A Knowledge Strategy

Figure 3: High-impact knowledge flows – in the Bank and between the Bank and its customers,
suppliers and stakeholders
Learn from customers,
suppliers & other
stakeholders
Transfer competence to
customers, suppliers & other
stakeholders
Individual
Competence
External
Structure
DBSA
Value
Creation
Internal
Structure
Convert individually held
competence to system tools
& templates
Improve transfer of
competence between
DBSA staff
Diagram an adaptation of a model by Karl Eric Sveiby
3.2 Revelations and recommendations
3.2.1 Key knowledge and information flows in value creation
Application knowledge management methodology and tools in the Bank have
resulted in a lucid picture of the available opportunities. Areas of high impact
requiring knowledge management intervention have been identified and are being
afforded a high priority based on the knowledge flows model (Figure 3).
Briefly, an outline of the picture that has emerged includes the Bank increasing
ownership at the operational level, maintaining a demand-driven perspective and
creating more opportunities to learn from projects, customers and each other. Other
features include the Bank having to build ways to transfer skills to clients and
beneficiaries to increase its development impact, improving internal learning and
creating ways for staff to engage constructively with their collective knowledge
thus feeding a living knowledge bank in a mutually beneficial relationship.
26 Development Bank of Southern Africa