The management of intellectual capital before and after Chinese investment: A

case study of a selected mining organisation

China in AfricaImplications for management, implications for change

Department of Management SymposiumRhodes University31 October 2013

N. Pretorius & Prof. L. Louw

OVERVIEW• Context• Conceptualisation of IC• Research Aim• Research Objectives• Research Methodology• Ethical Considerations

CONTEXT

• Global knowledge economy

• Competition

• Competitive advantage

• Intellectual capital

CONTEXT

• SA mining– 8.8% GDP– Employment of 513 211 people(Chamber of Mines of South Africa, 2012:31 & 12).

• Chinese investment– Africa: US$ 198 billion in 2012– South Africa: US$ 20.2 billion in 2011– South African mining: 2011 PGM Shareholding(Park & Alden, 2013:4).

CONTEXT

• Resource-seeking motivation1. Exploitation of natural resources2. Import of engineering skills3. Knowledge sharing

Adopted from: (Jackson, 2012:198).

Conceptualisation of IC

RESEARCH AIM

• Describe and understand the change in the management of intellectual capital within a selected organisation in the South African mining industry

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• Describe the change in management that occurred as a result of the Chinese investment.

• Explore and describe the management of intellectual capital before Chinese investment.

• Explore and describe the management of intellectual capital after Chinese investment.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• Describe how the management of intellectual capital has changed since the Chinese investment.

• Explain the reasoning for the changes in the management of intellectual capital.

Research Methodology• Research Paradigm– Interpretivist

• Research Method– Single organisation case study– Document analysis– In-depth interviews

• Data triangulation

Thank you for your attention

Research supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa/HSRC and conducted under the auspices of the Sandisa Imbewu Research project on “Chinese organisations in Sub-Saharan Africa: New Dynamics, New Synergies” led by Prof L Louw