| dc.description.abstract | Higher education institutions (HEIs) have applied knowledge management
(KM) to leverage organizational knowledge in support of their institutional achievements. HEIs need a holistic conceptualization of how KM processes dynamically interact with KM enablers and outcomes, but seem to typically lack an inclusive KM model. This research study aimed to develop and test a correlational model linking KM key enablers and processes to quality performance of HEIs.
Data were collected using an online survey of 142 universities in Thailand with archival data. A key informant method was used with KM committee members serving as respondents. The 181 respondents from 60 universities voluntarily participated in the e-survey. After deleting inadmissible cases, 150 respondents were used as true response cases.
The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) constructed six scales describing KM enablers and processes: Technology, Strategic Context, Culture, Leadership with a Directive Role, Knowledge Transfer, and Knowledge Generation. Then, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that the hypothesized model with seven factors (six EFA scales and quality performance score) was acceptable based on the following fit indices (χ^2= 1581.515, df = 845, p < .001; CFI = .809; TLI = .795; RMSEA = .083, 90% CI: .077 – .089; SRMR = .065). This hypothesized model adequately represented the actual data set. The thematic analyses from open ended questions provided emerging themes to support the hypothesized model that focuses on human-oriented enablers, including leadership, individual attitudes, and levels of KM understanding.
This study revealed that knowledge becomes a process of individuals’ insights, experiences, know-how, and values that are to be justified through social interactions among participants to make knowledge actionable and embedded in institutions’ repositories and routines. Since knowledge requires dynamic management within each institution’s system, KM provides the activity of creating and sharing knowledge across the whole system. HEIs require a dedicated position for KM oversight and need to find a way to enable members to participate in social interaction processes that make knowledge flow fluently throughout their institutions. With a well-organized KM system that consists of enablers, processes, and outcomes drawn from this study, KM will keep on track and stimulate individual, group, and organizational knowledge development and retention. | en |
