Rational or Institutional Intent? Knowledge Management adoption in Saudi public organizations

Abstract

A mixed-methods analysis examined the motivations of the Saudi public organizations to adopt knowledge management as a modern management philosophy by using rational and institutional perspectives. The results show that these organizations are affected by both institutional and rational factors, however, The role of the institutional perspective in interpreting the mechanism of decision making for the adoption of knowledge management, achieving the requirements necessary for establishing a knowledge management project, and the organizations ability to manage the knowledge management project is more prominent than the rational perspective. Regarding type of organization, the results has indicated a different response to the institutional pressures according to the type of organization. Organizations that operate in  an environment that have more technologies are inclined to the rational perspective, as in the case of financial institutions and organizations operate in an environment that have limited technology and less identified objectives are inclined to the institutional perspective, as in case of training and educational organizations.