HRM alignment and integration in knowledge risk management in South African state-owned enterprises

Abstract

Most state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa face serious challenges with tacit knowledge loss risks, largely due to a lack of alignment and integration points for human resource management (HRM) practices in knowledge management to effectively manage such knowledge loss risks. This study was interdisciplinary in nature, presenting empirical evidence of a strong connection between HRM and knowledge management (KM), especially its knowledge risk management (KRM) sub-domain. The research paper employed a qualitative research design, which involved collecting in-depth qualitative data through interviews with 20 human resource (HR) managers in 9 SOEs. The qualitative data extracted through the interviews were analyzed thematically using Atlas.ti software. The research results revealed that HRM practices are not aligned, integrated and focused on mitigating enterprise tacit knowledge loss risks in most South African SOEs. A lack of HRM alignment and integration was a serious issue across the board, irrespective of whether the participating SOEs had knowledge management structures, roles and strategies in place. However, on a positive note, HR managers acknowledged the need for the integration and alignment of HRM strategies regarding effective knowledge loss risk management. The study highlights a deficiency in HRM alignment and integration for effective knowledge loss risk management. The researcher infers that HRM alignment and integration in KRM has a critical strategic and operational role to play in the mitigation of enterprise knowledge risks, as well as in developing the required knowledge management capabilities. The study sought to close a knowledge gap in the existing body of knowledge by presenting empirical evidence identifying alignment and integration points of HRM strategies into KRM for SOEs to effectively reduce knowledge loss risks. Furthermore, the study presents a strong link between HRM and KRM in building KM capacity for the reduction of the risks associated with tacit knowledge loss.