A cloud-based knowledge management tool for small and medium microenterprises in the mining industry of the North West Province in South Africa

Abstract

The global mining industry is a profitable sector with a significant economic impact worldwide. However, the focus of most studies has been on socio-political, environmental factors, as well as the economic benefits of mines. Yet, to ensure their continuous operations, mines rely on essential services and products from ancillary businesses, such as Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises. These enterprises face significant knowledge management challenges that threaten their continuity, competitiveness, livelihoods, and service delivery. Cloud computing offers a powerful solution to enhance these knowledge management practices and improve overall competitiveness. To address this gap, this positivist quantitative study investigated the adoption and effective use of cloud-based knowledge management tools by these ancillary businesses, ultimately providing a practical model for successful implementation. A pre-tested online survey collected data from 120 owners and managers drawn from 476 registered businesses. Google Forms and Microsoft Excel was used for data analysis. The study was grounded in the Technology-Organization-Environment framework and Ba theory, which together provided a multidimensional lens for examining technological, organisational and environmental determinants of adoption. The findings reveal that while SMME owners and managers demonstrate strong willingness to adopt cloud-based knowledge management tools, successful implementation thereof is contingent upon technological readiness, cybersecurity awareness, digital literacy and leadership commitment. Organisational culture and top management attitudes emerged as critical preconditions for adoption. The study makes a significant theoretical contribution by extending and empirically validating the Technology Organisation Environment framework and Ba theory within a semi-rural resource-constrained mining industry context, an area largely overlooked in mainstream innovation and knowledge management research. The study further contributes empirical evidence demonstrating the predominance of informal and fragmented knowledge management practices in mining industry SMMEs. The study’s central contribution is the development of a contextually grounded implementation model for cloud-based knowledge management adoption, bridging theory and practices and offering guidance for digital transformation among SMMEs in similar industries. These contributions strengthen existing research on technology adoption and knowledge management in emerging and sector-specific contexts, while providing insights for SMMEs, policymakers, and stakeholders seeking to improve competitiveness and socioeconomic development through digital innovation.