A comparison of public and private sector perceptions and use of knowledge management

Abstract

Knowledge management is an emergent and eclectic body of knowledge which covers the systematic management of knowledge, of all kinds, within all levels and types of organisations. The relative newness of the area as a management philosophy has resulted in most research and practical application studies being based in large private sector organisations. There is relatively little information on knowledge management in the private sector, and even less on private‐public sector knowledge management comparisons. Compares the perceptions of both private and public sector organisations in regard to knowledge management to improve overall understanding and to develop sector specific learning. First, the key dimensions of knowledge management are identified using a developed knowledge management model. Second, a survey of public and private sector organisations is used to investigate perceptions of the knowledge management dimensions. Third, there are a series of qualitative social constructionist workshops, involving both private and public sector organisations which were run to gain a deeper insight into sectoral comparisons. It was found that knowledge management was more developed as a management philosophy in the public sector. This development has been caused by continual pressure for increased efficiency, reduced resources and improved quality within the public sector.

The Contribution of Technological Factors on Knowledge Sharing Quality among Government Officers in Malaysia

“…Middle managers are chosen since they are directly involved in policy making in the public sector human resource, financial management and socio-economic development of the country. Knowledge are aspired and created by middle managers who are the leaders of a working group or task force that mediate the exchange process between top management and supporting staff (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995 systematically generated at this level (McAdam & Reid, 2000). Policy making and business development are generated by the knowledge-based activities of government agencies (Husted et al, 2005).…”

“…However, studies on knowledge sharing particularly in public sector in Malaysia are still handful (McAdam & Reid, 2000;Syed Ikhsan & Rowland, 2004). A number of studies in Malaysia limit their scope on antecedents of knowledge sharing or knowledge transfer (Ismail & Yusof, 2008;Syed Ikhsan & Rowland, 2004) from individual, organizational and technological perspectives.…”

Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing in the University of The Gambia

“…There is limited research on knowledge management and knowledge sharing in public organizations and universities for that matter [19]. There is no study on the level and nature of knowledge sharing in the University of The Gambia, and knowledge sharing among employees in an organization has lot of benefits which helps towards achieving organizational goals.…”

The Influence of Knowledge Management on Learning in Government Organisations

“…Gorry [17] has shown how the proper sharing of knowledge between different government organizations enhanced staff services; giving an example of the influence of knowledge sharing in social services, education, health care and therefore the overall economy. McAdam and O'Dell [18] have proposed that the active exchange of knowledge both in private and public organisations led to improved quality, efficiency, management learning, products and services, and reduced operating cost. Thus the presence of knowledge is believed to be a source of business benefits such as a competitive advantage, minimization of costs, improved quality, responsiveness, or improved service to customers due to the systematic and interdisciplinary approach of knowledge management [19].…”