Knowledge creation and transfer amongst post-graduate students : a research project.
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Date
2014
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Abstract
Knowledge is believed to be the last competitive advantage that organizations have, be it
academic or corporate, small to medium enterprises, and non-government and government
organizations. The knowledge that an organization has stems from the individuals they
develop and the tangible and intangible resources available. The skill shortages, hypercompetitive
economic environments, and untapped economies that exist have created great
deal of focus in knowledge. Continuously creating and transferring the valuable resource of
knowledge is integral for every organization.
The purpose of the research project is to address by what methods post graduate students are
generating along with transferring knowledge in the School of Management, IT, and
Governance at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The primary focus of the research project is
established from the knowledge (SECI) spiral model which was developed by Nonaka and
Takeuchi (1995), and the knowledge conversion modes that are embedded within the
knowledge spiral.
An extensive literature review was carried out to gain valuable insight and understanding of
the knowledge (SECI) spiral model developed by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995). The
literature review focused on the interpretations of tacit and explicit knowledge, the interplay
between the two concepts (knowledge conversion), the knowledge spiral, the theory of Ba,
the knowledge enablers, as well as the building blocks of the knowledge spiral - data,
information, and knowledge. An e-mail and personally administered questionnaire survey
was employed to collect data from post-graduate students at the School of Management, IT
and Governance in the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The data was analyzed and utilized to
distinguish in Nonaka and Takeuchi's model is in use or not based on the four modes of
knowledge conversion. Frequency tables provided the researcher with a means to study
differences between respondents. What has been identified is that the School of Management,
IT and Governance in the University of KwaZulu-Natal has the mechanisms in place to
facilitate knowledge creation and transfer but tend to focus on the four modes of knowledge
conversion in varying degrees.
Description
M. Com. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2014.
Keywords
Knowledge management., Knowledge workers., Knowledge economy., Theses -- Management studies.