A Knowledge Strategy

A revised business plan has been formulated in recognition of this incorporating
specific knowledge management projects into business plans of the responsible
functional units within the Bank for the forthcoming cycle. Priority is given to the
development and delivery of knowledge products and services that are more
tangible - the knowledge portal and the Training Institute. A concurrent emphasis
on laying the organisational foundations ensures delivery of knowledge products
and services and achieves the synergy referred to above.
2.5.1 Target market
Provincial government and local authorities are the obvious primary target market
and constitute a major share of the Bank’s existing client base. A strong need for
capacity-building exists within provincial and local government and in the short to
medium-term the initial target market segments will be these two tiers of government.
Services to our clients in government will be augmented electronically through the
creation of the Bank’s development knowledge portal. The omniscient nature of the
internet will, however, afford the Bank the added advantage that users from all over
the globe will have access.
In complementing this aspect of the strategy, DBSA will establish both local
and global knowledge and capacity-building partners and networks to strengthen
the entry strategy and to lay the foundations for the growth strategy.
2.5.2 Growth strategy
The growth strategy focuses on the geographic expansion of target markets, the
development of niche markets and broadening the range of knowledge products
and services. In the medium to long-term the target market will extend to include
the entire SADC region.
2.6 A knowledge management system institutionalised
2.6.1 Business plans
A task team under the direction of the Project Manager, Knowledge Management, was
established to compile a business plan for the implementation of the knowledge
management strategy to be approved by a knowledge strategy committee. The
business plan makes strong links to national and African human development strategies
and to the implementation plans of internal operations-related programmes, such as
the Local Government Resource Centre (LGRC) and the Value Innovation Programme
(VIP). The business plan is guided by the knowledge management vision, the Bank’s
marketing strategy and the knowledge management opportunity assessment.
A knowledge management opportunity statement has been formulated and is
the outcome of several collaborative workshops held recently. Their purpose was
to identify the market opportunities for development knowledge, and the
approaches that the DBSA, and its partners, can realistically take to satisfy the
market demands and gaps.
The business planning process has further been informed by the experiences and
lessons learnt in the implementation of World Bank’s knowledge management
initiative.
14 Development Bank of Southern Africa