Designing a Knowledge Management Framework for Ethiopian Commodity Exchange
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Date
2024-12
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The role of knowledge within organizations is crucial for attaining success and upholding a competitive edge. It involves explicit knowledge, which is easily documented and shared, and tacit knowledge, which is personal, experience-based, and more challenging to convey. Effective management of knowledge enables organizations to capture, store, and distribute valuable information and insights, thus promoting innovation, enhancing decision-making, and improving
efficiency. By establishing an environment that encourages and supports the sharing of knowledge through collaboration, technology, and processes, organizations can continually learn, adapt to change, and enhance performance. Consequently, knowledge becomes one of the most vital assets for the growth and sustainability of organizations. The main goal of this research is therefore to investigate the current knowledge management (KM) practices at ECX
and suggest a KM framework that can be used by commodity exchange organizations. To accomplish this objective, a combination of case study and design science research methods is used. The case study approach enabled an evaluation of the existing KM practices and the identification of obstacles that hinder effective KM implementation. The Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) faces a number of structural obstacles that limit its ability to effectively foster
knowledge exchange and market efficiency. Lack of leadership support and understanding of the significance of Knowledge Management (KM) practices is a major issue. The gap leads to inadequate funding for essential infrastructure, such a centralized database system, which would make it simpler to access and share important data. Employees also have a cultural reluctanceto share expertise, which frequently results from mistrust of organizational procedures or
concern about losing a competitive edge.
The design science research method is employed to create a KM system specifically designed to encourage KM activities within the organization. Data for the study was collected through interviews, observations, and examination of organizational documents. Purposive sampling methods were used to select six senior and administrative officials from various departments for interviews. The investigation identified various methods for creating, storing, and sharing knowledge at ECX. It also unearthed obstacles to knowledge management within the organization. The research proposed a framework for knowledge management to assist ECX in implementing KM practices.
The proposed KMS is assessed for its usability and effectiveness. The evaluation results confirmed that the KMS effectively aids and improves KM management activities. This research enhances the Information Systems field by developing a Knowledge Management framework for the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX), tailored to its unique trading challenges. It aligns KM practices with ECX's strategic goals and introduces a mixed-methods evaluation approach
that emphasizes scalability and knowledge retention. The framework also offers insights applicable to various industries focused on preserving critical information. In addition, it is suggested by the study that future research should prioritize knowledge management systems for organizations such as ECX to support existing KM practices.
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Keywords
Ethiopian Commodity Exchange, Knowledge, Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Framework