A Conceptual Analysis of the Role of Knowledge Management in Knowledge Leadership

Abstract

Knowledge-based organizational structures need leaders who manage and ensure the effectiveness of knowledge. Knowledge leaders encourage employees to participate in knowledge management processes, contribute to adopting knowledge management as part of organizational culture, and lead knowledge management activities by choosing the most appropriate infrastructure and technology. Schools are knowledge-intensive organizations that possess a large number of information areas that must be managed. The main actors who are responsible for managing these areas of knowledge are school principals. This situation requires school principals to be competent in terms of both knowledge management and leadership skills. The purpose of this study is to make a conceptual evaluation of the relationship between knowledge leadership and knowledge management. To achieve this aim, the relationships between knowledge leadership and knowledge management were examined, a conceptual evaluation of these relationships was made, and the importance of knowledge leadership both at the organizational level and the school level was emphasized. Designed as a theoretical literature review, it investigates the hypothesis that knowledge leaders undertake important roles in knowledge management processes. Therefore, the study is important for understanding the role of knowledge leaders in knowledge management.

The Effect of Batho Pele Principles on Mediating Internally and Externally Directed Knowledge-sharing Practices in Public Schools

“…HODs must ensure that the teachers receive the circulars (H6@C). This statement demonstrates that the leadership of the school understands the importance of encouraging all members of staff to play an active role in knowledge sharing events (Kazak, 2021). Syndicated meetings and spontaneous briefings appeared to be the most viable methods of cascading or sharing knowledge with co-workers who did not occupy management positions.…”

“…It is a challenge to get everyone's buy-in on certain processes and procedures, the management is at times, resistant to change and tends to be loyal to their old ways, especially the knowledge that comes from new/younger teachers. Leader's failure to motivate, reward and recognise workers ' [i.e., teachers] knowledge sharing efforts (Šajeva, 2014) exposes their lack of knowledge leadership skills (Kazak, 2021;Nkambule, 2023b).…”

Perceived barriers to optimal effectiveness of the South African School Administration and Management System (SA-SAMS)

“…Swanepoel ( 2008) points out that the role of principals has gone through significant changes in the last few years. The promise of 21 st first century education has diversified their leadership functions to include knowledge management leadership (Kazak, 2021) which, inter alia, deals with overseeing the implementation of SA-SAMS. In addition to complex leadership functions, their administrative workload has also drastically increased (Swanepoel, 2008).…”

“…This is a far cry from a few years prior, when they carried out minimal data management tasks and were not expected to operate a computer. To lessen the tediousness of "management and administration of the school" (Kuraikose, 2014, p. 77), SA-SAMS was created as an allencompassing digital platform for them to perform all areas of their job description (Department of Basic Education [DBE], 2012) and enhance their knowledge management leadership capabilities (Kazak, 2021;Nkambule, 2023d). Based on their interpretation of related research, Kasimiri et al (2021) concluded that the introduction of SMSs professionalised principalship by ensuring that individuals entrusted with it acquired ICT skills and developed effective administration competencies.…”

“…This finding is contrary to that of Khalil (2023), whose study concluded that Lebanese teachers' SMS skills and levels of motivation to use it were generally above average. Also, because the SMT is vital in coming up with a turnaround strategy to minimise the negative impact of information systems (Ng'ayo, 2023), in not working alongside their respective SMTs to come up with internal initiatives to motivate and train teachers to use the system, P1 and P2 exemplified what Kazak (2021) and Nkambule (2023c) refer to as "ineffective knowledge management leadership skills". Evidently, all three participants cited incompetency of district-based SA-SAMs helpdesk personnel as having a bearing on optimal effectiveness of SA-SAMS.…”