A Knowledge Strategy

• stakeholder and beneficiary knowledge and learning dissemination points
such as multi-purpose community centre (MPCC) networks;
• market community media – packaged and specially prepared communication
media for target groups;
• information and development support materials – packaged materials for
informal and formal external systems;
• working interfaces between government policy frameworks, development
banking, the DBSA, and the Bank’s partners and stakeholders;
• systematic debriefing and sharing of development intelligence.
1.5.4 Knowledge accounting – evaluating knowledge management efforts and resources
Knowledge is a living entity. It is never in any respect final. Continuous evaluation
will be required to audit activities, determine the appropriateness of the current
system and reconcile findings in relation to existing opportunities. The knowledge
infrastructure should account for this through:
• regular knowledge surveys and audits;
• efficient knowledge inventory management, including data archiving and
retrieving;
• quantification of knowledge generation and utilisation; identification of
sources and applications, and identification of current and potential internal
and external users;
• creation of a knowledge marketing plan, comprising packaging, pricing,
branding, positioning and distribution;
• formulation of knowledge accounting parameters, systems, indicators,
variables and reporting practices;
• knowledge benchmarking and tracking;
• knowledge reporting in comprehensive and novel ways such as an account of
knowledge management being included in the Annual Report.
1.5.5 Knowledge partnerships – sustained and enhanced partnerships mutually furthering
development knowledge
The DBSA does not conduct primary research, but uses information generated by
external agents as sources to enhance its knowledge base. It is essentially a
knowledge broker. Further establishing smart partnerships with research
communities such as tertiary education facilities, research centres, government and
non-governmental development agencies, and other development finance
institutions will continue to improve the knowledge base of the DBSA. Such
relationships provide a number of benefits:
• differentiated roles that minimise overlap – this benefits all partners, allowing
each to complement the other’s area of expertise interests and collaborate in
pursuing a shared vision;
• better planning – resulting in increased support for development outcomes;
• effective knowledge transfer, cross-national (or regional) co-operation, the creation
of networks, capacity development and penetration of development markets.
6 Development Bank of Southern Africa