Abstract

This article reports on a study that assessed the organisational learning activities

for the purposes of retaining critical knowledge in three Southern African

Development Community (SADC) public broadcasting organisations. The

article reports the partial findings of a doctoral study that focused on analysing

the knowledge retention strategies in three public broadcasting corporations,

namely, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Department

of Broadcasting Services (DBS) and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation

(ZBC), in the SADC. The aim of the study was to establish how organisational

learning strategy captured and retained knowledge in these public broadcasting

corporations. A structured self-administered survey questionnaire was used to

purposively sample 162 professionals and managers in the three organisations.

The study concluded that through organisational learning the three public

broadcasting organisations captured and retained knowledge but were limited

by the lack of knowledge management officials. The study recommends the

establishment of knowledge officers’ posts to manage the organisational

knowledge and to implement sound mentorship programmes to assist learning

in these organisations. While the Human Resources (HR) departments may be

managing the training of individuals as a way of acquiring knowledge, the study

further recommends that the management should provide HR with more funds

to improve the learning culture that allows for innovation, continuous knowledge

creation and transformation.