Higher education leadership roles in knowledge processing

Abstract

PurposeTo examine the critical roles of leadership in higher education and to define how such roles enable an environment that embraces the demands of a knowledge‐based organization.Design/methodology/approachThrough interviews with executive leadership in several higher education institutions, the ontology of knowledge management was established and the methods by which knowledge gaps were resolved were explored. The question of how leadership behaviors, policies, and programs enable or inhibit knowledge‐processing activities was analyzed.FindingsLeadership influence in six key areas emerged as significant in the study: environment manager, network manager, policy manager, crisis manager, knowledge gap manager, and future leader preparation. The authors confirmed that the leader has tremendous control over the knowledge‐processing environment and the role of leadership has broader influence than the resolution of knowledge gaps.Originality/valueBy understanding leadership roles in knowledge management, organizations and their leaders can enhance the learning capacity of the organization.