Information and knowledge management in higher education institutions: the Polish case
| Published date | 11 November 2019 |
| Date | 11 November 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-03-2018-0085 |
| Pages | 1209-1227 |
| Author | Marek Deja |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Information and knowledge
management in higher education
institutions: the Polish case
Marek Deja
Institute of Information Studies,
Faculty of Management and Social Communication,
Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to discuss the problem of information and knowledge management
(IKM) in higher education institutions. The research aims to determine the way in which the knowledge
resources of a higher education institution are managed. The author intends to define how the information
system is shaped and how information and knowledge are used in the reporting processes and for
decision-making efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach –In total, 38 university administration employees from six higher
education institutions in Poland participated in the study. Information barriers and benefits resulting from
the implementation of the central reporting system “POL-on”were identified by using the sense-making
technique. The purpose of the interviews was to determine the procedural and behavioural conditions of the
reporting and decision-making processes in higher education institutions in Poland.
Findings –This paper suggests four characteristics of IKM in higher education institutions. A link between the
information culture of the institution, its size and structure as well as the adopted model of IKM is demonstrated.
Originality/value –The main contribution of this paper is to introduce a framework for studying the IKM in
higher education institutions from the perspective of information culture. Higher education institutions have
developed different styles of striving for efficiency regarding decision making and reporting in
administration. The IM and KM are now proved to be an integrated process in administrative activities of
higher education institutions.
Keywords Higher education, Information management, Knowledge management, Information culture,
Information behaviour
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The paper discusses the problem of information and knowledge management (IKM) in
higher education institutions. Besides the Polish case presented in this study, one can notice
an organisational flexibility, which naturally adapts to the needs and requirements of the
environment (external and internal impulses) (Krupski, 2006). The process of change is
difficult for institutions, mostly for administrative staff involved in information transfer
processes. Therefore, an appropriate approach ‒that is human predispositions to open
behaviour (Widen and Hansen, 2017) and flat structures influencing the speed of decision
making (Curry and Moore, 2003) ‒can facilitate the effective adaptation of the institution to
the new environment (Brilman, 2002).
The concept of national digital-orientated change and the creation of a monitoring system
of tangible and intangible assets of higher education institutions in Poland oblige academic
units to reorganise their daily information work. With the new, digital-orientated approach,
information becomes an important factor in interaction with the environment and the main
strategic resource influencing the financial conditions of scientific and educational activities
(“The concept of construction, content and organisation of the monitoring system, ranking of
material and non-material resources of higher education in Poland”, 2010). It is a unique
situation in which a very dynamic environment experiences even more rapid national
changes resulting from the implementation of integrated, central information systems.
Online Information Review
Vol. 43 No. 7, 2019
pp. 1209-1227
© Emerald PublishingLimited
1468-4527
DOI 10.1108/OIR-03-2018-0085
Received 14 March 2018
Revised 11 September 2018
26 March 2019
Accepted 22 July 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/1468-4527.htm
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IKM in higher
education
institutions
Administrative staff members must reorganise their internal information management (IM)
processes ‒by seeking, acquiring, processing, gathering information and then sharing it. In
these changes, it may also be crucial to use specialised knowledge of administrative employees.
IKM can be considered as two basic dimensions of the institution’s information culture
(Davenport, 1997; Marchand, Kettinger and Rollins, 2002; Oliver, 2008; Widén and
Hansen, 2012). In information culture studies, one can find multiple confirmations of the
relationship between IM and knowledge management (KM) processes in which the critical
role for organisational effectiveness is played by physical factors, such as systems and
information resources (Ginman, 1987; Marchand et al., 2002), as well as human behaviour
and attitudes towards the use of knowledge (Davenport, 1994; Oliver, 2004).
Information culture makes an essential contribution to decision-making processes, and
similar to organisational culture, it affects the organisation’s effectiveness by influencing the
use of knowledge in the organisation (Zheng et al., 2005). In this context, the organisational
culture is a broader construct that influencesthe decisions that will be taken and the projects
that will be implemented to ensure the efficiencyof the institution’s functioningin accordance
with the strategy or goals set by the management team (Powley and Cameron, 2006).
Information culture influences the effectiveness of decision making by influencing the use of
organisationalknowledge and the way that information is usedin decision-making processes
(Zheng et al., 2005). Hence, it can be considered as a part of an organisational culture that
affects the key information layer of the organisation’s activity (Lauri et al., 2016).
Management of both, information and knowledge, must be studied from the
perspective of human behaviour and attitudes displayed towards information in the
organisation. IM and KM, if they are understood as a culturally grounded process, can
increase the empowerment of employees and be used to fully increase their impact on
organisational efficiency (Abualoush et al., 2018; Evans and Price, 2018). Structural,
managerial and technological solutions are essential factors of effectiveness, if they are
considered holistically, including human‒technology interaction (Curry and Moore, 2003;
Davenport and Prusak, 1997; Oliver, 2008). “Information culture is shaped by the
information of a specific organisation (its resources, processing and communication
technologies) and people who work with this information. Culture constitutes the position
of information ‒the manner of its perception (gives it its meaning) and use. Its task is to
shape and foster desired information behaviour”(Materska, 2007, p. 198). There is no
optimal information culture. Culture is appropriate for the given environment and the IM
processes adopted in it.
IM can be understood as a way of organising information processes (searching/finding
(sensing), acquiring, processing, gathering and using information) according to two types of
information orientations: internal and external. Internal orientation is the concentration of
employees on the internal information environment and the use of their information
resources. External orientation concerns the concentration of employees on obtaining
information from external resources and on the use of information in communication with
the environment ‒for example in the preparation of reports, information products or
marketing activities (Choo, 2013; Ginman, 1987; Marchand et al., 2002). KM is a way of
initiating the development of organisational knowledge by stimulating the process of open
information exchange between employees and conducting institutional research or by
controlling employee competencies (Davenport, 1994; Delaney, 2009; Katopol, 2007). The
goal of these two types of processes (IKM) is to achieve optimal practices of information use
on the basis of the employees’developed knowledge.
The aim of this paper is to present a broad, holistic approach to the problem of IKM. An
attempt has been made to present the management styles of information and knowledge
that ensure the effective functioning of the organisation in the dynamic system of
higher education.
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