STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT (INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY)-“INSTITUTIONAL TRACKING FOLLOW-UP SYSTEM”

ObjectivesThe goal of this presentation is to give you an overview of the organisation and management of knowledge. I hope that at the end of this presentation,

you will be able to understand and appreciate what knowledge management is and understand how to strategically apply and integrate appropriate

components and functions of various knowledge management systems.

What Is Knowledge Management?

• Knowledge Management is one of the most trending topics today in both the industry and information research world. In our daily life, we deal with huge amounts of data and information. Data and information are not knowledge until we know how to extract the value out of it. This is the reason we need knowledge management. Unfortunately, there's no universal definition of knowledge management, just as there's no agreement as to what constitutes knowledge in the first place. I chose the following definition for knowledge management for its simplicity and broad context.

What Is Knowledge Management?Cont…

• Simple Definition:• Knowledge Management (KM) refers to a

multi-disciplined approach to achieving organisational objectives by making the best use of knowledge. KM focuses on processes such as acquiring, creating and sharing knowledge and the cultural and technical foundations that support them.

What Is Knowledge Management?…Cont

• Knowledge Management may be viewed in terms of: – People – how do you increase the ability of an individual in

the organisation to influence others with their knowledge– Processes – Its approach varies from organisation to

organisation. There is no limit on the number of processes– Technology – It needs to be chosen only after all the

requirements of a knowledge management initiative have been established.

– Culture –The biggest enabler of successful knowledge-driven organisations is the establishment of a knowledge-focused culture

National Assembly of Zambia Case

National Assembly Knowledge

Management Process

Recommendations of General Purpose Committees – PAC

inclusive

Organisational Objectives

Resolutions from membership to international bodies (SADCOPAC/EAAPAC

Recommendations from Portfolio Committees

Resolution Follow up system in Zambia

Recommendations as contained in the

Report

Submitted to the Executive for Action

Executive Reports back through the Treasury Minute within Sixty Days

Referred to the PAC Sub-Committtee on Outstanding Issues

Resolution Follow up system in Zambia...cont

• In Zambia, after the PAC report is adopted in the House, the Executive is given sixty days in which to respond to the Committee’s recommendations in a treasury minute. In order to track and follow up on outstanding issues, the PAC in Zambia appoints a subcommittee which is assisted by a team of officials from the offices of the Clerk, Auditor-General and Accountant-General.

• This arrangement has so far not worked perfectly as Controlling Officers have not satisfactorily been providing responses. For example, the past few reports of the PAC have been presented without the attachment report on outstanding issues.

Resolution Follow up system in Zambia...cont

• Incentives • There is inconsistent or lack of reward for the sharing of

knowledge or provision of responses among Controlling Officers. There are no direct consequences for failure by the Controlling Officers to provide responses on outstanding issues. Therefore, Controlling Officers lack incentives and time to engage in knowledge sharing unless they are summoned by the PAC itself.

•  

Resolution Follow up system in Zambia...cont

• Openness and public engagement• Follow up of resolutions in Zambia is not so open to the

public. Public sharing is often limited to and overshadowed by new business while meetings of the subcommittee are held in camera.

• • PACs need to do more to tap into the goodwill and knowledge

value of its wider audiences and beneficiaries, in order to create ongoing feedback loops. This could be done through conducting field visits and undertaking public hearings in the communities affected by the PAC’s specific resolutions.

Resolution Follow up system in Zambia...cont

• Further, there is need to review the mechanisms in place for follow up. In Ghana the PAC resolution implementation committees have been formed and these are chaired by the head of the ministry. In Zambia, discussions are going on about the use of integrity committees to help implement PAC resolutions.

• • Zambia has been experiencing frequent changes in controlling

officers and this has had an impact on the follow up on PAC resolutions due to lack of institutional memory. The best practice would be to let Controlling Officers serve on a permanent basis.

•

Resolution Follow up system in Zambia...cont

• The PAC in Zambia, is still a sessional committee meaning that the turn-over of members is high which affects the follow-up of resolutions as the new members might not attach the same seriousness as those who made the resolution. The best practice is to make the PAC a standing committee. Because of this, the PAC support staff play an important role in knowledge management as they are an important information repository that help to provide continuity and institutional memory. This notwithstanding, PAC should be a standing committee.