Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 62 (2012) 791 – 795

WC-BEM 2012

Preliminary assessment of knowledge management in

universities
Monica Butnariua *, Ioan Milosanb
a
Aradului no.
119, Timis, Romania
b
Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Transilvania University of Brasov, Colina Universitatii no. 1, 500068, Brasov, Romania

Abstract

Purpose This current study carried to the knowledge management, emphasizes in universities to create a dynamic work climate,
and that will promotes further creation, assumption, storage and use of knowledge.Design/methodology/approach The clearly
and for uncertainty management of knowledge through distribution and warehouse truck of knowledge in different academic
ways, promote the continuous update and development of ability and skills competences. That is to say, promotes learning.
Further, the dynamics of knowledge management in universities stimulates students to exchange their experiences and
knowledge in universities. That can be reached through conveyance each other in formal structured activities or informally
stimulating the harmonization and diffusion of day to day tacit and explicit knowledge. The authors formulate reviews based on
workplace realities, professional insights and personal experience in knowledge sharing and collaborative learning.Findings
Moreover, knowledge management in universities must encourage the creation of a knowledge base regarding the environment
and will create conditions for abilities and skills training development of the Higher Education.Practical implications The
preliminary knowledge integration and exploitation can also contribute to the development of the new organizational knowledge
through the accumulation of the experience.Originality/value The preliminary study of assessment of knowledge management
in universities focuses on practical applications of skills purchased in universities. The methods for implementing a knowledge
management, to connect and share this knowledge in universities, can be a challenge, if is well understanding how we can benefit
from information.
©
© 2012
2012Published
Publishedbyby
Elsevier Ltd.Ltd.
Elsevier Selection and/orand/or
Selection peer review under responsibility
peer review of Prof. Dr.ofHuseyin
under responsibility Arasli
Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arasli
Keywords: knowledge management, ability, skills training, competences development;

1. Introduction

In a century loaded with new information, we have become more and more concerned about how to manage
information. A condition for knowledge development asks for an increased concern for the way in which we
understand how to manage access to new information (Shils & Roberts, 2004).

expectations, and that have credited these theories in time (Dembo & Seli, 2004, Collier & Morgan, 2007, Bigger,
2005), knowledge management in universities need methods of assessment/quantification (Schee, 2007).

* Corresponding Monica Butnariu. Tel.: +400256277464

E-mail address: monica_butnariu@usab-tm.ro

1877-0428 © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Arasli
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.133
792 Monica Butnariu and Ioan Milosan / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 62 (2012) 791 – 795

One of the new theories is the concept of knowledge management (Altbach & Balan, 2007), concerned with the
management, development, and transfer of knowledge between students interacting within a university (Miller, Janz
& Chen, 2007).
In this field, there has been a replacement of interest to the detailed examination of how science is practically
made (Ma, 2007, .
This focus on de facto elements aim at the methods used in developing scientific theories and it results in the way
in which scientists react, cooperate, or experiment (Khelfaoui, 2004). Such convergence of concerns is the reason
why reflection on knowledge management can be extremely useful (Nour, 2005), supplying theoretical subjects with
extremely useful results (Karen, Middleton & Chambers, 2010, Mital & Sumit, 2011).
Thus, there are: methods to determine or analyse trends through the assessment of predictable needs taking into
account evolutions and trends; regression methods that establish certain relationships (quantitatively and
qualitatively) with parameters characteristic to the academic environment (visibility, etc.); the Delphi method
allowing experts to state their opinion on the future development of a university until consensus is reached; and
knowledge management assessment based on performance (Rowe, Marciniak & Clergeau, 2011).
The main goal of this study is to enumerate some methodologies useful in the assessment, at certain standards, of
information quality, with impact on information quality.

2. Desing/Methodology/Approach

The method suggested in this research is the sociological survey based on questionnaire (for a quantitative
analysis) and on the demi-structured interview and focus-group (for the qualitative analysis).
The use of both quantitative and qualitative techniques will lead to a higher fidelity of results taking into account
the three categories of results expected:
methodological (assessing intellectual capital, achieving systems for knowledge management);
instrumental (working systems and instruments and data collections at national level); and
organisational (infrastructure of the performance network type).
Choosing a technique or a combination of techniques with the highest degree of efficiency depends on resources,

creativity, and experience.

3. Results

Knowledge management is applied mainly at macro-social, global, and formal level; it aims at statistical reality
exterior to the student and uses the perspective of the teacher/researcher; between the latter and the former, there is a
distant relationship (from outside).
Knowledge management is a form of adaptation of the humans to the world and of the world to the humans, but
this adaptation is made through an inner model, tri-dimensional, of knowledge, appreciation, and action (Table 1).
In the quantitative knowledge management, theory is verified through empirical research (hypotheses are tested),
research units selection from the target population is done mainly through statistical sampling, data collection is
done sporadically and over short periods of time, the main methods are the experiment, standardised questionnaire
survey, quantitative analysis of documents, and systematic observation from outside.
Data resulted from quantitative research are valid, high fidelity, but they do not capture as many details as the
qualitative analysis and do not reach the depth of quality of data collections.
Table 1. Identification of knowledge management depending on comparison criteria

Comparison
No. Formal education Non-formal education Informal education
criterion
 Monica Butnariu and Ioan Milosan / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 62 (2012) 791 – 795 793

Cultural institutions, Family, etc.,

non-governmental anybody exerting non-
Subject of
1 Educational institutions organisations, intentional or non-
education
other institutions with organised educational
educational connections influence
Staff trained in different No / sporadic teaching
fields of activity, training. Training is not a
2 training Trained teachers
sometimes even with pre-requisite of
degree
teaching training educational influence
Stated for each activity
Clearly stated and adapted to
Goals of apart,
3 the different stages, subjects, Not stated
education with no long-term
etc.
organisation
Organised per school
Educational attendance years (age Relatively organised per Non-organised,
4
content groups), per profiles or areas of interest contextual
professional fields
Nationally acknowledged Participation certificates,
Ways of certificates (diplomas, graduation certificates,
5 No certification
certification graduation certificate) professional or vocational
Certificate certificates
But quantitative data are generalisable; they can be the basis for new axioms and theories.
A research report in quantitative method is consistent in figures, tables, diagrams, and comments in natural
language.
It is not by chance that teachers were the first to claim the strategic importance of knowledge management
promoting universities (as a response to social challenges through the widening of the sphere of activity and the
initiating of partnerships with civil society, local communities, etc.).
Developing systems, methods, and instruments for knowledge management in the academic activity of
conveyance and research, in the teaching activity, and in the activity of university management are instruments
necessary for the academic community.
Another instrument is the study of the possibilities of developing datab
intelligence and of designing the structure of data collections and analysis methods.
Another possibility would be to develop a research network in the knowledge management that ensures the
participation potential to European programmes.
Results allow pragmatic formulations of methods in the sense of correlating research value and funds with
sustainable development strategies.
Such a perspective cannot but enhance competition, participation to international research networks, increasing
visibility and academic recognition globally.

4. Discussion/Findings

This study addresses those who wish to find answers to questions related to knowledge management, and
particularly those who wish to increase the impact of the way skills are conveyed and developed.
The main goal of this study was to investigate attitude towards professional development opportunities
determined by the establishment of a method of communication and valorisation of intellectual property.
Freeing from constraints (emancipation) from the perspective of knowledge management is an individual action
-made truths and deceiving or oppressive
tutorship. Being free allows one to make up a critical conscience that does not depend on manipulatory forms of
authority be it traditional (family, church) or modern or post-modern (mass-media, politicians).
Freedom from constraints is not only mental, is also has a precise practical dimension (Reason, Terenzini &
Domingo, 2006).
If we accept the idea that any power in the academic community, no matter how democratic is claims to be, tends
to become authoritarian, then knowledge management is not only speculative, it is also the pre-requisite of
794 Monica Butnariu and Ioan Milosan / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 62 (2012) 791 – 795

individual and collective practices of resistance to manipulation and to unlimited-powered authority (Bloom, Hartley
& Rosovsky, 2006).
Freedom from constraints means suspect and detach from the dominant figures of quick success (in business, in
politics, in the media, in a university).
Freedom from constraints means to be able to make major decisions that make sense at individual level; it means
to be responsible for the decisions one has made and to resist offers that promise to know better than us the goal of
our existence.

5. Conclusions/Practical Implications

We can say there is a real basis for implementing knowledge management in universities if we can answer the
following questions:
Is knowledge management an important tool for the academic community?
What is the usefulness of the paradigm of knowledge in the context of multiple transitions the academic
community goes through?
What are the benefits of assimilating this concept in the programmes of support and development and what
are the costs and risks of this paradigm?
Teachers are working in universities for knowledge, not for information, for dignity and not for success, for
emancipation and not for irresponsibility.
to train cult, dignified, and emancipated people.
Knowledge, dignity, and emancipation are three of the major values knowledge management suggests and to
whom are opposed the creations of the consumption academic society (instead of knowledge, we get information,
instead of dignity we get success, and instead of emancipation we get freedom of doing whatever we feel free to do).

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