Manufacturing Industries in Africa's Least Developed Countries: a Critical Analysis of the Use of Knowledge Gatekeepers within the context of a Knowledge Management Environment

ABSTRACT

The main aim of this study was to study how knowledge management and knowledge gatekeeper can be used to improve quality in manufacturing industry. The researcher began the study with the following objectives in mind. These objectives were

To study the concept of knowledge management and knowledge economy

To study the concept of knowledge economy

To study different types of knowledge and difficulties associated with transfer of these knowledge

To study the impact of culture, trust and identity, relational context and proximities

To study the knowledge environment in developing countries and the challenges associated

To study the role of gate keepers and key man

The researcher successfully completed the above mentioned objectives by end of this research. The researcher began with in-depth study on knowledge management. The researcher did extensive study and compiled literature review. The methodology section was based on primary research. The researcher conducted interviews to meet the objectives. The following section presented conclusion of the research.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACTii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

1.1 Rationale1

1.2 Research problem2

1.3 Research Aim and Objective3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW4

2.1 Definitions4

2.1.1 Knowledge Management4

2.1.2 Knowledge based economy5

2.2 Knowledge Transfer: Concept and Taxonomy5

2.3 Types of knowledge6

2.3.1 Experiential6

2.3.2 Tacit6

2.3.3 Codified6

2.3.4 Architectural knowledge7

2.4 Difficulties associated with transferring different types of knowledge7

2.5 How do the following shape knowledge creation and transfer?7

2.5.1 Culture7

2.5.2 Trust and Identity7

2.5.3 Relational Context8

2.5.4 Proximities8

2.6 Knowledge Environment in Developing Countries8

2.7 Challenges of Organisation Knowledge Management in the Developing Countries10

2.8 Organisation Structures, Weak institutional Systems, Policies and Procedures: How they shape a Knowledge Management Environment.11

2.9 Knowledge Creation and Transfer Strategies11

2.10 The use of communities of Practice12

2.10.1 What is it?12

2.10.2 How does it work?13

2.10.3 Can they be or are they Knowledge Gatekeepers?13

2.11 The Use of Key Man14

2.11.1 Who are they?14

2.11.2 How do they work?14

2.12 Knowledge Transaction Officers15

2.12.1 How do they work?15

2.13 Technological Knowledge Gatekeepers16

2.13.1 Who are they?16

2.13.2 How do they work?16

2.13.3 Can they be knowledge gatekeepers?17

2.14 Knowledge Gatekeepers18

2.15 Overall Conclusion18

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY20

3.1 The Research Framework20

3.2 Research philosophy23

3.3 The Research Strategy24

3.4 Research Instruments24

3.5 The implementation of the research: strategy and process24

3.6 Qualitative Data Analysis25

3.7 Strength and weakness of the mixed research25

3.7.1 Strengths25

3.7.2 Weaknesses25

3.8 Conclusion25

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION26

4.1 Interview Analysis26

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION30

REFERENCES32

APPENDICES36

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale

There is widespread recognition that businesses and their contexts have changed or is changing significantly from that of the industrial era. The post-industrial environment is viewed as radically different from the earlier industrial era in many respects. For example, Huber (1984) contents that the post-industrial society will be characterized by more and increasing knowledge, complexity, and turbulence, which will impose distinctly different demands on organizations for decision making, innovation, and information acquisition and distribution. This emerging paradigm is addressed as 'knowledge economy', 'networked economy', 'information age', and 'knowledge-based society' among many other labels. 'Knowledge' has become a key aspect of this paradigm, where organizations are viewed as creating economic wealth through its transformation.

Many factors are put forword as reasons for this change, of which, globalization, advancements in technology, changes in managerial practices and other social ...