Knowledge Sharing as a Value-Adding Initiative for South African SMME Sustainability: A Literature Review

Abstract

Knowledge management is deemed as an important tool for an array of firms across the globe to fortify their overall sustainability. In particular, the proper management of knowledge inside a firm should allow for better efficiency and effectiveness. One of the facets of knowledge management is that of knowledge sharing; better understood as the dissemination of knowledge (insight) to such an extent, and in such a manner, that it assists with the solving of problems and/or the creation of solutions within a firm. Albeit the aforementioned, is appears that small businesses (SMMEs) in South Africa do not make use of sound knowledge sharing initiatives as they have one of the worst sustainability rates in the world. Through the conduct of non-empirical research, this matter was theoretically investigated where it was found that the lack of knowledge sharing as a value-adding initiative within South African SMMEs is assumed to have a theoretically adverse influence on the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability in these firms. Taking into account the findings, it was concluded that ultimately, the knowledge sharing initiatives in South African SMMEs are incomprehensive in their coverage to provide general guidance as to how these firms can share knowledge as to provide reasonable assurance surrounding their effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability in the foreseeable future. Moreover, relevant hypotheses were developed as avenues for further empirical research.

Keywords

• knowledge
• Knowledge sharing
• management
• SMMEs
• South Africa
• sustainability