Connection Between Knowledge Management Processes and Sustainability at the Higher Education Institutions

Abstract Purpose— This study attempts to investigate the connection between knowledge management processes and organizational sustainability in higher education sector of a developing region. It is also planned to examine the moderating effect of online trainings in the relationship between knowledge management and college sustainability. Design, methodology, approach— Data for the study was gathered from several private and public universities in the Kurdistan Region using a survey questionnaire and a random sample technique. The proposed model has been evaluated using 165 appropriate responses. The demographics of the sample is covered by methodology, along with confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, mediation, and moderation analysis. Findings— The findings confirm that knowledge codification/storage and knowledge generation have relatively stronger effects on sustainability of the higher education institutions in the Region. Further, staff trainings increase the understanding of the knowledge management processes that knowledge utilization positively boost sustainability of the institutions through moderation of the workshops. It is also found that knowledge creation and development have a favorable direct effect on other knowledge management processes, implying that higher education institutions should utilize appropriate tools to collect and generate information in order to enhance other KM tools. Originality/value— The results of this study potentially expand the understanding of the knowledge management processes and their effects on the sustainability at the universities of developing countries, specifically, a developing region that attempts to parallel its higher education system with the contemporary developments in the field.