Knowledge management practices in the quantity surveying firms in Ghana
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Date
2014-08-26
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Abstract
The output of Quantity Surveying firms is firmly based on the knowledge and experience of Quantity Surveyors that work in this sector. Knowledge management has been proposed as an approach that would help in achieving this purpose by formalizing the way in which firms manage their information and experiences.
The study was carried out with the goal of investigating the Knowledge Management practices and to serve as a guideline to enhance development and effective Knowledge Management in Quantity Surveying firms in Ghana and to make recommendations.
The study finds out that, in undertaking their roles, Quantity Surveyors face many barriers and challenges that inhibit the implementation of knowledge management within QS firms. Many of the barriers and challenges that organizations face in managing their knowledge assets are influenced by the lack of time and lack of support from management,
Also, the best instances and tools to capture knowledge were also looked at during the survey. The best instances were categorized into the methods used to capture knowledge; methods used to communicate knowledge; procedures of transferring knowledge; and the learning styles developed to improve knowledge.
Finally, the level of knowledge management in terms of their significance and benefits they have to the development of quantity surveying (QS) firms were assessed. Generally, knowledge management was assessed to have great importance in enhancing professionalism.
From the study, it was discovered that, knowledge is normally captured and stored. However, there is no proper processing of this knowledge to allow its disclosure to the entire company, and to capture the knowledge, quantity surveying firms proposed to conduct meetings or revision during the execution of projects where they could share and discuss lessons learned and best practices.
Knowledge sharing is seen as a contributory factor in business improvement and the system could therefore be part of the daily work of the people. In addition to, there must be an internal motivation and commitment of those involved to share their knowledge and work experience (whether good or bad) without fear of punishment for having made a mistake or of losing power by the fact of sharing their knowledge with the rest of team members or firms.
Description
Thesis submitted to the Department of Building Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science,
Keywords
knowledge management, system, construction sector, study, practices