scholarly journals Knowledge management practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balakrishnan V Nair ◽  
Chandramalar Munusami

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate KM practices that may be in place in the higher education institutions (HEIs) and whether the KM practices are made known to the employees for improving the teaching and learning environment provided at the Malaysian higher education institutions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a personal administrated method made available to private higher education institutions academic members in five states with 30 or more employees. A total of 1,100 survey questionnaires were handed out, out of which 273 were collected and were usable (24.8 per cent response rate). The sample was checked for response and non-response bias. Results were tested using SPSS application and questionnaire tools.FindingsIt was essential to establish the knowledge management (KM) capacity in key areas such as the ability to recognise experts within the institution, leadership’s innovation, knowledge sharing and knowledge acquiring work culture, and technology usage. KM tools and techniques would help the institutions to meet their competitive goals; therefore, it is vital for HEIs to create KM awareness among the employees.Research limitations/implicationsSimilar to most studies, it is anticipated that the participants’ awareness of KM practices at their HEIs is very high. The samples were collected to evaluate the general view of KM awareness and how participants perceived KM practices. The total samples received for this study were expected; however, they were sufficient to study the impact.Practical implicationsThis paper provides support for the importance of KM practices and employees awareness at HEIs to enhance innovation and performance teaching and learning environment.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first papers to find empirical support for the role of KM practices at HEIs. Further, the positioning of KM practices as a competitive tool can be considered as an influential factor to competitive advantage.

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1319-1332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poonam Veer Ramjeawon ◽  
Jennifer Rowley

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to research on knowledge management (KM) in higher education institutions (HEIs) by studying its processes, knowledge creation (KC), knowledge sharing (KS) and knowledge transfer (KT), in Mauritius. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior staff in the main public and private HEIs in Mauritius. Questions focussed on KM strategy and processes. Interviews were recorded and transcribed prior to thematic analysis. Findings Although participants could discuss KM processes, none of the participating institutions had a KM strategy. All institutions are involved in KC and acquisition, KS and KT. In addition to research, knowledge was regarded as being created through teaching and learning activities, consultancies, organisational documentation and acquisition from external sources. Knowledge is shared among peers during departmental and curriculum meetings, through annual research seminars and during conferences and publications in journals. KT with industry through consultancies is restricted to a few public HEIs. In the remaining HEIs, KT is limited to their students joining the workforce and to organising tailor-made courses and training programmes for public and private institutions. The study also provides evidence that some processes and activities contribute to more than one of KC, sharing and transfer. Originality/value This study contributes to the very limited body of research into KM processes in countries with developing higher education sectors. In addition, this research disaggregates the processes associated with KC, sharing and transfer, whilst also examining the relationship between them.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Maritz ◽  
Quan Nguyen ◽  
Sergey Ivanov

PurposeDespite the significance, university student start-ups and student entrepreneurship ecosystems (SEEs) have been subject to little research. This study aims to apply a qualitative emergent enquiry approach to explore best practice SEEs in Australia, complimented by narratives from leading scholars in higher education institutions with the aim of delineating the integrative components of SEEs.Design/methodology/approachAdopting the entrepreneurial ecosystem framework and aligned to the social cognitive theory, this paper explores the components and dynamics of SEEs, contributing to an understanding of how such components can better support the growth, sustainability and success of student start-ups. The authors extend entrepreneurship research on social construction using narrative research.FindingsThe findings provide guidelines for researchers, entrepreneurship scholars and educators, entrepreneurship students, policymakers and practitioners to enhance the impact and success of university student start-ups by adopting a student ecosystem approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe narratives represent a limited number of universities with an opportunity for further research to empirically measure the impact and outcomes of SEEs. The research is exploratory, inherently conceptual and emergent, providing an opportunity for validation of narrative frameworks in future studies.Practical implicationsThe findings may assist university managers to be more aware of their own subconscious preferences to student entrepreneurship and start-up initiatives, which may be useful in refining their impact and offerings regarding a quest toward the entrepreneurial university.Social implicationsFrom social perspectives, the alignment of the components of SEE has the ability to enhance and shift the entrepreneurial mindset of entrepreneurship students, notwithstanding enhancement of intentionality and self-efficacy.Originality/valueThis is the first study of SEEs in Australia, highlighting the importance of the integration of entrepreneurship education programs, entrepreneurship education ecosystems, the entrepreneurial university and specific start-up initiatives such as university accelerators. Furthermore, students may enhance their entrepreneurial mindset by actively engaging in such ecosystems.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Hauser ◽  
Annmarie Ryan

Purpose This paper aims to propose a framework to map partnerships as practiced in higher education institutions (HEIs) and trace the current mode of engagement between HEIs and their partners. This paper reflects on the alignment between current practices and what is understood in the literature as “true” partnerships. We are interested in the different modes of engagement that are labeled by the HEIs as partnerships and consider the plasticity of the term. The interest is in how the term is operationalized by HEIs and how variations in approach can be accounted for while still maintaining some stability and common understanding of the term partnership. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on extant literature in the field of cross-sector partnerships, a three-dimensional framework is proposed to map partnerships as practiced in HEIs. Furthermore, this paper draws on insights gained from the partnership stories of 13 leading principles of responsible management education (PRME) signatories to evidence examples of how this framework can help us to categorize the different types of engagement that the HEIs call partnerships. These case stories were gathered in the fall of 2019, based on a brief inquiry form sent to the 39 PRME signatories who were part of the PRME Champions Cycle 2018–2019. Findings This paper sees cases where faculty drive interaction on sustainable development goal-related issues with external stakeholders, but where the impact of these interactions seems to reside within the main business of the HEI (teaching and research). In contrast, much partnering work addresses broader social impacts. Of particular, interest in partnerships that seek to address a specific local issue, first and foremost and doing so in such a way as to apply the unique resources of the HEI working in multi-stakeholder networks. This paper also notes important variation between individual faculty-driven initiatives and initiatives where the school provides a strategic framework to support these efforts. Research limitations/implications By focusing on the academic sector and its stakeholder partnerships, this paper contributes to the literature on cross-sector partnerships. In particular, the specifics of this context and the importance of, for example, academic freedom have been under-researched in this field. Furthermore, the framework presented is novel in that it helps us to grasp the nuances of external university partnerships that can form out of individual, programmatic and other institutional levels. Practical implications From a practice perspective, the framework offers a useable tool for HEI partnership managers to position themselves and their activities and reflect more on how they organize external partnerships. Further, this tool offers a more precise framework for the discussion on partnerships within the PRME to sharpen the partnership instrument and bring more clarity about what is meant by the partnership for the goals. Originality/value The paper offers a novel partnership portfolio framework that contributes both to theory and practice. The framework aids in mapping the locus of benefits/outcomes and the material and affective commitments made by the HEI to bring these collaborations about. In dimensionalizing partnerships in this way, this paper can conceptualize a balanced portfolio in an HEI’s partnerships for the goals.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Mee Thien ◽  
Mi-Chelle Leong ◽  
Fei Ping Por

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationship between undergraduates' course experience and their deep learning approach and to identify areas of improvement to facilitate students' deep learning in the private higher education context.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 844 Malaysian undergraduate students who studied in six private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Penang and Selangor. This study used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis.FindingsThe findings revealed that good teaching and appropriate assessment have no significant relationship with deep learning. Generic skills, clear goals and standards, appropriate workload and emphasis on independence are positively related to deep learning. Generic skills and emphasis on independence are two domains that deserve attention to enhance deep learning among undergraduates.Practical implicationsLecturers need to focus on to the cultivation of generic skills to facilitate students' deep learning. Student autonomy and student-centred teaching approaches should be empowered and prioritised in teaching and learning.Originality/valueThe current study has its originality in providing empirical findings to inform the significant relationship between dimensions of course experience and deep learning in Malaysian private HEIs. Besides, it also identifies the areas of improvement concerning teaching and learning at the private HEIs using importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) in a non-Western context.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishnadas Nanath ◽  
Ali Sajjad ◽  
Supriya Kaitheri

PurposeUniversity selection in higher education is a complex task for aspirants from a decision-making perspective. This study first aims to understand the essential parameters that affect potential students' choice of higher education institutions. It then aims to explore how these parameters or priorities have changed given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning about the differences in priorities for university selection pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic might help higher education institutions focus on relevant parameters in the post-pandemic era.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed-method approach, with primary and secondary data (university parameters from the website and LinkedIn Insights). We developed a university selector system by scraping LinkedIn education data of various universities and their alumni records. The final decision-making tool was hosted on the web to collect potential students' responses (primary data). Response data were analyzed via a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model. Portal-based data collection was conducted twice to understand the differences in university selection priorities pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic. A one-way MANOVA was performed to find the differences in priorities related to the university decision-making process pre- and post-COVID-19.FindingsThis study considered eight parameters of the university selection process. MANOVA demonstrated a significant change in decision-making priorities of potential students between the pre- and post-COVID-19 phases. Four out of eight parameters showed significant differences in ranking and priority. Respondents made significant changes in their selection criteria on four parameters: cost (went high), ranking (went low), presence of e-learning mode (went high) and student life (went low).Originality/valueThe current COVID-19 pandemic poses many uncertainties for educational institutions in terms of mode of delivery, student experience, campus life and others. The study sheds light on the differences in priorities resulting from the pandemic. It attempts to show how social priorities change over time and influence the choices students make.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercy Asaa Asiedu ◽  
Hod Anyigba ◽  
Kwame Simpe Ofori ◽  
George Oppong Appiagyei Ampong ◽  
John Agyekum Addae

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between transformational leadership, knowledge management capabilities, organizational learning and innovation performance in the context of higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach Using a survey research design, data was collected from 219 respondents comprising faculty and administrative staff from two public and five private universities in Ghana. The data were analysed by using the partial least squares approach to structural equation modelling with the use of Smart PLS software. Findings The results revealed that transformational leadership significantly predicts knowledge management capabilities and organizational learning and also has a positive effect on innovation performance. Originality/value Although some studies have covered the theoretical and empirical analyses of links between transformational leadership, innovation performance and some knowledge management capabilities, this study examines the direct links between transformational leadership and knowledge management capabilities, on one hand, and transformational leadership and organizational learning on the other, as well as their overall effect on innovation performance, which has been less discussed in literature, particularly in the tertiary educational sector and in the Ghanaian context.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivasan P.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of knowledge management (KM) in terms of organizational performance using structural equation modeling. To enhance organizational performance, KM is used as a powerful strategic tool. The factors such as management commitment, leadership and organizational culture are the KM enabler’s conditions, and the step processes of KM are knowledge capture, creation, organizing/storing and transfer, and through this, KM is analyzed on organizational performance in the context of leathers manufacturing company. This study constructs with questionnaire consist of 34 variables. Design/methodology/approach There are about 101 samples that were collected through the questionnaire survey method in the leather companies in Ranipet. The data were collected from executives and associates in the leather companies. Data were analyzed using the SPSS tool and SMART PLS tool used for framing a research model and the hypothesized relationships were tested through partial least squares structural equation modeling technique. Findings The finding of this study is mandatory to implement a structured KM practice in the leather companies. Application of KM is quite an impact on organizational performance, which leads to profitability and productivity. Originality/value This is the first paper to empirically investigate the KM enablers, process and support for the role of KM practices at leather industry. Further, the positioning of KM practices as a strategic competitive tool can be considered as an influential factor to organizational performance.


2011 ◽  
pp. 3475-3483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Petrides ◽  
Lilly Ngyuen

While the pressure of public accountability has placed increasing pressure on higher education institutions to provide information regarding critical outcomes, this chapter describes how knowledge management (KM) can be used by educational institutions to gain a more comprehensive, integrative, and reflexive understanding of the impact of information on their organizations. The practice of KM, initially derived from theory and practice in the business sector, has typically been used to address isolated data and information transfer, rather than actual systemwide change. However, higher education institutions should not simply appropriate KM strategies and practices as they have appeared in the business sector. Instead, higher education institutions should use KM to focus on long-term, organization-wide strategies.


Author(s):  
Iman M. Adeinat ◽  
Fatheia H. Abdulfatah

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine knowledge management interrelationships in higher education institutions and to assess the impact of the university’s culture on knowledge management processes: creation, dissemination, exchange and application. Design/methodology/approach The proposed model establishes the relationships between organizational culture (OC) and knowledge management processes in a single framework. The study used the organizational culture assessment instrument to determine the culture type and used structural equation modeling to assess the underlying relationships between knowledge management process and OC. Findings The results of the factor analysis used in this study suggest that adhocracy organizational culture, in which an organization is characterized by emphasis on individual initiative and employee empowerment, may not necessarily affect all knowledge management processes equally. In particular, an organization’s culture principally influences the knowledge creation process, followed by knowledge exchange, in a public university setting. Originality/value The study provides a comprehensive outlook on the effect of adhocracy culture in higher education on the knowledge management process through the lens of one cultural context. In addition, this is the first study that explores the OC effect on knowledge management process in a Saudi public university.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-250
Author(s):  
Samar Aad Makhoul

Purpose This paper aims to study the relationship between higher education accreditation and teaching and learning enhancements in academic institutions. Higher education institutions are now looking at satisfying the standard by standard list assigned by internationally recognized accreditation agencies. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether outside quality confirmation can truly influence the inward life of higher education institutions. Will accreditation implementation have an impact on teaching and learning enhancement and drive institution change? Design/methodology/approach This study was based on an explanatory qualitative design whereby individual faculty members who are tenured or in tenure-track positions in business schools in Lebanese universities were interviewed. The latter universities from which interviewees were questioned are either the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited or currently pursuing accreditation. The sample included 30 faculty members from four different higher education Lebanese institutions. Findings Following thorough review of previous literature, and building on the outcomes of the interviews conducted for the purpose of this research, the author deduced that AACSB serves as the optimal guiding mechanism that incorporates effective evaluation criteria for learning quality and universities. There also exist a lack of commonality and shared standards among accrediting agencies. The researchers also highlight the need to introduce further quantification into the accrediting measures adopted including faculty retention and student attrition rates. Research limitations/implications Ranking agencies were not considered in this study. Those can be used to assess the effectiveness of higher education institutions and will provide fair quality assurance of learning. It is encouraged to incorporate the ranking agencies variable within the scope of future studies for further analysis. Practical implications The paper includes the need to introduce further quantification into the accrediting measures adopted including faculty retention and student attrition rates. Originality/value The focus of this study will be of particular interest to Business school seeking or maintaining accreditation. It will also be of interest to the Lebanese government if they want to look at having a regional accreditation. Future research could possibly explore the need to have a regional accreditation especially with the emerging numbers of higher education institutions in Lebanon.


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