2008/03/21 by Peter K.J. Tobin, Retha Snyman
Business, Management and Accounting · Decision Sciences · Health Professions · #Construction Project Management and Performance #Digital Storytelling and Education #Organizational Learning and Leadership
paper · doi:10.1108/00012530810862464
crossref issued 2008/03/21 · crossref published 2008/03/21 · crossref published-print 2008/03/21 · openalex publication_date 2008/03/21 · crossref created 2008/04/05 · crossref deposited 2025/07/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/28 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on research conducted into the use of stories and storytelling to share knowledge in a large mining company based in South Africa. The paper shows how the use of oral methods combined with other media can be used to support a number of different objectives and yield a wide variety of benefits. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents the results of a case study which used a largely qualitative approach to gather data on a specific community of practice within the case study company. Findings The research identified an innovative approach being used to combine a number of approaches to sharing knowledge through the use of stories and storytelling, in particular graphical representation of the stories and the use of graphics in conjunction with oral storytelling methods. Research limitations/implications This research was conducted in only one company, in one country. Further research would be necessary to further test the effectiveness of the approaches identified in this case. Practical implications The innovative approach of combining media and methods for sharing knowledge through stories and storytelling represent an opportunity for other organisations to use similar techniques in their efforts to improve knowledge sharing. Originality/value This is the first time that a case study exploring the use of stories and storytelling in the South African mining industry has used empirical research findings to evaluate the use of stories and storytelling. Significant value may be gained by others seeking to understand how best to use stories and storytelling to share knowledge.