Assessing Knowledge Management Processes in the Public Sector

The knowledge-intensive economy implies a need for faster adaptation to an accelerated change in the environment of public policies and service delivery. The Department of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Tourism (DEAAT), in the Provincial Government: Western Cape, is responsible for the implementation of the Cape Online programme, through the creation of structures, systems and processes that support e-government. This book assesses the knowledge management processes – creation, sharing, application and retention – in the DEAAT to determine its readiness for knowledge management initiatives. The research findings indicate an overall moderate level of readiness for knowledge management with the key inhibitors being the bureaucratic structure and organisational culture. A framework for the implementation of knowledge management initiatives is proposed.