Research and knowledge management in transforming South Africa : trends and analysis

Abstract

The post-apartheid South African education landscape gave impetus to national debates on the higher education system with emphasis on skills needed in the knowledge-based economy. Higher education has re-defined its role in the transformation of South Africa’s agenda regarding socio-economic needs. The focal point is: How best do institutions of higher learning, as engines of research and development, feed into the knowledge society and economy? Furthermore, the world of work is informed by changing environments that rely on research to inform new approaches, strategies and models. The article highlights that while research contributes to the knowledge management paradigm, it also enhances service delivery and benefits society at large. There are growing demands on higher education to produce more research. It is argued whether higher education is producing research to meet performance quotas or translating them into workplace learning amongst graduates, thus making a valid contribution to socio-economic development? This interconnectedness between research and knowledge management then supports the conclusion that a context of application of postgraduate research is central to address gaps in service delivery.