Enablers and strategies of knowledge sharing in small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMES): a case of the construction industry in South Africa

Abstract

The Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs) form the backbone of employment and economic growth in South Africa. However, despite this, their sustainability remains a significant challenge, mainly due to poor knowledge transfer and limited access to resources. Consequently, this study investigated the enablers and strategies of knowledge sharing among SMMEs in the South African construction industry, particularly black-owned SMMEs. The existing literature reveals a scarcity of studies examining a particular demographic at this intersection of factors, and thus a significant gap in awareness of their distinct influence on knowledge sharing. This mixed-methods research study was based on a pragmatic paradigm. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to a purposive sample of black-owned SMMEs. In tandem, the qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with selected industry experts and firm owners. For the quantitative data, analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. Furthermore, the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis in ATLAS.ti software. The results established that multiple barriers, including the absence of formal systems, a lack of trust, poor leadership and inadequate technology infrastructure, inhibit knowledge sharing in South African construction SMMEs. Moreover, historical exclusion and inequality continue to manifest as systemic barriers to training and industry collaboration. Nevertheless, key enablers cited include leadership support, organisational culture of openness, access to Information Communication and Technology (ICT) tools and the creation of Communities of Practice (CoPs). The study found that mentorship, structured learning programmes and effective communication systems significantly boost knowledge-sharing outcomes. The study concludes that while historical and structural challenges persist, they can be mitigated through intentional strategic interventions that prioritise human capital development and digital integration. Based on these findings, it is recommended that construction business owners and policymakers implement leadership development initiatives, formalise mentorship programmes, adopt scalable knowledge management systems, and institute recognition and reward structures to enhance competitiveness. This study theoretically addresses a significant research gap in the understanding of how factors such as history, organisations, and technology influence knowledge-sharing practices in SMMEs within a South African context. It pragmatically offers practical recommendations for construction business owners seeking to enhance learning within their organisations to improve competitiveness, while also providing a justified focus for future research on knowledge management.

Tlhotlhomisi (thesis) eno ene e batlisisa ka ga dinatlafatsi le matlhale a kabelano ya dikitso mo lekaleng la Dikgwebopotlana, Dikgwebo tsa Magareng le Dikgwebo-kgolwane (di-KPMK/SMME) mo madirelong a botlhama-dikago a Aforika Borwa, bogolobogolo di-KPMK/SMME tse beng ba tsona e leng Bantsho. Erentswa di-KPMK/SMME e le tsona maikaego-magolo a bothapiwa le tswelelopele ya seikonomi mo nageng ya rona, botshwarelelo jwa tsona bo bokoa thata, fa gongwe e le ka lebaka la go tlhoka neeletsano ya dikitso e e tiileng, go tlhaela ga ditlogo, le go tlhoka kemonokeng go tswa mo ditheong tse di jaaka tsa puso. Patlisiso eno e tlhamile gape le mokoa wa kitso e e mabapi le makaelo a a rileng a dikemo le ditaolo tsa kabelano ya dikitso mo makaleng a botlhama-dikago. Ke patlisiso e e dirisitseng mmeo-tswako, e e ikaegileng ka pharadaeme ya Molebo wa Bokgonegi. Go kokoantswe dinewane tsa Sekwantitatifi/Dipalopalo ka go dirisa mebotsolotso e e rulagantsweng go ya ka ngotelo/sampole ya boitlhomo mabapi le di-KPMP/SMME tsa Bantsho, mme dinewane tsa sekhwalitatifi tsona di kokoantswe ka tiriso ya dipotso-therisano tsa seka-thulaganyo tse di tshwerweng le palo e e kgethilweng ya baitseanape ba madirelo le beng ba difệmệ. Dinewane tsa Sekwantitatifi/Dipalopalo di tsharolotswe ka setsharolodi sa SPSS, go dirisiwa dipalopalo tsa botlhalosi, tsharololo ya ditlhotlheletsi, le Mmotlolo/Mmetlelo wa Tlhotlheletsano ya Dithalethale, mme dinewane tsa sekwalitatifi tsona tsa tlhatlhobiwa ka tsharololo ya semerero ka tiriso ya ATLAS.ti. Tsharololo e nnile ya botlhalosi le boranodi, e e lekang go senola dikgolagano le maitemogelo a dipalopalo ka mokgwa o o tebileng. Dipholo tsa ditsharololo di senotse gore: maparego a a maphata-mantsi, a a akaretsang tlhokego ya ditlhamakanyo tse di tlhomameng, le tlhokego ya botshepegi, le boeteledipele jo bo bokoa, le ditlhaelo tsa sethekenoloji, ke tsona dilo tse di kgoreletsang kabelano ya dikitso mo lephateng la di-KPMP/SMME tsa botlhama-dikago mo Aforika Borwa. Mo godimo ga moo, lefatshe la rona le sa ntse le na le matsapa a hisetori ya tlhaolele le tlhoka-tekatekano, a a sa ntseng a tsweletse go nna maparego a a kgoreletsang katiso le tirisano mo madirelong. Le fa go le jalo, go na le dinatlafatsi tsa botlhokwa tse di nopotsweng, tse di akaretsang kemonokeng ya boeteledipele, setlwaedi sa pontsheng sa semokgatlho, phitlhelego ya Didiriswa tsa Thekenoloji ya Tlhaeletsano (DTT/ICT), ga mmogo le go tlhamiwa ga Dimphato sa Patlisiso (SSP/CoPs). Patlisiso eno e lemogile gore botataisi, mananeo a dithutano le ditlhamakanyo tsa tlhaeletsano tse di kwenneng di oketsa diphitlhelelo tsa kabelano ya dikitso mo go utlwalang. Go feta moo, patlisiso e tlhagisa maremelo a a popota a a tlaa tokafatsang kabelano ya dikitso mo di-KPMP/di-SMME tse dinnye tsa botlhama-dikago. Mo ntlheng ya tiori, patlisiso eno e kaba diphatlha mo dipatlisisong tse di mabapi le tsamaisano ya ditlhotlheletsi tsa sehisetori, tsa semekgatlho le tsa sethekenoloji tse di amang kabelano ya dikitso ntlheng ya di-KPMP/SMME mo Aforika Borwa. Se e tlaa nnang mosola-mogolo mo go beng ba dikgwebo tsa botlhama-dikago, baeteledipele ba madirelo le batlhama-dipholisi, ke gore patlisiso eno e ba naya dikatlanegiso tse di ka diragatsegang, mme maikaelelo e le go tokafatsa boithuti jwa tsa semekgatlho le bophamphadisani mo kgwebong. Mo godimo ga moo, patlisiso eno e tlaa nna motheo o mo go ona go ka agelelwang dipatlisiso tsa isago mabapi le tsamaiso ya dikitso mo makaleng le mo makaelong a mangwe a diikonomi tsa matla-bošweng.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi ukungasatshalaliswa kolwazi, ukugqoza kwezinsizakusebenza nokungafinyeleli kwabantu ezikhungweni ezelekelela ngolwazi kuyalukhubaza uzinzo. Lolu cwaningo lusungule ulwazinqolobane olumayelana nezimo eziyingqikithi nokulawulwa kolwazi oluyisizinda sokusatshalaliswa kolwazi embonini yezokwakha ngokulandela isihloko esithile kuyo. Kuthathelwa kupharadayimu yokuqonda ulwazi, lolu cwaningo lusebenzisa indlelakwenza exubile. Ulwazi ngendlelakwenza yekhwantithethivu luqoqwe kusetshenziswa amaphepha anohlu lwemibuzo ngokuqoka ngenhloso labo abangosomabhizini abancane (SMMEs). Ngakolunye uhlangothi indlelakwenza yekhwalithethivu isetshenziswe ngenhlolokhono engahlelekile eqhutshwe kongcweti bezimboni ezikhethiwe nabanikazi bamafemi. Ulwazi lwekhwantithethivu luhlaziywe ngeSPSS, kusetshenziswa izibalo ezichazayo nokuhlaziywa kwamaqiniso ayo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi ikhwalithethivu isebenzise ukuhlaziya ngokwendikimba kuthathelwa ohlelweni oluhlehla nyova oluku-ATLAS. Ukuhlaziya bekuchaza futhi kwenaba, ukuze kujule ekuxhumaneni kwezibalo mayelana nolwazi olutholakele ngokusebenza eminyakeni ethile. Okuzuzwe ucwaningo kuveze imigoqo eminingi, efakwa phakathi ukungabibikho kwenqubo ehlelewe ukulandelwa, ukungethembani, ukusweleka kolwazi lokuhola kanye nokungabibikho kwezinsizakusebenza zobuchwepheshe okuyizona zinto ezikhubaza ukwabelana ngolwazi embonini yezokwakha eNingizimu Afrika kosomabhizinisi abancane. Ngaphezu kwakho konke nokungafakwa komlando, ukungalingani kwezizwe nokunye okuyizithiyo kuyaqhubeka nokuveza imigoqo ekuvivinyeni umsebenzi nasekubambisaneni kulezi zimboni. Noma kunjalo, okuyizinsika ezihlinzeka ngamandla ezicashuniwe zimbandakanya ukwesekwa kwezokuhola, ukuvuleleka ngezinqubo zezinhlangano, ukufinyelelisa amathuluzi e-ICTkuzona zonke izisebenzi nokusungulwa Kwemiphakathi Ezibambele Mathupha (CoPs). Lolu cwaningo luzuze ukuthi ukutholakala kwabantu asebemnkantshubomvu, izinhlelo zokufundisa ezilungiselelwe, nokuxhumana okunemivuzo emihle kungelekelela ekufukuleni ukwabelana ngolwazi nemiphumela emihle. Lolu cwaningo lubuye lwethule injula yohlaka oluzokwelekelea ngolwazi ezimbonini zokwakha ezincane ezibizwa ngamaSMMEs. Ngokwenjulabuchopho, lapha kwengezwe ulwazi oluhlanganisa umlando, izinkampani nezobuchwepheshe, konke okubonakale njengesithikamezo sokwabelana ngolwazi eNingizimu Afrika kumaSMMEs Ekwenzeni umsebenzi, lolu cwaningo luhlinzeke ngokufanele kwenziwe okubhalwe ezinconyweni eziqondene nabanikazi bezimboni ezincane, abaholi bazo nabasungula imithetho nezinqubo. Lokhu kuhloswe ngakho ukuthuthukisa ukufunda ezinkampanini nokuthi abasebenzi bakwazi ukuqhudelana nabakwezinye izimboni nabakwezinye izizwe. Okungaphezu kwakho konke lolu cwaningo luhlinzeke ngolwazi lokuhola neminye iminxa engeseka izwe ukuze kusimame umnotho osafufusa.