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KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT CASE STUDY

Knowledge Network before implementing
CoPs Knowledge Network after implementing CoPs

Figure 6: SNA – Knowledge networks before and after
implementing communities of practice (CoPs)

3E Interviews

3E interviews refer to three kinds of interviews aimed at
harvesting important knowledge from employees. When a
key employee joins the organisation, an entrance interview
is conducted. This type of interview constitutes more of a
coaching session than mere induction. When employees join Figure 7: 3E Interviews
an organisation, they have certain expectations of what their
job will entail and how they will achieve their deliverables. Overall, the South African public sector is still in the first stages
It usually takes some time before a new employee really of cultivating knowledge harvesting, despite the dire need for
becomes productive. Entrance interviews assist in keeping it. A government-driven KM mandate will assist to address this
them on track so that they understand exactly what is expected very dangerous gap. In the meantime it is important for the
from them as well as what the time lines are i.e. what must they public sector as a whole to work together and to learn from one
accomplish within the next six months. another. This can be done using benchmarking exercises and
identifying best practices that can be replicated in different
Expert interviews are conducted with people who are areas as and where they are needed. 
considered experts in their line of work. During these
interviews, deep smarts (key insights, historic information as Bibliography
well as context) need to be extracted as comprehensively as
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the know-how the person obtained during his/her work at the www.knowledgeharvesting.com/ [Cited 3 September
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that those who will need to fill their shoes are able to do so.
• Serrat, O. (2010). Harvesting knowledge. Washington,
DC: Asian Development Bank.
• Snowden, D.J. (2000). The ASHEN Model: an enabler of
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28 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW | Volume 12 No. 1 of 2018