Knowledge retention strategies in public sector organizations

Abstract

This article discusses knowledge retention strategies in public sector organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. Based on a survey of empirical and theoretical literature the article addresses the following research questions: What organizational learning activities take place in public sector organizations? What strategies are public sector organizations using to capture and retain knowledge? What ICT infrastructure is available in public sector organizations for knowledge capturing and sharing? What challenges face public sector organizations in sub-Saharan Africa in capturing and retaining knowledge? What is the current status of knowledge retention in the public sector in sub-Saharan Africa? The results reveal that public sector organizations are using various strategies such as codification, personalization, training, education, workshops, seminars, storytelling, mentoring and apprenticeship to capture and retain knowledge. The ICT infrastructure available for capturing and retaining knowledge in the public sector includes institutional repositories, emails, global networks databases, portals, accounting and financial systems, human resource systems, knowledge route-maps knowledge networks and discussions forums. The challenges for managing knowledge assets in public sector organizations include limited understanding of KM benefits; shortage of skill; lack of incentives or rewards to share knowledge; lack of appropriate technology; limited commitment from senior management, lack of appropriate models to learn from and brain drain. The implementation of e-government initiatives across the continent was starting to institutionalize and promote knowledge management strategies in public sector organizations. The results from this article provide a foundation for knowledge management policy formulation to enhance efficiency and service delivery in public agencies.

Organizational knowledge retention management using a constructivist multi-criteria model

“…Durst and Wilhelm (2012) demonstrate the influence of a precarious financial situation on activities related to knowledge retention and succession planning in the context of a medium-sized firm. Dewah and Mutula (2016) find that challenges associated with the retention of organizational knowledge in the public sector relate mainly to limited understanding of knowledge management benefits, shortage of skill, lack of incentives or rewards to share knowledge, lack of appropriate technology, limited commitment from senior management, lack of appropriate models from which to learn and brain drain.…”

“…According to Levy (2011), knowledge retention, also known as knowledge continuity, deals with certain challenges, about which classical knowledge management methodologies have been little concerned. The dearth of appropriate models for managing knowledge retention is one of the challenges of knowledge asset management in organizations, especially in the public sector (Dewah and Mutula, 2016). Although existing organizational knowledge retention models (Martins and Meyer, 2012;Dewah and Mutula, 2016;Syed-Ikhsan and Rowland, 2004;Fiedler and Welpe, 2010) contribute to research in the area, they are generic and do not consider the specifics of context and actors for which they are developed from a constructivist performance evaluation perspective.…”

“…The dearth of appropriate models for managing knowledge retention is one of the challenges of knowledge asset management in organizations, especially in the public sector (Dewah and Mutula, 2016). Although existing organizational knowledge retention models (Martins and Meyer, 2012;Dewah and Mutula, 2016;Syed-Ikhsan and Rowland, 2004;Fiedler and Welpe, 2010) contribute to research in the area, they are generic and do not consider the specifics of context and actors for which they are developed from a constructivist performance evaluation perspective. This case study contributes to the knowledge management literature by addressing organizational knowledge retention from the perspective of constructivist performance evaluation as decision support.…”

Knowledge risk management in the public sector: insights into a Swedish municipality

“…To address knowledge retention, different strategies and measures have been suggested (DeLong and Davenport, 2003; Blankenship and Brueck, 2008; Dewah and Mutula, 2016); hence, the participants were asked about the use of a number of strategies such as document repository, incorporating retirees, mentoring and coaching, organizational learning and training, interviews/videotaping, storytelling, communities of practice. Among the strategies the most frequently mentioned were: using document repository, organizational learning and training and mentoring and coaching.…”

Factors Influencing the Effective Leadership Succession Planning: Study on a Malaysian GLC

“…Relationship building is fostered and nurtured while addressing development gaps and improving connection between performance and potential, can be developed during one-to-one session, as a transactional exchange of information between the top management and those high potential employees (Allio, 2012). Multigenerational workforce will lead in gaining the opportunities to take on special assignments to sharpen skills and wider exposure (Quintana, 2014), and meeting the needs of them to enrich new skills and capabilities and gain exposure to other leaders across the organization via cross training and talent awareness session (Dewah & Mutula, 2014).…”