Management support and involvement

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knowledge within the organisation in one of the discussion sessions, which are considered a knowledge transfer initiative.

Thirty three percent (33%) of the participants stated that the management only partially supports knowledge transfer initiatives. These participants opined that management does not support KT as they should because it is not a priority. The focus, according to P8, is on results. “I would say I don’t know. My observation is that they are concentrating on results. You might find information because results are not what is expected, that’s when knowledge is transferred” (P8) (Appendix C).

Contrary to this, 20% stated that the management does not support knowledge transfer initiatives. P12 is quoted saying: “There are none. I do not see any serious attempt to raise [the] level of one area or another. There is no strategic intent”

(Appendix C). The participant and others believe there are no knowledge transfer initiatives within the organisation.

Finding 13: The management of the selected organisation seems to support knowledge transfer initiatives although there is a difference of opinion on this issue

4.5.3.2 Recent activities by senior management

Participants have been asked to identify recent activities conducted by senior management to promote KT. Of the fifteen participants that have been interviewed, six participants felt there are no activities conducted by senior management to promote KT. However, eight of the fifteen participants said there are activities and those activities are presented in Table 4.8.

Table 4.8: Recent activities by senior management

Recent activities by senior management Development of the Knowledge Centre

ARIS

Learning and development Feedback session

i) Knowledge Centre

P3, P6 and P10 said the Knowledge Centre is the recent activity by management to promote KT. P3 said: “I think it’s stuck with me” (Appendix C). The participant referred to the Knowledge Centre that is still in a development stage.

45 ii) ARIS

P11 and P13 identified ARIS as one of the recent activities by senior management to promote KT. P13 stated that “initially, we were encouraged to know ARIS and we got training on how to work around it” (Appendix C).

iii) Learning and development

P1, P10 and P14 identified learning and development as a recent or rather a continuous activity by senior management to promote KT. In relation to the findings, P10 said: “Absolutely, we all on leadership boot camps at the moment where we are trying to improve what we do so they are thing like coaching for growth, great place to work, and all that. So that is how you share that information and transfer that knowledge” (Appendix C).

iv) Feedback sessions

The last activity cited by a participant is the feedback sessions. According to P2, “I would say yes. Recently we had a feedback session for an example which gave us an insight to where the business is going” (Appendix C). The senior management does provide feedback to its staff members with regard to goals and projects.

Finding 14: The organisation has had some activities by senior management to promote KT, including the Knowledge Centre, ARIS, learning and development and feedback sessions. Learning and development, also known as training, is the most popular activity to promote KT

4.5.3.3 Senior management actively encouraging knowledge transfer

The participants were asked whether senior management is actively encouraging KT. Figure 4.12 presents the results.

Thirty seven percent (37%) of the participants felt that senior management is not actively encouraging KT, while 26% said yes, management does actively encourage it. P7 said: “There is constant thinking, asking questions, constant information going through, constantly looking for ways to improve what we’re actually doing”

(Appendix C).

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Figure 4.12: Active encouragement of knowledge transfer

A further 37% said senior management supports KT only partially. Among those, P11 stated: “They do actively promote it but in my opinion not to see the result of it but because it is on the score sheet to do. They are not going to tell you to take somebody, to take another person, on the wing to show them how something is done” (Appendix C). According to this participant, the responsibility is not entirely on the management of the organisation; the employees have a role to play too.

Finding 15: The management is not actively encouraging knowledge transfer 4.5.3.4 Senior management’s participation and follow-up

The last question the participants have been asked in this section is whether the senior management participates and follows up on knowledge transfer initiatives held in the organisation. The findings are presented in Figure 4.13.

20%

67% 13%

Yes Somewhat No

Figure 4.13: Participation and follow-up

Figure 4.13 shows that 67% of the participants opined that the senior management does not participate and follow up on knowledge transfer initiatives held. Of the 67%, P8 said: “I don’t know of any knowledge transfer sessions. There is probably one example of the feedback session which I think is just a tick box that he has done it” (Appendix C). The participant felt that staff feedback sessions are not being followed up. It is held simply because the management is expected to do these sessions.

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P13 is among the 20% of participants who indicated that the senior management does participate and follow up on knowledge transfer initiatives. P13 said: “I would say so because I know [name deleted] runs with ARIS so quarterly she would meet with the manager and his boss to give feedback” (Appendix C).

A further 13% said that the senior management only partially participates and follows up on knowledge transfer initiatives. P7 stated: “I do not think they always do follow up. It can be done better. So it’s an area of improvement. Sometimes we think when you walk out of the training and someone has signed a register or gave feedback on a feedback sheet that is the follow [up]” (Appendix C). According to this participant, follow-ups are done but can be done better.

Finding 16: Management does not participate and follow up on knowledge transfer initiatives