Church of the Nazarene
Africa Regional Newsletter
01 March 2010

Zanner Awarded Doctor of Philosophy by Monash University
Dr Richard Zanner, Africa Regional Director Emeritus  

Richard Andreas Zanner, youngest son of Africa Region Director emeritus, Dr Richard and Mrs Valerie Zanner, graduated with a PhD degree in Knowledge Management from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. His request to graduate with the South Africa branch of the university was granted and the ceremony took place at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, on 13 February 2010 with the whole family present. Zanner worked for 15 years in business prior to enrolling at Monash South Africa. His construction company, Development World Wide (DWW) built 51 Nazarene churches, the Good News Convention Centre in South Africa, and the Mt Carmel complex in Kenya, amongst other projects. Zanner received the Bachelor of Business Systems degree in 2004 from Monash South Africa and completed the BSc (Hon) in Disaster Risk Management from the University of Cape Town before beginning his doctoral studies.

The title of his thesis: An analysis of knowledge in practice during organizational transformation. This thesis investigates knowledge management during organizational transformation through the case of mergers and acquisitions in today’s competitive business landscape. It provides valuable insight into the way knowledge is managed to insure its continuity in the transformed organization and the limitations of technology in facilitating knowledge continuity.

Zanner plans to return to industry and to continue teaching at Monash in the field of knowledge management related to mergers and acquisitions. Richard and Petra with their three sons are members of the Melbourne Church of the Nazarene, with Pastor Trevor Thomas.

<Back to Out of Africa 01 March 2010