Knowledge management in the public sector: stakeholder partnerships in the public policy development

Abstract

Purpose-How knowledge management theories and frameworks are applied in the public sector is not well understood due to little evidence being published in the literature. This paper aims to identify core issues and challenges that governments face in delivering effective public policy, particularly challenges presented by increasing community expectations, and to highlight the importance of developing public policy via knowledge-based partnerships with its stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach-Arguments draw on relevant theory in knowledge management and related fields as well as from public sector experiences. Findings-The main discussion examines some issues, challenges and opportunities in public policy developments and proposes some practical models to assist governments develop and capitalize on more effective knowledge-based stakeholder partnerships. Practical implications-This paper suggests that some existing process frameworks can provide a good starting-point to capturing knowledge about stakeholders, highlighting how stakeholders interact with policy development processes. The reviewed literature and ideas proposed herein classify stakeholders from a number of different perspectives and attempt to provide some practical assistance to governments in developing more effective and strategically guided stakeholder policy partnerships, including more effective use of resources and improved knowledge transfer. Such frameworks need to be viewed as being dynamic and stakeholder classifications need to be monitored continually. Originality/value-This paper highlights the need for more effective government and stakeholder partnerships to develop better public policy, including providing governments with cost-effective avenues to knowledge and expertise, and facilitating greater public accountability. Several processes are suggeted that can facilitate more transparent and effective two-way knowledge transfers between public organizations and stakeholders, which are fundamental for establishing successful partnerships.

Development and Application of an Inter-Organizational PPP Knowledge Transfer Effectiveness Model for Knowledge Sourced in Public Sector Organizations

“…Overall goodness of fit statistics are however not applicable in the PLS-SEM context. Instead of applying measures of goodness of fit, the structural model in PLS-SEM is assessed based on heuristic criteria that are determined by the model's predictive capabilities 4 . The key criteria for assessing the structural model in PLS-SEM are the significance of the path coefficients, the level of the R2 values, the f2 effect size, the predictive relevance Q2 and the q2 effect size [41].…”

Managing Knowledge for Asset Management: Shifting from Process to Relational Frames

“…Building strong and trusting relationships with communities and other stakeholders engaged in asset management endeavours is likely to be a driving force for understanding needs and expectations necessary to identify service and asset demands. Nevertheless, government agencies only inform communities and do not actively engage them into decision making process, whereas Riege and Lindsay [31] suggest that government needs to focus on twoway KM processes that is not only obtaining knowledge from communities, but also transfer certain knowledge back to them. It has to be also taken into account that different communities may have divers views and varying capacities to interact effectively.…”

“…It has to be also taken into account that different communities may have divers views and varying capacities to interact effectively. Riege and Lindsay [31] brought to attention that some groups will be more than others capable at representing themselves and therefore capable of engaging effectively in service delivery with government. According to Friis [38], one of the main reasons for government failure in this area seems to be too much emphasis on technology, rather than management processes that encourage people to interact.…”

“…According to Riege and Lindsay [31] when creating public policy, stakeholders may include a range of people or organisations whose interest may be positively or negatively affected, such as government or private organisations, local authorities, the general community, and other interested parties. Riege and Lindsay [31] argue that enhanced partnerships with those stakeholders provides a cost-effective way of obtaining good quality knowledge. Based on that, knowledge input from stakeholders affected by and engaged in asset management practices is likely to improve knowledge creation and enhance knowledge data base for asset management.…”

Improving the Utilization of Research Knowledge in Agri-food Public Health: A Mixed-Method Review of Knowledge Translation and Transfer

“…It involves the consideration of multiple, competing influences and forces, including research, stakeholder views and experiences, and socioeconomic implications (Hanney et al, 2003;Dobrow et al, 2004;Ashford et al, 2006;Lomas and Brown, 2009;Contandriopoulos et al, 2010). However, the process should still be accountable and transparent (Riege and Lindsay, 2006;Rundall et al, 2007). The potential for research to influence policy can be enhanced through researcher and policy-maker interactions and collaborations to address policy-relevant issues and during a favorable political climate or ''window of opportunity'' for policy change (Hanney et al, 2003;Ashford et al, 2006;Poulos et al, 2007;Head, 2010;Lenton and Allsop, 2010;Sutherland et al, 2012).…”