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The Use of Holistic Approach to Knowledge Management
Initiative in Managing Information in Higher Learning
Institution: A Perspective
JUHANA SALIM*, YARINA YAHYA**, MOHD SHAHIZAN OTHMAN***,
NURUL RAFIDZA MOHD RASHID*
*Department of Information Science
National University of Malaysia
MALAYSIA
**Department of System Science and Management
National University of Malaysia
MALAYSIA
***Department of Computer Science
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
MALAYSIA
Abstract: - In the current world today, where Internet plays an important role in the
information technology environment for communication, collaboration and file sharing, data
is distributed and transform into useful knowledge. Knowledge, known as the body of
information such as facts, opinion, ideas, theories and principles is vital in most organisations
from commercial enterprises, government agencies to higher learning institution as it allows
the organisations to advance for better performance in the future. As such, knowledge should
be managed well to sustain a high rate of continuous improvement. Currently, organisations
worldwide are using various techniques and technologies to better manage their existing
knowledge in order to improve the quality of knowledge sharing. Therefore, realising the
importance of knowledge sharing, the concept knowledge management is created to obtain
the greatest value from knowledge available in an organisation. At present, it is root out that
most higher learning institutions in Malaysia have not created proper mechanism to allow
knowledge creation and sharing. As such this paper addresses an initiative taken to develop a
model that gives emphasis on a variety of aspects that will make the knowledge management
programmes to be efficient and effective. The proposed model uses an integrated approach to
develop a holistic knowledge management system and it can be utilised by the institutions to
promote and strengthen the knowledge creation and sharing culture in Malaysia.
Key-Words: - Knowledge Management, KM, Tacit Knowledge, Knowledge Creation,
Knowledge Sharing, Higher Institutions Malaysia, KM model
1 Introduction
Knowledge can be defined basically as the
body of information such as facts, opinion,
ideas, theories, principles and models or
frameworks. Nonaka [6] defined
knowledge as, the commitment and belief
and more of a reaction that includes the
unique experience and knowledge present
in the individual employee. He stresses
that it is this knowledge that must be made
explicit for new knowledge to be created.
Knowledge also refers to a person state of
being with respect to some body of
information. Sveiby [4] perceived
knowledge as object that can be articulated
in words and that when abstract
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knowledge is transformed and structured
through words and symbols, knowledge
can be disseminated, analyzed, criticized,
synthesized and expanded to new areas of
knowledge. As such, good knowledge
management (KM) would be able to
support organisations in promoting
continuous learning where knowledge can
be practiced and used.
Literature reveals that knowledge
management plays an important role in the
day-to-day activities. Most organisations
are currently trying to retain the existing
knowledge by managing and controlling
the knowledge, using existing knowledge
in decision making, facilitating knowledge
growth through socialization process (as
advocated by Nonaka’s theory of
knowledge creation) and generating new
knowledge where possible. Emphasis on
the importance of knowledge offers a
potential use of knowledge management in
higher learning institution as these
institutions have significant opportunities
to apply knowledge management practices
to support every part of the institution
mission [3]. However based on a survey
conducted by a group of researcher [1] it is
discovered that most higher learning
institutions in Malaysia have not created
proper mechanism to allow knowledge
sharing, thus hinders the effective
practices of knowledge management. Thus
this paper addresses an initiative taken to
develop a model that gives emphasis on a
variety of aspects that will make the
knowledge management programmes to be
efficient and effective.
This paper is structured as follows:
Section 2 highlights the approaches used
to knowledge management initiatives.
Section 3 gives an overview of the model
proposed. Section 4 presents the proposed
knowledge management system
architecture, while section 5 discusses the
application of the proposed architecture in
the higher learning institutions in
Malaysia. Finally section 6 concludes the
paper.
2 Approaches to Knowledge
Management Initiatives
Most current KM practices emphasized on
managing explicit knowledge, as such
formal knowledge recorded in documents,
written paper, data kept in databases are
managed to assist in day-to-day activities.
On the contrary, based on the theory of
knowledge creation by Nonaka and
Takeuchi [5], knowledge could also be
created through the interaction between
explicit and tacit knowledge, via a process
known as knowledge conversion. The four
modes associated to the process are
socialization, externalization, combination
and internalization, in which it involves of
converting tacit knowledge into explicit
knowledge and creation of new knowledge
through synthesis of continuous and
dynamic process.
Organizations that wish to improve KM
initiatives or programmes must realize that
knowledge unlike information should be
also seen as commitment and belief and
more of a reaction. Therefore, the unique
experience and knowledge present in the
individual employees of higher learning
institutions must be made explicit for new
knowledge to be created. In addition, to
enhance innovation it does not necessary
involved force elements. Nonaka and
Takeuchi’s theory of knowledge creation
is based on the critical assumption that
knowledge is created and extended
through social interaction between tacit
and explicit knowledge. The exchange of
knowledge is a social process between
individuals and individuals and
organization.
Given the importance of tacit knowledge
in managing knowledge it is proposed that
knowledge management initiatives should
be combining both types of knowledge
into the knowledge management system.
This is significant as there would be
balance between connecting individuals
who need to know with those who know,
and collecting what is learned as a result
of this connection.
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3 A Model of An Integrated
Approach to Knowledge
Management
Having analyzed the various approaches
and practices to knowledge management
based on available literature, a model was
constructed to ensure that the knowledge
management programmes to be designed
give emphasis on a variety of aspects that
will make the programme efficient and
effective.
It can be synthesized that organization
should focus on these five objectives of
knowledge management [2]:
• Connecting people with other
knowledgeable people
• Connecting people with
information
• Enabling the conversion of
information to knowledge
• Encapsulating knowledge to make
it easier to transfer
• Disseminating knowledge around
the organization.
Figure 1 shows that the knowledge
management model proposed here focuses
on developing a knowledge friendly
culture and knowledge friendly behaviour
among the people in an organization
which should be supported by the
appropriate processes, and which may be
enabled through technology.
Based on the approach applied below,
knowledge management consists of three
main components, namely people,
processes and technology based on the
approach applied above. At the same time,
knowledge management programme must
have two main dimensions, which are
basically collecting, and connecting
dimension.
Based on Figure 1, people refers to the
cultural and behavioural approach
whereby getting an organisation’s culture
right for knowledge management. This
component is the most important but the
most difficult challenge, mainly because
knowledge is actually first and foremost a
people issue. Connecting people tends to
be the main emphasis in effective
knowledge programmes. Knowledge
management initiative in some
organisations in Japan has shown that the
creation and sharing of knowledge can
only happen when individual cooperate
willingly [5]. According to Nonaka,
employees need to be given a lot of space
to create and not controlled or monitored.
As such, employees in any organisations
need to socialize, externalize, combine and
internalize knowledge to produce new
insights. Hence for knowledge
management programme to succeed, the
culture of the organisation must support on
going learning and knowledge sharing.
This is important in order to ensure that
not only relevant knowledge is captured to
aid in managing day-to-day activities of
the organisation but that new knowledge
should be created substantially o meet new
challenges and cut competitive edge.
Processes on the other hand, involved the
creation of environment to promote
knowledge sharing, for example higher
management in the organisations should
provide meeting rooms, cyberspace and
forum sessions to foster interactions
among employees. This would further
encourage communication among
employees to share relevant knowledge.
The technology component mentioned
above is a key enable to connect people
and sources of information. As such
repositories of knowledge, directories of
expertise, yellow pages, data warehousing,
full text search engines and hypertext
systems can be embedded into the
knowledge management system to foster
the capturing and dissemination of
knowledge.
It is believed that the model proposed had
emphasized the knowledge creation
activities through a dynamic and
continuous process, which appears to be a
new approach to developing knowledge
management system that is more
pragmatic and dynamic. Therefore to
achieve a holistic knowledge management
system, the above-proposed model formed
the basis for the design of knowledge
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Fig.1: Knowledge Management Model
management system architecture that
would provide the structure needed to
promote knowledge sharing among
employees. The architecture is presented
in the next section.
4 Proposed Knowledge
Management System (KMS)
Architecture
The knowledge system architecture
proposed gives emphasis on the three main
components namely the people, process
and technology described in the above
model. Figure 2 shows that the knowledge
management system architecture
comprises of important elements such as
vision, customer communities access
channels, applications, knowledge
warehouse, infrastructure and enabling
environment.
Based on the Figure 2, it can be deduced
that the architecture had focused on the
interaction between employees in the
organisation through the use of access
channels, knowledge warehouse,
infrastructure provided and the enabling
environment. The process component is
materialised through the applications,
knowledge warehouse and the
infrastructure, while the technology is
transpired through the exercise of
infrastructure, applications of portals and
enabling environment.
5 Application of Proposed
KMS Architecture in Higher
Learning Institution
The proposed KMS architecture would be
useful for any organisations that aspire to
establish knowledge creation and sharing
activities among the employees and
implement knowledge management
system in the organisation. As stated
earlier, it is root out that most higher
learning institutions in Malaysia have not
People
Processes
Technology
Physical space
Cyberspace
Mental space
Which processes
constitute barriers?
Which process
enables KM?
Application of the theory of
knowledge creation
Creating environment to
improve knowledge sharing
Network systems
Repositories
Databases
Data warehouse
Yellow pages
Directories
Research team
Report/experiences
Full text online services
Objective: Developing a friendly knowledge culture and friendly behavior among its people supported by
appropriate processes to improve knowledge sharing enabled through technology towards a holistic KM system
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Fig. 2: The Proposed Knowledge Management System Architecture
created proper mechanism to allow
knowledge sharing, therefore it is believed
that the use of proposed KMS architecture
in these institutions would certainly
promote otherwise. Most higher learning
institutions in Malaysia have the vision to
be the leading university that pioneers
innovation, research and education to
achieve the aspiration of producing
knowledge society. As such, it is essential
that access channels, applications,
infrastructure and knowledge warehouse
being developed to aid in achieving the
disclose vision. In order to achieve the
vision stated by each institution, it is
essential that the institution managers
establish knowledge initiative
programmes. The higher authorities needs
to encourage their employees to be
involved in on going knowledge creation
activities as advocated by Nonaka and
Takeuchi such as research and
development, consultancy, advance
training, expert collaboration,
brainstorming sessions, intellectual forums
and colloquiums to ensure that the
initiatives are executed. In other words the
cultural perspectives on knowledge
management should be emphasised
tremendously in the institutions. Likewise,
technology elements should also be put
into the highest priority in order to achieve
the objective of knowledge management
initiative programmes established.
As most higher learning institutions in
Malaysia have already hold existing
customer communities, access channels,
infrastructure and enabling environment,
enhancements can be made to the
applications and knowledge warehouse. In
addition, the higher authorities of the
higher learning institutions should
highlight and emphasise on the knowledge
creation process among the employees. If
all of these are taken into the perspectives
of managing information using the above
architecture, it is believed that the
information relating to teaching, learning,
research and management activities can be
captured and utilised effectively to
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strengthen the knowledge sharing culture
in the institutions.
6 Conclusion
This paper emphasised on the cultural
behavioural perspective of KM, which
organisations failed to integrate in their
KM initiatives. In addition effective
organisation learning depends more on a
human resources rather than technology
driven. Higher learning institution in
Malaysia should realize that for
knowledge initiatives programme to work,
they need to encourage their workers to be
involved in on going knowledge creation
activities as advocated by Nonaka and
Takeuchi. They should also establish
Communities of Practitioners (CoP) to
encourage and drive systems, share
problems and learn from one another,
through CoP meeting and brainstorming
sessions. Such activities help promote
group wide sharing of lessons and
experience relating to all aspects of higher
learning institution activities. Through
sharing experience within groups of core
competencies, it helps promote the
replication of good practice and the
resolution of issues and problems. In
addition continuous learning,
organisational learning and aspiring
visions to make higher learning institution
a knowledge organisation forms the basis
for the implementation of knowledge
management initiatives that are
progressive. Apart from emphasising on
the cultural perspectives on knowledge
management, this paper pointed out
importance of technology element in order
for the objectives of knowledge
management initiatives programme to be
achieved.
References:
[1] Ismail, M.A. and Lee Yang, C.,
Implication of Knowledge Management
(KM) in Higher Learning Insitution. In
Proceeding of International Conference on
Knowledge Management (ICKM), 2005,
pp. 1-13
[2]Junnakar, B., Creating Futile Ground
for Knowledge at Mosanto, Perspective on
Business Innovation, Vol.1, 2005.
[3]Kidwell, J.J., Vander Linde, K.M. and
Sandra L.J., Applying Corporate
Knowledge Management in Higher
Education, In Bernbom, G. (ed),
Information Alchemy: The Art and Science
of Knowledge Management, EDUCAUSE
Leadership Series #3, Jossey-Bass, 2001.
[4] Sveiby, K-E., What is Knowledge
Management?,
http://www.sveiby.com/articles/Japanese
knowledge management.htm, 2001
[5]Nonaka, I and Takeuchi, H. The
knowledge-Creating Company: How
Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics
of Innovation, Oxford University Press,
1995
[6]Takeuchi, H. and Nonaka, I.
Hitotsubashi on Knowledge Management,
John Wiley, 2004
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