Knowledge Management System Implementation for Digital Transformation in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54489/ijcim.v6i1.616Keywords:
Knowledge Management, Higher Education, Digital Transformation, Literature ReviewAbstract
Knowledge Management (KM) plays a strategic role in improving organizational performance and supporting digital transformation in higher education institutions. The rapid adoption of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and learning management systems has increased the need for effective Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) to facilitate knowledge creation, sharing, storage, dissemination, and utilization. However, only a limited number of universities have systematically implemented comprehensive KM policies and practices across all organizational units. This study aims to examine the implementation of KM in higher education institutions, identify key KM practices and challenges, and formulate recommendations for strengthening KMS to support sustainable digital transformation. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant articles indexed in the Scopus database and published between 2012 and 2026 were identified and retrieved using the Publish or Perish (PoP) application with the keywords “knowledge management” and “higher education.” The findings indicate that knowledge-sharing activities in universities are still predominantly conducted through face-to-face interactions, although digital platforms and collaborative technologies are increasingly being adopted. Most institutions have reached Level 3 (Standardization) of KM maturity, indicating that standardized KM processes have been established, but their integration across organizational units remains limited. The review further demonstrates that effective KM implementation contributes positively to organizational culture, knowledge sharing, collaboration, innovation, organizational learning, and evidence-based decision-making. These findings emphasize the importance of developing integrated KMS strategies, strengthening digital infrastructure, fostering a knowledge-sharing culture, and enhancing institutional capabilities to accelerate digital transformation and improve the sustainability, adaptability, and competitiveness of higher education institutions.
References
G. Aerts, M. Dooms, and E. Haezendonck, “Knowledge transfers and project-based learning in large scale infrastructure development projects: an exploratory and comparative ex-post analysis,” International Journal of Project Management, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 224–240, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.10.010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.10.010
B. Y. Obeidat, L. Hashem, I. Alansari, A. Tarhini, and Z. Al-Salti, “The Effect of Knowledge Management Uses on Total Quality Management Practices: A Theoretical Perspective,” Journal of Management and Strategy, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 18–29, 2016, doi: 10.5430/jms.v7n4p18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/jms.v7n4p18
O. R. Mahdi and I. A. Nassar, “The business model of sustainable competitive advantage through strategic leadership capabilities and knowledge management processes to overcome covid-19 pandemic,” Sustainability (Switzerland), vol. 13, no. 17, pp. 1–27, 2021, doi: 10.3390/su13179891. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179891
V. S. Anantatmula and S. Kanungo, “Modeling enablers for successful KM implementation,” Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, no. February, 2007, doi: 10.1109/HICSS.2007.387. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2007.387
M. Laal, “Knowledge management in higher education,” Procedia Comput. Sci., vol. 3, pp. 544–549, Jan. 2011, doi: 10.1016/J.PROCS.2010.12.090.
P. Songsangyos, “The Knowledge Management in Higher Education in Chiang Mai: A Comparative Review,” Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 69, pp. 399–403, Dec. 2012, doi: 10.1016/J.SBSPRO.2012.11.426.
C. L. Chen and T. L. Liang, “The Design and Implementation of a Blended Knowledge Management Course in Higher Education,” Procedia Eng., vol. 15, pp. 4152–4156, Jan. 2011, doi: 10.1016/J.PROENG.2011.08.779. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2011.08.779
S. F. Eftekharzade and B. Mohammadi, “The Presentation of a Suitable Model for Creating Knowledge Management in Educational Institutes (Higher Education),” Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 29, pp. 1001–1011, Jan. 2011, doi: 10.1016/J.SBSPRO.2011.11.334. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.334
O. Horban, L. Babenko, I. Lomachinska, O. Hura, and R. Martych, “A knowledge management culture in the European higher education system,” Naukovyi Visnyk Natsionalnoho Hirnychoho Universytetu, vol. 2021, no. 3, pp. 173–177, 2021, doi: 10.33271/NVNGU/2021-3/173. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33271/nvngu/2021-3/173
L. Trivella and N. K. Dimitrios, “Knowledge Management Strategy within the Higher Education. The Case of Greece,” Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 175, pp. 488–495, Feb. 2015, doi: 10.1016/J.SBSPRO.2015.01.1227.
Ó. Fernández-Álvarez, “The Gender Perspective in Managing Knowledge through Cross-curricular Studies in Higher Education,” Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 161, pp. 269–274, Dec. 2014, doi: 10.1016/J.SBSPRO.2014.12.070. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.070
B. Demchig, “Knowledge Management Capability Level Assessment of the Higher Education Institutions: Case Study from Mongolia,” Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 174, pp. 3633–3640, Feb. 2015, doi: 10.1016/J.SBSPRO.2015.01.1082.
Y. Mary and C. Yeh, “The Implementation Of Knowledge Management System In Taiwan’s Higher Education,” Journal of College Teaching & Learning-September, vol. 2, p. 35, 2005.
L. Setiyani, A. Gintings, A. Syamsudin, and D. Arifin, “Implementation Knowledge Management in Management Thesis for High Education in Indonesia,” Rekayasa, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 144–153, Aug. 2020, doi: 10.21107/REKAYASA.V13I2.5909.
A. Sobandi, E. Suryadi, M. A. Ramdhany, and R. Rasto, “Knowledge management process, knowledge sharing, and teacher literacy skills at vocational high schools,” Jurnal Cakrawala Pendidikan, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 738–749, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.21831/CP.V40I3.42489.
M. Younas, A. S. M. Noor, and M. Arshad, “Cloud-based knowledge management framework for decision making in higher education institutions,” Intelligent Automation and Soft Computing, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 83–99, 2022, doi: 10.32604/IASC.2022.018332. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32604/iasc.2022.018332
R. M. Arias Velásquez and J. V. Mejía Lara, “Knowledge management in two universities before and during the COVID-19 effect in Peru,” Technol. Soc., vol. 64, p. 101479, Feb. 2021, doi: 10.1016/J.TECHSOC.2020.101479.
R. Dovleac and I. Cărămidaru, “Impact of Knowledge Management Strategies on Academic Performance in the Context of the Transition to Education 4.0,” Research and Education, no. 8, pp. 22–37, 2023, doi: 10.56177/RED.8.2023.ART.2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56177/red.8.2023.art.2
M. H. Alimuddin and others, “Knowledge Management Systems in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Study through Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis (2019–2023),” Eastasouth Management and Business Journal, 2023, [Online]. Available: https://esj.eastasouth-institute.com/index.php/esmb/article/view/185
A. M. Tammaro and others, “Knowledge Management Practices in Higher Education Institutions: A Systematic Literature Review,” 2024, IFLA Repository. [Online]. Available: https://repository.ifla.org/items/956687a1-d9cb-4afa-93b4-d96d94aa80c6
N. Sharma and others, “Knowledge Management Practices in the Universities: A Qualitative Study,” Sage Open, 2025, doi: 10.1177/21582440251357152. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251357152
Y. K. Dwivedi and others, “Generative AI and Knowledge Management in Higher Education,” Journal of Knowledge Management, 2025, [Online]. Available: https://www.emerald.com/insight/journal/jkm
M. Rafiq and others, “Global Research Trends in Knowledge Management in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis,” 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/400341205_Global_Research_Trends_in_Knowledge_Management_in_Higher_Education_A_Bibliometric_Analysis
R. P. Haedi and U. T. Pontianak, “Implementasi Manajemen Pengetahuan ( Knowledge Management ) dan Dampaknya Terhadap Usaha Kecil dan Menengah ( UKM ) di Kota Pontianak,” pp. 157–166, 2021.
B. Demchig, “Knowledge Management Capability Level Assessment of the Higher Education Institutions: Case Study from Mongolia,” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 174, pp. 3633–3640, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.1082. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.1082
M. Laal, “Knowledge management in higher education,” Procedia Computer Science, vol. 3, pp. 544–549, 2011, doi: 10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.090. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2010.12.090
R. M. Arias Velásquez and J. V. Mejía Lara, “Knowledge management in two universities before and during the COVID-19 effect in Peru,” Technology in Society, vol. 64, no. November 2020, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101479. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101479
L. Setiyani, A. Gintings, A. Syamsudin, and D. Arifin, “Implementation Knowledge Management in Management Thesis for High Education in Indonesia,” Rekayasa, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 144–153, 2020, doi: 10.21107/rekayasa.v13i2.5909. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21107/rekayasa.v13i2.5909
P. Songsangyos, “The Knowledge Management in Higher Education in Chiang Mai: A Comparative Review,” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 69, no. Iceepsy, pp. 399–403, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.426. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.426
B. A. Akinnuwesi, A. Odumabo, and B. S. Aribisala, “Knowledge grid: An intelligent system for collaboration and knowledge management in nigerian universities,” Data Science Journal, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 1–16, 2020, doi: 10.5334/dsj-2020-002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2020-002
Y. M. C. Yeh, “The Implementation Of Knowledge Management System In Taiwans Higher Education,” Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), vol. 2, no. 9, pp. 35–42, 2005, doi: 10.19030/tlc.v2i9.1861. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19030/tlc.v2i9.1861
L. Trivella and N. K. Dimitrios, “Knowledge Management Strategy within the Higher Education. The Case of Greece,” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 175, pp. 488–495, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.1227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.1227
A. Sobandi, E. Suryadi, M. A. Ramdhany, and R. Rasto, “Knowledge Management Process, Knowledge Sharing, and Teacher Literacy Skills At Vocational High Schools,” Cakrawala Pendidikan, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 738–749, 2021, doi: 10.21831/cp.v40i3.42489. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v40i3.42489
