Management of tacit knowledge at the City of Johannesburg Library and Information Services, South Africa

Abstract

The strength of an organisation lies in its ability to manage tacit knowledge. Ideally, organisations who wish to remain service-oriented in this Fourth Industrial Revolution should comprehend the importance of tacit knowledge by valuing their retention and sharing. However, most organisations fail to realise the richness of tacit knowledge until it departs with the sole owners. Quite often, the importance of tacit knowledge will be noticed only when a new employee faces challenges when they take over the tasks of a more experienced employee who left. This qualitative study employed the SECI model in examining the management of tacit knowledge at the City of Johannesburg Library and Information Services (COJLIS). A case study design was used, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews, content analysis, and observation. Seventeen participants were selected through purposive sampling according to the positions and the number of years of experience within the COJLIS. The key findings revealed that the COJLIS does not have an effective strategy to manage tacit knowledge. Therefore it is poorly managed. The COJLIS does not have an organisational culture that promotes knowledge sharing and does not utilise knowledge management resources such as the Joburg Insider Repository. The study showed a lack of a knowledge sharing policy at COJLIS. The study, therefore, recommends that COJLIS should establish an effective community of practice for knowledge sharing, provide proper exit interviews and reward systems. Furthermore, the Innovation and Knowledge Management (IKM) unit should create awareness with the COJLIS on the use of the Joburg Insider Repository. It is recommended that the COJLIS should establish a policy for knowledge sharing.