The study also found that Web 2.0 is not being used as an e-learning and knowledge management strategy. In this regard, the study found that the effective use of knowledge management, including knowledge management information systems, adds value to institutions.
CHAPTER ONE Introduction
- Introduction
- What is Knowledge Management
- Key focus areas of the study
- Problem statement
- Background to the problem
- Research Sub-Questions
- Objectives
- Contributions of the Research
- Overview of Thesis
- Summary
In relation to the motivation for the study indicated above (1.7), the potential value of the research (based on the results) is indicated. This includes findings related to the research questions, objectives and theoretical frameworks of the study.
CHAPTER TWO Review of Literature
Introduction
Information Systems
Information and Information Strategy
Information Strategy
Knowledge is derived from this information and has value based on the organized collection of information through experience, communication or extrapolation (William and Amin, 2006). A visual articulation of William and Amin's (2006) view of knowledge is shown in Figure 1.
Knowledge Management
Knowledge management can also be seen as creating relevant knowledge derived from data or information found in an organization's available resources and using that knowledge to achieve organizational goals (Marshall, 2003). Technology-based or techno-centric KM includes systems to improve the creation, integration and dissemination of knowledge.
Knowledge Management synonymy with Business Intelligence
Laal (2010) extrapolated that successful Knowledge Management involves processes that improve an organization's ability to learn and acquire knowledge that then allows the organization to perform effectively and deliver positive results. Similarly, and as conveyed by Elbashir, Collier and Michael (2008), BI was a strategic resource that provided the ability to analyze information that is locked in an organization's data sources.
Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence Systems
This therefore becomes an effective solution for dealing with "big data" due to its analytical ability, scalability, flexibility and fault tolerance (IBM, 2014). 23 Another specialized system designed to deal effectively with 'big data' is 'stream computing'.
Knowledge Management as a driver of Organisational Strategy
This is an analytical processing system that is effectively designed to deal with frequently changing data (data in motion). Other systems that can satisfy the processing of 'Big Data' also include Content Management Systems that effectively manage documents and data content allowing them to be properly controlled.
Strategic use of Knowledge Management in business and public sector in developed Countries developed Countries
This technology-based system significantly improved the organization's manufacturing process and facilitated the sharing of best practices for process improvement activities within business groups around the world (Ibrahim Edgar and Reid, 2009). The author assessed the role of KM across fifteen companies in the manufacturing and construction industries and built the CLEVER framework based on the findings.
Higher Education and Universities
The most important element is knowledge creation, which is primarily related to academic research. The second element is knowledge dissemination, which relates to the knowledge that is created and then disseminated among university students.
Knowledge Management and Higher Education
The demands of globalization and a changing economic environment are forcing higher education institutions to rethink their methods of teaching, conducting research and managing the institution, Cranfield and Taylor (2008). For Lubeg, Omon and van der Weide (2011), factors such as the increasing speed of change, increased complexity of the higher education environment, strong competitive pressure, high level of workload and other socio-technical problems require higher education institutions to adapt their operational processes. and organizational learning with KM to achieve their goals.
Literature on Application of Strategic Knowledge Management in Higher Education in Developed Countries Education in Developed Countries
33 The seven higher education institutions surveyed were found to have significant levels of KM activities. Organizational culture also plays a crucial role in the implementation and dissemination of KM in these institutions.
E-Learning
Therefore, the strategic role of KM in African higher education is something that needs to be explored. Moreover, KM and e-Learning can be considered an important part of KM because KM facilitated e-Learning by increasing the effectiveness of knowledge creation and dissemination (Yordanova, 2007).
The Role of e-Learning as a KM Strategy
For Alonso, et al. 2005) e-Learning uses the Internet and multimedia technologies to improve the quality of pedagogy and learning by enabling creation, collaboration, sharing of knowledge and knowledge-based resources. In context, e-learning is defined as the creation, transfer, sharing and acquisition of knowledge through the use and application of IS.
56 highlighted the importance of staff perception in e-Learning adoption and e-Learning strategy development. The next section presents some of the limited evidence from e-Learning literature in an African context.
Research Evidence of e-Learning initiatives in Africa
For Nugultham (2012), Web 2.0 is the second generation of the WWW and promotes interactivity, collaboration, sharing and facilitation. Kose (2010) agrees that Web 2.0 promotes interactive applications and systems that can be used to build, share and customize information content according to their needs.
The full list of other benefits of Web 2.0-based CWBE is descriptively highlighted in (Silvia and Beatriz, 2012). Grosseck (2009) analyzed important models, perspectives, advantages and obstacles for using Web 2.0 as a strategy in Higher Education.
Literature supporting the Emergence of MOOCs
At the end of the course, it showed that more learning took place via the MOOC as opposed to the traditional lecture students. The course gained popularity and momentum primarily because of the 2,300 MOOC students as opposed to the classroom students.
Dearth of KM/e-Learning/Web.2.0 research in Higher Education in Africa (The Gap) Gap)
Haslinda and Sarinah (2009) provided a detailed review of numerous models and their applicability to measuring KM. The knowledge management model of Kogut and Zander (1992) - The knowledge management model of Hedlund and Nonaka (1993) - The knowledge management model of Nonaka (1994).
Kogut and Zander Knowledge Management Framework
- Literature supporting the use of the Framework
Organizational learning does lead to strategic decision-making and this is supported by Argyris and Schön. Drawing on the theories of Argyris and Schön (1996), they emphasized organizational learning as a positive facilitator of organizational performance and innovation.
Organisational Culture Theory Framework
- Literature supporting the use of the Framework
This indicates that where there is an effective alignment of the organization's human resources with the organizational objectives, the organizational culture is strong. Similarly, Park, Ribeire, and Schulte (2004) examined the impact of organizational culture on KM technology adoption and found that the success of KM technology is facilitated by organizational culture.
Application of Theoretical Frameworks in Africa
93 the success of KM systems and technology and that positive culture had a positive correlation with the success of KM technology implementation.
Summary
CHAPTER THREE Research Methodology
Introduction
Research Question, Sub-Questions and Objectives of the Study
- Research Question The primary research question is: The primary research question is
- Research Sub-Questions
- Objectives
- Sampling Strategy
- Selection of Top 20 universities based on Academic Ranking
- Selection of leading African universities for the study in relation to rankings rankings
- Recruitment of the study participants
- Respondents
- Process of contacting respondents
- Overviews of selected universities that agreed to participate Brief overviews of the selected universities are presented here. Brief overviews of the selected universities are presented here
The student population of approximately 45,000 - constitutes one of the largest student populations of any university in the country. Webometrics ranked the university 5th largest in South Africa and 700th in the world in 2011.
Location of the Study
- Motivation to conduct interviews (Qualitative)
The interviews were conducted to positively support and increase the quality of the results obtained from the questionnaire (quantitatively). This also added more depth to the data that was collected, as the interviews were focused on core issues related to KM.
Research Design
- Construction of the instruments and survey tools .1 Questionnaire design and development .1Questionnaire design and development
- Mapping of research questions and instrument to Theoretical Frameworks For the study to be successful, the research instruments were underpinned by the relevant
- Validation of Questionnaire Instrument
- Administration of the Questionnaire
- Administration of Interviews
The questions were built around the constructs of the model/theories applied to the study (see Chapter 2 for the models/theories). The questions were analyzed by a professional statistician to ensure that it was linked to the study objectives and constructs of the model used.
Analysis of the Data .1 Quantitative .1Quantitative
- Qualitative
They are further analyzed and discussed in relation to the above statistical methods in Chapter 5. The data was also examined in relation to the study's objectives and research question.
Ethical Considerations
Research was not conducted until ethical clearance was granted to the investigator from the investigator's institution. The data collected will be stored at the investigator's institution for a period of 5 years and then destroyed (according to investigator's institutional ethical procedure).
Summary
CHAPTER FOUR Descriptive Statistics
- Introduction
- The Census
- Biographical Data reporting
- Length of time employed at institution
- Current Vocational Title of Respondent Figure 13 depicts the current vocational title of the respondents Figure 13 depicts the current vocational title of the respondents
- Line reporting Authority of Respondent
- Scanning (Data Collection)
- How often does your Division/Department scan the Higher Education environment and collect information/data to gain insight? environment and collect information/data to gain insight?
- The data/information collected (through environmental scanning) is used by your Division/Department as a means of: used by your Division/Department as a means of
- Knowledge Management is regarded as something that adds value to your Division/Department?
- How often are you required to make institutional presentations on Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence?
- Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence is used by your institution to
- Knowledge Creation, Process &Transformation of Knowledge, Interpretation, Knowledge Transfer, Knowledge Capabilities
- Transforming data into knowledge for better decision-making is important to your Division/Department
- How important are Knowledge Management Information Systems for transforming data into knowledge in your Division/Department?
- What types of Knowledge Management Information Systems are used at your Division/Department and how often are they used? On a rating
- The knowledge gathered from the Knowledge Management systems (selected in previous question) is being used to
- Does your Division/Department provide Knowledge Management systems that facilitate academic research?
- Is Research output (Publications, Journals, Dissertations etc.) stored in electronic knowledge repositories at your institution?
- Has the usage of knowledge repositories increased at the institution relative to one year ago?
- Does your institution use e-Learning as a pedagogical tool?
- On a rating of (1= Least important and 5 = most important), the main reason/s for the use of e-Learning at your institution is to
- On a scale of (1= Least effective and 5 = most effective), rate the effectiveness of Web 2.0 technologies used at your institution
- Least 1 effective
- Average 3 4 Effective
- Most 5 effective
- To what degree does your institution make use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
- How often is Web 2.0 technologies (Social Media, Podcasting, Wiki’s, Blogs) used by your institution when it comes to the following?
- Efficient Firms / Competitive Advantage, Learning
- Summary
However, only 40% of respondents strongly agreed that e-Learning is making their institution a better provider of knowledge to students. However, only 21.4% of respondents strongly agreed that Web 2.0 had improved academic teaching and learning in their institution and 7.1% did not know.
CHAPTER FIVE Analysis and Discussion
Introduction
Research question, research sub-question and objectives of the study
What is the role of web 2.0 technologies (i) in knowledge creation. ii) in knowledge management. iii) in the dissemination of knowledge. To investigate whether knowledge gathered through various Knowledge Management Information Systems is being used to contribute towards institutional strategy.
The Research Instrument
Reliability Statistics
This indicates a high (overall) degree of acceptable, uniform scoring for these questions in the research. In addition, the sample size was small, which affects the consistency of the answers, and some questions have the smallest number of variables that make it up.
Key Findings from Frequency results- Biographical
Chi-Square tests were performed to determine if there was a statistically significant relationship between variables (rows vs. columns). This provided an opportunity to explore the relationship between respondents' personal/professional factors against the actual study questions, which inevitably revolved around the strategic use of KM.
Chi- Square: Direct/Significant Relationships
Furthermore, respondents strongly agreed that, as shown in 4.7.4, knowledge gathered from KM Information Systems was used to identify new methods/ways of working (83.3%). Building on this, identifying new methods/ways of working becomes possible and an important priority through this knowledge.
Key correlations applicable to the study
- Use of collected data/information (from scanning of environment) as a means of redefining of institutional strategy vs. use of knowledge (derived from KM
- Provision of KM systems to facilitate academic research vs. the use of KM systems and practices to enhance academic research activity
- Extent of usage of knowledge repositories vs. the use of KM systems and practices to promote continuous learning
145 5.8.3 Use of collected data/information (from scanning the environment) as a means to redefine the institutional strategy vs. 147 5.8.5 Use of collected data/information (from scanning the environment) as a means to redefine the institutional strategy versus
E-Learning Correlations
The main reason/s for using e-Learning in your institution is 'breaking geographical barriers in terms of teaching and learning'. The use of e-learning to make the institution a more effective provider of knowledge to students is positively related to the use of e-learning to make education more affordable for students.
Web 2.0 Correlations
- Frequency of use of Web 2.0 technology in the creation of knowledge vs. the use of KM systems and practices to enhance academic research activity
- The use of Web 2.0 (to enhance Teaching and Learning) in relation to overall efficiency, research activity and competitiveness at the insitution
- The use of KM systems and practices to improve overall efficiency vs. the use of KM systems and practices in adding competitiveness to the institution
The use of Web 2.0 (to make the institution a better knowledge provider to students) in relation to overall efficiency, research activity and competitiveness. The use of Web 2.0 (Social Media, . Podcasting, Wikis, Blogs) has 'made your institution a better knowledge provider to students'.
Inverse Correlations
- The use of e-Learning to make education more affordable for students vs. the use of KM systems and practices for enhancing academic research activity at the
The main reason(s) for using e-learning at your institution is to 'make education more affordable for students'. This finding indicates that an inverse relationship exists between the use of wikis and video broadcasting as a Web 2.0 pedagogical tool at the institution and the use of KM systems and practices provide a means of continuous learning.
Regression Analysis
- Organisational Learning Model (Argyris and Schön, 1978)
Furthermore, as shown in 4.8.4, there was a high degree of uncertainty among respondents as to whether KM systems and practices promoted academic research activity. The following regression tests Argyris and Schön's (1978) organizational learning model in relation to the study.
Square
- Organisational Culture Theory (Schein, 1985)
However, there was a strong positive correlation between the use of data collected (through scanning the HE environment) for redefining institutional strategy and the use of KM and BI towards redefining the institution's processes and operations (0.700, p< 0.05). Made the institution a better provider of knowledge to students - Using Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence in the institution.
