Obstacles of Implemeting Knowledge Management in the High Education Institutes - Saudi Arabia (Analytical study)

Abstract

Organizations of all kinds, including high education institutes, are facing number of transitions and rapid changes sweeping the world today and in the forefront the information revolution and technology. As a result of these transformations, knowledge has become the most strategic and important source in building a competitive advantage for organizations, and the most powerful impact in the organization's success or failure.

Studies have noted that adopting the strategies and techniques of knowledge management in high education institutes is crucial and essential as it is in the business sector. Moreover, if it applied effectively, it will inevitably lead to improve the efficiency of the educational institutes in decision-making, and serves to shorten the product development cycle, in addition to reducing overall cost.

The present study aimed to provide a framework for intellectual constraints of apply the concept of knowledge management in institutions of high education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Also, the study adopted the analytical studies' approach to conclude the important obstacles of knowledge management implementation in high education institutes using the method of SOWT analysis, which represents an effective method in the analysis of this kind of studies.

The study has reached some significant results such as; high education institutes' upper management should adopt the strategic thinking of knowledge management. Also, the need to transfer the knowledge inherited in workers minds to explicit knowledge through the exchange of knowledge among employees by various means.