The interaction between humans and knowledge management systems : rethinking the future

In this workshop position paper, we propose a study to understand the importance of knowledge management systems among academics in Saudi higher education institutions, admitting that knowledge workers and Knowledge Management Systems are valuable organizational assets whose interaction should be improved. We intend to understand Saudi academics’ perception toward using the knowledge management system to share their teaching experiences. Based on the findings, we investigate the major research trends in knowledge management systems and give some recommendations for future research

A Survey on Knowledge Management in Universities in the QS Rankings: E-learning and MOOCs

Purpose – Many public organizations are employing Information Technology “IT” in Knowledge Management “KM” (Silwattananusarn and Tuamsuk, 2012; Alavi and Leidner, 2001; Chatti et al., 2007). Within universities, the use of IT could be an enabler to create and facilitate the development of knowledge (Joia, 2000; Garcia, 2007; Tian et al., 2009; Sandelands, 1997); to improve knowledge sharing (Aurelie Bechina Arntzen et al., 2009; Alavi and Gallupe, 2003); to develop communities of practice (Adams and Freeman, 2000). In the educational organizations IT is also a tool to improve the quality of learning (EC, 2000). E-learning is based on digital technologies (Aspen Institute Italy, 2014), through multiple teaching methods (Derouin et al., 2005), as tools for KM (Wild et al., 2002). The websites of some universities allows anyone to follow free lessons, through the internet. These types of free online courses are known as Massive Open Online Courses „MOOCs“ (EC, 2014; Sinclair et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to verify the type of teaching adopted by European universities and understand how training through e-learning can improve the processes of transmission and sharing of knowledge allowing everyone, not only to students, to take lessons through the web. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis allows detecting data on universities by region through the study of the websites of the top 100 European universities present in a ranking called Quacquarelli Symonds, “QS World University Rankings 2015/16”. The method used to collect the data was marked by the creation of a specific database in which are inserted, for each university, different information: status (public/private), size, age, number of enrolled students, references on websites. In this Excel spreadsheet was also taken into account the type of educational offer provided by each university, with particular reference to the provision of online courses and courses open to all. Originality/value – The article aims to provide a detailed study on the use of technology in the educational context. The exploration allows you to design, within other universities unranked, styles of teaching online to share knowledge. Practical implications – The survey, currently, is the first step of a larger project which aims to analyse the different types of e-learning platforms used by 100 universities in the European rankings QS to make teaching online. From the results of this first phase, it has emerged that all the surveyed European universities provide training not only through classroom lessons, but also with a variety of courses through e-learning even for free through MOOCs

A Survey on Knowledge Management in Universities in the QS Rankings: E-learning and MOOCs

Purpose – Many public organizations are employing Information Technology “IT” in Knowledge Management “KM” (Silwattananusarn and Tuamsuk, 2012; Alavi and Leidner, 2001; Chatti et al., 2007). Within universities, the use of IT could be an enabler to create and facilitate the development of knowledge (Joia, 2000; Garcia, 2007; Tian et al., 2009; Sandelands, 1997); to improve knowledge sharing (Aurelie Bechina Arntzen et al., 2009; Alavi and Gallupe, 2003); to develop communities of practice (Adams and Freeman, 2000). In the educational organizations IT is also a tool to improve the quality of learning (EC, 2000). E-learning is based on digital technologies (Aspen Institute Italy, 2014), through multiple teaching methods (Derouin et al., 2005), as tools for KM (Wild et al., 2002). The websites of some universities allows anyone to follow free lessons, through the internet. These types of free online courses are known as Massive Open Online Courses „MOOCs“ (EC, 2014; Sinclair et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to verify the type of teaching adopted by European universities and understand how training through e-learning can improve the processes of transmission and sharing of knowledge allowing everyone, not only to students, to take lessons through the web. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis allows detecting data on universities by region through the study of the websites of the top 100 European universities present in a ranking called Quacquarelli Symonds, “QS World University Rankings 2015/16”. The method used to collect the data was marked by the creation of a specific database in which are inserted, for each university, different information: status (public/private), size, age, number of enrolled students, references on websites. In this Excel spreadsheet was also taken into account the type of educational offer provided by each university, with particular reference to the provision of online courses and courses open to all. Originality/value – The article aims to provide a detailed study on the use of technology in the educational context. The exploration allows you to design, within other universities unranked, styles of teaching online to share knowledge. Practical implications – The survey, currently, is the first step of a larger project which aims to analyse the different types of e-learning platforms used by 100 universities in the European rankings QS to make teaching online. From the results of this first phase, it has emerged that all the surveyed European universities provide training not only through classroom lessons, but also with a variety of courses through e-learning even for free through MOOCs

Knowledge management in an organisational climate of uncertainty and change: A longitudinal case study of an Australian university

Universities are in the knowledge business and are expected to be at the forefront of knowledge management (KM). However, KM in a university is complex given the diversity of stakeholder groups. This is exacerbated in the Australian context by the changing climate of rationalisation, corporatisation and marketisation universities faced in the past decade. This paper investigates KM strategies in an Australian university to uncover barriers to knowledge-sharing among academics. Although the organisational infrastructure supports KM, many academics have not actively embraced it. One reason is that they struggle with KM for operational excellence in the increasing administrative aspects of the academic’s role, rendering them time-poor in terms of KM for innovation in research and teaching. As a first step, we propose a self-defined sub-unit level customised view of the explicit knowledge artefacts provided at the organisational level i.e. a wiki for a school-based community of practice for administrative best practices

Knowledge Management in an Organisational Climate of Uncertainty and Change: A Longitudinal Case Study of an Australian University

Universities are in the knowledge business and are expected to be at the forefront of knowledge management (KM). However, KM in a university is complex given the diversity of stakeholder groups. This is exacerbated in the Australian context by the changing climate of rationalisation, corporatisation and marketisation universities faced in the past decade. This paper investigates KM strategies in an Australian university to uncover barriers to knowledge-sharing among academics. Although the organisational infrastructure supports KM, many academics have not actively embraced it. One reason is that they struggle with KM for operational excellence in the increasing administrative aspects of the academic’s role, rendering them time-poor in terms of KM for innovation in research and teaching. As a first step, we propose a self-defined sub-unit level customised view of the explicit knowledge artefacts provided at the organisational level i.e. a wiki for a school-based community of practice for administrative best practices

The effect of Strategic Knowledge Management on the universities’ performance: An empirical approach

[Abstract]: Purpose. This article explores the relationship between the availability and use of IT solutions for SKM and the universities´ performance, measured in terms of scientific production. Design/methodology/approach. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and the Knowledgebased theory, we develop a conceptual framework for exploring the effect of SKM based on IT on the organization’s performance that we empirically test by applying panel data methodology to a sample of 70 Spanish universities over the period 2011-2014. Findings. We confirm that the SKM based on IT influences the university’s performance. This effect is positive in the case of the IT solutions referred to the infrastructure of data grouping and more evident when the university’s performance is measured by indicators more directly related to scientific quality. Contrary to expected, the percentage of training and research staff that uses institutional tools of collaborative work is negatively related with the universities´ capacity of publication. Practical implications. We followed the system dynamics approach to identify a causal diagram and a flow sequence that lets us group universities in three different profiles in the KM flow diagram. Originality/value: First, we develop a conceptual framework for exploring the effect of SKM based on IT on the organization’s performance that could be applicable to analyse the case of other knowledgedriven organizations. Second, in contrast with the large number of studies dealing with SKM and performance focused on firms, we analyse universities. Third, our empirical approach used panel data methodology with a large sample of universities over the period 2011-2014

What knowledge management approach do entrepreneurial universities need?

[Abtract]: This paper explores how the entrepreneurial outcomes (patents, university spin-offs, research projects and R&D contracts) of universities relate to the availability and use of information and telecommunications (IT) solutions for knowledge management (KM) over the period 2011-2014. We hypothesize that entrepreneurial universities may benefit from a good connection between knowledge infrastructure (IT solutions) and knowledge management processes for KM. We tested this hypothesis by estimating generalized least squares models and negative binomial regression models in a sample of 63 Spanish universities over the period 2011-2014. The results show that using data grouping infrastructure increases several measures of entrepreneurial outcomes of universities. Unexpectedly, institutional tools of collaborative work and data warehouse significantly decrease the number of patents. According to these results we suggest that process-oriented approaches for KM may decrease the entrepreneurial outcomes of universities. The contribution of this analysis is twofold. First, it allows a better empirical understanding of how IT solutions for KM affect the entrepreneurial outcomes of universities. Second, this analysis could guide a new design of IT solutions in order to increase these outcomes

Designing an artefact for sharing and reusing teaching practices in Higher Education institutions : an exploratory study

Knowledge management (KM) is considered as a significant source of success in many organisations, specifically higher education institutions. Instructors generate a considerable amount of valuable teaching-related knowledge that should be identified and shared among communities of instructors to enhance informal learning and deliver better quality teaching. However, many universities are facing difficulties in documenting, sharing and applying the teaching experiences gained by instructors. In the field of KM, a vast amount of research exists focusing on the activities of sharing knowledge, disregarding the importance of knowledge application and reuse. This research aims to close this gap by designing a system enabling instructors to share and apply teaching experiences. Therefore, we have followed a design research approach to explore meta-requirements by conducting an investigative study with instructors who work in Saudi universities. Through our exploratory study, we identified three challenges that might prevent instructors from sharing and reusing knowledge using the current communication channels: lack of access to experts and expertise, lack of structured knowledge, and lack of motivation. To overcome these challenges, a new artefact will be designed based on the resulting meta-requirements to ensure effective sharing and reuse of teaching experiences

Knowledge Management in higher education institutions: enablers and barriers in Mauritius

Purpose This study contributes to research on knowledge management in higher education institutions (HEIs), by studying the enablers and barriers to knowledge management in a country with a developing higher education sector, Mauritius. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior staff in the main public and private higher education institutions in Mauritius. Questions focused on knowledge management, including relevant barriers and enabling factors to knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer. Findings Although participants were able to discuss knowledge management, none of the universities had a knowledge management strategy. Moreover, more barriers than enablers to knowledge management were identified. Barriers included: a lack of policies and reward mechanisms, resources, data, funding and time for research, coupled with frequent leadership changes, a lack of a knowledge-sharing culture and research repositories and weak industry-academia linkages. Enablers were perceived to be: qualified and experienced academic staff in public HEIs, IT infrastructure and library/ digital library and some incentives for knowledge creation and transfer. Originality/value Previous research on knowledge management in universities has focused on countries with a relatively well-developed higher education sector. This research contributes by focusing on the perceived barriers and enablers to knowledge management in a country with a small and developing higher education sector

Gestión del conocimiento científico en la Universidad de Antioquia: integración de herramientas para la formulación de una estrategia

La investigación que dio origen al presente artículo tuvo como propósito el diseñar de una estrategia de gestión de conocimiento científico (las actividades investigativas) para una universidad pública. Para las instituciones universitarias con énfasis en investigación, es necesario incluir la gestión del conocimiento científico como un enfoque estratégico a fin de marcar la diferencia, generar ventajas competitivas, mejorar la posición en su campo de acción y en el entorno en que se desenvuelve. Para poder definir una estrategia se requieren ciertas condiciones previas que faciliten el proceso. Se presenta la integración de tres herramientas de gestión del conocimiento dirigidas a proveer la información necesaria e incentivar la creación de una cultura al interior de los grupos de investigación, que permita definir una estrategia. Estas herramientas comprenden la medición del nivel de madurez, la identificación de brechas de conocimiento y la construcción de Mapas Topográficos de Conocimiento. Las herramientas fueron aplicadas a una muestra representativa de los grupos de investigación de la Universidad de Antioquia, a través de una metodología cuali-cuantitativa y un análisis interpretativo, utilizando una encuesta electrónica. Los resultados permitieron demostrar la aplicabilidad y pertinencia al contexto universitario de las herramientas, además de proveer información valiosa acerca de la situación del caso particular, que servirá de insumo para formular la estrategia.The research for the construction of this article had the purpose of designing a strategy for scientific knowledge management (research activities) in a public university. For university institutions with an emphasis on research it is necessary to include scientific knowledge management as a strategic approach for making a difference, generating competitive advantages, and improving their position in their field of expertise and within the environment where they operate. Certain preconditions are required in order to make the process of defining a strategy easier. The integration of three knowledge management tools aimed at providing the necessary information and encourage the creation of a culture within the research groups is presented for this purpose. These tools include the measuring of the maturity level, the identification of knowledge gaps and the construction of Topographic Knowledge Maps. Tools were applied to a representative sample of research groups at the University of Antioquia through a qualitative-quantitative methodology and an interpretative analysis, by means of an electronic survey. The results allowed demonstrating the applicability and relevance of these tools in the university context, as well as providing valuable information on the situation of that particular case, which will serve as an input to formulate the required strategy.A pesquisa que deu origem a este estudo teve como propósito elaborar uma estratégia de gestão de conhecimento científico (atividades de pesquisa) numa universidade pública. Para as instituições universitárias com ênfase em pesquisa, é necessário incluir a gestão do conhecimento científico com uma abordagem estratégica a fim de marcar a diferença, gerar vantagens competitivas, melhorar o posicionamento em seu campo de ação e no contexto no qual se desenvolve. Para poder definir uma estratégia, requerem-se condições prévias que facilitem o processo. Apresentase a integração de três ferramentas de gestão do conhecimento dirigidas a fornecer a informação necessária e incentivar a criação de uma cultura no interior dos grupos de pesquisa para definir uma estratégia. Essas ferramentas compreendem a medição do nível de maturidade, a identificação de brechas de conhecimento e a construção de mapas topográficos de conhecimento. As ferramentas foram aplicadas a uma amostra representativa dos grupos de pesquisa da Universidad de Antioquia (Colômbia) por meio de uma metodologia quali-quantitativa e uma análise interpretativa, utilizando um questionário eletrônico. Os resultados permitiram demonstrar a aplicabilidade e a pertinência ao contexto universitário das ferramentas, além de fornecer informação valiosa sobre a situação do caso particular, o que servirá de insumo para formular a estratégia