Page 28 - Service Delivery Review_Volume 14_Number 3_2022

KM CoP Case Studies

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE IN

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

National Treasury (NT) is a knowledge-intensive department. It is among the few that
have reached high levels of maturity in Knowledge Management (KM) implementation
and it continues to refine the system. In this case study NT KM specialist, Ditshego
Magoro, reflects on lessons learned by the organisation and highlights leadership and

governance issues as among the critical success factors in their KM journey.

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS Framework (NKMSF) of the Department of Public Service
and Administration (DPSA). However, lessons learned or
The diagram below, based on a generic KM model, simpli- best practices are also drawn from across the Public Sec-
fies the interdependencies between the critical KM suc- tor and other institutions within and outside South Africa.
cess factors. It integrates people, technology, processes
and content. The model is familiar among KM practition- Reading the NT Framework diagram (see below) - horizon-
ers. We have, however, added the content, leadership, tally, from left to right, are the KM inputs and outputs. The
organisational culture, resource allocation and change middle part of the diagram is what drives our KM activi-
management components that we think hold the mod- ties and is the engine that is made up of knowledge pro-
el together. This case study largely concerns the role of cessing. In other words, what the diagram shows is that
leadership in ensuring that we successfully implement while an organisation could have all the inputs (expertise,
the National Treasury KM Framework. methods and tools) its members desire, it is ultimately
knowledge processing that determines the quality of KM
outputs. Moreover, knowledge processing demarcates or
separates the lines of responsibility. The KM Directorate
strategically drives KM and provides practical support in
the implementation of policies and tools. However, the
custodians of the knowledge arising from the operations
of the National Treasury are colleagues in the different
functional areas of the organisation. They are responsible
for creating knowledge every day when they come to work.

A summary commentary, the NT KM Framework was ap-
proved in 2014. It took several years to get to this point,
but the effort was worth it. The processes leading up to its
development and finalisation had the support of the ex-
ecutive leadership and senior managers. The painstaking
process of crafting a KM strategy and framework ensured
the buy-in of NT staff.

The Framework is an organic document. It is continually
informed in a rolling process by what we refer to as KM
controls. These are derived from policies and strategies,
such as the National Strategic Knowledge Management

28 Volume 14 No.3 of 2022 | SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW