Knowledge transfer : a case study Of Johannesburg Housing Company and COPE

• Main Author: Lungu-Mulenga, Anastasia
• Published: University of Westminster 2008
• Subjects: 658.4038
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.502379

This research analyses how two social housing providers in South Africa Johannesburg Housing Company and COPE transferred knowledge from two social housing organisations in Europe - Notting Hill Housing Trust in England and Norske Boligbyggelags Landsforbund also known as the Norwegian Federation of Cooperative Housing Associations (NBBL) in Norway. Following the knowledge transfer, Johannesburg Housing Company has gone on to become a successful organisation while COPE closed down in 2005. This research analyses the knowledge transfer and the dominant organisational learning culture in the two organisations to try and explain why COPE closed down and why Johannesburg Housing Company has succeeded. This research uses knowledge transfer ideas that are within the broader knowledge management field and ideas on organisational learning culture to develop an analytical framework. The framework identifies three key areas for analysis, these are, analysis of the mechanisms used for the knowledge transfer process, the messages that were transferred during this process and analysis and identification ofthe dominant learning culture in each organisation. The main method for the data gathering and analysis was done through interviews with key actors in the four organisations - Johannesburg Housing Company, COPE, Notting Hill Housing Trust and NBBL. Analysis of key relevant documentation was also carried out. It was possible from the findings of the research to conclude that having a successful process ofknowledge transfer does not necessarily translate into success for the knowledge importing organisation. Secondly, that the dominant organisational learning culture in an organisation can have an impact on whether the outcome ofthe knowledge transfer process will be successful or not.