Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi

Key factors to instructors’ satisfaction of learning management systems in blended learning

Learning Management System (LMS) enables institutions to administer their educational resources, and support their traditional classroom education and distance education. LMS survives through instructors’ continuous use, which may be to a great extent associated with their satisfaction of the LMS. Consequently, this study examined the key factors that influence the instructors’ satisfaction of LMS in blended learning, and how this satisfaction is related to their intention to continuously use LMS in blended learning and purely for distance education. These investigated factors are related to instructors’ individual characteristics (computer anxiety, technology experience and personal innovativeness), LMS characteristics (system quality, information quality and service quality), and organizational characteristics (management support, incentives policy and training). The findings indicated that computer anxiety, personal innovativeness, system quality, information quality, management support, incentives policy and training are key factors to instructors’ satisfaction of LMS in blended learning. Furthermore, instructors’ satisfaction is a significant determinant of their continuous intention to use LMS in blended learning, and their intention to purely use LMS for distance education.

An empirical investigation linking learners’ adoption of blended learning to their intention of full e-learning

Learning management system (LMS) is playing a major role in higher academic institutions worldwide. Even though full e-learning is becoming a feasible strategy for a number of institutions in the world, some institutions, especially those in developing countries, are resisting a full e-learning environment. Consequently, these academic institutions initially adopt LMS for blended learning to assess their readiness for full e-learning transformation. There are a number of studies that investigate the determinants of full e-learning, but very limited studies investigate the link between learners’ perception of blended learning and full e-learning. The objective of this study was to link learners’ adoption (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness (PU) and satisfaction) of LMS in blended learning and their personal characteristics (self-efficacy, technology experience and personal innovativeness) to their intention to use full e-learning. Data were collected through a questionnaire from 512 learners in Oman. The study found that personal innovativeness, PU and satisfaction of LMS in blended learning are significant to learners’ intention to engage in full e-learning. Thus, learners’ adoption of LMS in blended learning boosts their intention to full e-learning. The results provide useful insights for practitioners and researchers on full e-learning planning and strategy.

Knowledge sharing through inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems

Purpose Inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems (IOKSS) are crucial for scientific, social and economic development especially in knowledge-intensive sectors. Knowledge sharing processes and systems will not only be challenged by individual and organizational factors but also by social, technical and political inter-organizational factors. This paper aims to investigate the impact of knowledge worker, peer, IOKSS, organization and sector factors on knowledge workers’ intention to share knowledge through IOKSS. Knowledge workers are the key stakeholders that enable the survival of IOKSS. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected, through a questionnaire, from knowledge workers in the education and the health sectors. Findings This study found that the human factors (related to knowledge workers and their peers) have significant direct impact on intention to share knowledge through IOKSS. Other factors, such as IOKSS system, organization and sector factors showed indirect impacts on knowledge workers’ intention to share knowledge through IOKSS. Such investigation can be very valuable for developing countries as technological innovations such as IOKSS can be crucial for training and building human resources, and national knowledge management. Originality/value Little is empirically known about the enablers of sharing knowledge in systems that connect organizations in horizontal linkage in a specific sector or industry. The study also adds value to under investigated region.

Knowledge workers' perceptions of potential benefits and challenges of inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems: a Delphi study in the health sector

Inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems (IOKSS) can serve as strategic systems for knowledge-based sectors. Most prior research on inter-organizational systems (IOSs) focuses on organizations’ adoption of such systems; they reveal little about knowledge workers’ adoption of IOS, especially in horizontally linked firms. Knowledge workers’ perception is critical to the deployment of IOKSS at all stages. On the basis of a Delphi technique in the health sector, this study demonstrates that IOKSS can benefit individuals, customers, organizations, the sector, and the knowledge sharing process, and that the challenges of IOKSS arise from individuals, peers, IOKSS, organizations, and the sector.

The Payoff of Corporate Portal Usage in an Academic Institution

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically assess the payoffs of a corporate portal in an academic institution in Oman and its impacts on business processes and employees.Design/methodology/approach – The study included 100 employees, mostly instructors, in an academic institution. The questionnaire included indicators related to the portal usage, employees’ benefits (learning, adaptability and job satisfaction) and business processes’ benefits (effectiveness, efficiency and innovativeness) constructs. Data were analyzed by PLS‐Graph 3.0, a variance‐based structural equation modeling software.Findings – Results revealed that corporate portal has significant returns on employees’ learning, adaptability and job satisfaction, and business processes’ effectiveness, efficiency and innovation. All six hypotheses in this study were supported.Originality/value – The paper provides empirical evidence for practitioners and researchers on the benefits of a corporate portal in an academic institution in Oman.

Leveraging Organizational Knowledge Management through Corporate Portal

This pilot study examines the role of corporate portal on leveraging organizational knowledge management (acquisition, conversion, application and protection). It also explores the business processes benefits (such as efficiency, effectiveness and innovation) and employees benefits (such as learning, adaptability and satisfaction) that result from supporting organizational KM through corporate portal. The preliminary analysis of instructors’ utilization of corporate portal in an academic institution shows that providing tools through corporate portals to support knowledge conversion enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of business processes and employees’ learning, whereas providing tools to support knowledge applications enhances the effectiveness of organizational processes as well as employees’ learning, adaptability and satisfaction. Thus, the analysis indicates that knowledge conversion impacts business processes more than employees, whereas the knowledge application impacts employees more than business processes. Offering tools to support knowledge protection also improves the effectiveness of organizational processes. However, the preliminary analysis shows that knowledge acquisition process has no impact on business processes or employees.

Fostering GCC's Knowledge Economy through ICT: Research in Progress

The transformation toward the knowledge economy is inevitable for countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which currently seek to diversify their economies away from heavy dependence on the diminishing resource of oil. The knowledge economy, based on the abundant resource of knowledge, can be promising for small developing countries. This research-in-progress study assesses the value of information and communications technologies (ICT) pillar on the GCCs knowledge economy and its other pillars of education and human resources, economic and institutional regimes, and innovation systems. Based on a simple correlation analysis of 1995, 2000, and 2012 knowledge economy indices of GCC countries, this paper illustrates the increasing value of ICT in exploiting knowledge resources and developing the knowledge economy and its pillars. Its findings can assist GCC and other developing countries in further investing in ICT to develop their knowledge economy and consequently gain economic value from exploiting its knowledge resources.

Inter-organizational knowledge transfer in Omani SMEs: influencing factors

Inter-organizational knowledge transfer (IOKT) is important especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Organizations need external knowledge to improve learning capabilities and their own competitiveness. SMEs are important for every nation’s economy. IOKT can enable SMEs’ learning and innovation and consequently its contribution to the national economy. This study aims to examine the factors that influence the IOKT process in Omani SMEs.,This study uses qualitative methodology. Participants were ten Omani SMEs from the information and communications technology sector, a knowledge-intensive sector. The study is based on face-to-face semi-structured interviews and content analysis.,The results confirmed that inter-organizational knowledge is considered to be important to SMEs. This research also showed that IOKT is affected by many factors related to the donor organization, recipient organization, nature of the knowledge and inter-organizational dynamics. The core factor to IOKT in SMEs is risk and trust.,Literature shows that there is an emphasis on the importance of studying knowledge management in SMEs; however, there is little work that has been done. Such study is even more important for Omani SMEs to improve their learning, innovation and contribution to a national diversified economy. This study provides valuable insights to establish an effective foundation for IOKT in Omani SMEs.