, as presented in Chapter One.
7.3.1 What is the level of awareness concerning the concept of KM?
The findings revealed that the level of awareness of the concept of KM within KZN DPW is high and that, although the Department is practising KM only informally, some of this awareness appears to be emanating from within the Department itself. It emerged that some members of the Department’s management who are aware of KM and its benefits are practising KM within their sections and are encouraging their employees to implement a number of KM practices to prevent the loss of their sectional knowledge as well as a repetition of past errors.
One of the KM practices commonly mentioned by some of the Directors during the interviews was the retention of KM generated from a task or a project, which is preserved using folders within a computer or a shared drive that is accessible to every employee within the section.
Therefore, it can be concluded that even though there are some respondents who are not aware of KM, the majority of the respondents have at least some knowledge about KM and its benefits and they support the formal implementation of a KM initiative in the Department.
7.3.2 How does the departmental culture support KM practices?
The findings showed that the culture of the KZN DPW is regarded as the least helpful enabler in the utilization of KM practices. This is because a culture of self-reliance and of using one’s background knowledge to complete a task is currently dominant within the Department.
However, the findings further showed that there are differing viewpoints among the employees, the management and between the management in determining whether the Departmental culture supports KM practices.
Half of the Directors interviewed revealed that the Departmental culture does support KM practices and the other half felt that since there is no formal KM initiative in place, it is challenging to instil a culture that is supportive of KM. The lack of common perspective among these respondents gives the impression that the organizational culture of the KZN DPW is not likely to be conducive to the establishment of a KM initiative, if implemented and therefore this culture requires transformation into one that is friendly towards KM practices.
127 7.3.3 What impact does the organizational structure have on KM?
The findings revealed that the hierarchical structure, which is equivalent to the strategic business unit (SBU) structure identified in Chapter Two (See Section 2.5.4), is the most appropriate structural category in which to place the KZN DPW as regards its present structure.
However, based on the literature reviewed in this study, it is evident that this type of structure does not work very well in ensuring the effectiveness of a KM initiative. Furthermore, the Directors interviewed differed in opinion in terms of how the organizational structure affects communication flow and the promotion of the expression of employees’ views.
The findings further revealed that various Departmental and Sectional meetings are used to encourage employees to express their opinions and communicate freely; however, it appears that even when those views are articulated, the Department’s management does not readily consider adopting them. Therefore, it is evident that the structure of KZN DPW will negatively influence a KM initiative, if one is implemented. On the other hand, since government departments are hierarchical in nature, radical changes to the organizational structure is not feasible. Alterations to such a structure to accommodate a KM initiative includes incorporating some of the matrix’s structural operations (as discussed in Chapter Two), allowing the Department to be a learning organization and providing the ability for Departmental managers and employees to create and manage knowledge effectively.
7.3.4 How does the organizational strategic plan promote KM?
The findings showed that the KZN DPW strategic plan encourages the management of knowledge since it promotes the creation and preservation of new knowledge. However, as no formal procedures for managing knowledge are in place, this strategic plan will not fully mature unless the Department decides to implement a KM initiative and acquire all the benefits of KM.
Furthermore, the manner in which knowledge is managed in this Department was regarded important as it affects decision-making, performance and service delivery. Therefore, it can thus be concluded that the KZN DPW stands ready to reap significant benefits if it implements a KM initiative, in view of the fact that its strategic planning is already promoting the management of knowledge.
128 7.3.5 What are the communication tools and human resources available for effective KM
within the KZN DPW?
The findings revealed that the KZN DPW has basic communication tools available to initiate KM practices, but the required ICTs for the effective implementation of KM are lacking.
Bulletin boards or e-departmental notices, commonly known as circulars, are the most widely used tools for communication; while Departmental emails through the intranet as well as the database are employed to access information. In terms of the human resources available for effective KM, generally, KZN DPW employees are placed according to their skills and qualifications and they are knowledgeable about their areas of expertise with regard to performing their jobs, meaning that they are aware of their strengths and weaknesses regarding the knowledge they possess. Therefore, a formal KM initiative can help create KM processes that assist in the exchange of the expertise the employees have, resulting in the success of the initiative. Moreover, this study concludes that a central person such as a Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) and a component dedicated to overseeing the proper functioning of these KM processes is required for KZN DPW if a formal KM initiative is to be implemented.