Human resource development and knowledge sharing practices among academicians in Malaysian Public Universities

Abstract

Knowledge sharing practices have been gaining much attention in organizations because of its contribution in optimizing organizations' competitiveness credibility. However, the lack of understanding in its process such as the content and contribution impedes knowledge sharing effectiveness. It has been argued that people management in knowledge management is important because knowledge is considerably personal. This study integrates Linstone's Multiple Perspectives Theory and Stewart's Human Resource Development Model into the framework of study. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the human resource development and knowledge sharing practices in public universities in Malaysia. The research adopts the mixed method sequential approach using survey and interview. Questionnaires were e-mailed to academicians in 20 universities, while semi-structured interviews were conducted with top management and policy makers. The quantitative study investigated current knowledge sharing practices and identified their relationships with knowledge sharing factors. A total of 725 academicians responded to the questionnaires. The qualitative study further described the issues and challenges that arise and dominant factors that explain knowledge sharing practices which are identified in this study. Statistical tests show that knowledge sharing level is moderately practiced by academicians. The organizational factor has the highest relationship (r= 0.819, p= 0.001) to knowledge sharing practices. The moderator effect tested in this research only moderates the relationship between technological factors and knowledge sharing practices. The main issues and challenges in knowledge sharing practices are voluntarism, social interaction and knowledge sharing gap. The knowledge sharing awareness is influenced by factors other than self-efficacy namely religion and nation culture. The human resource development's current practices has not placed much emphasis on informal ways of learning and formal policy for knowledge sharing practices is not yet developed. Theoretical contributions from the research include the development of a theoretical model of human resource development and knowledge sharing framework of Malaysian academicians. Methodologically, the research illustrates the effectiveness use of a mixed method approach within the positivist research paradigm. The research highlights the central importance sharing practices among academicians in Malaysian public universities.