Knowledge Strategy and Leadership and Their Roles in Change at Universities

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to bring to light a new perspective on the transformational role of universities by considering knowledge strategies for increasing research and academic capabilities. Change usually comes about because of a crisis in an organization; however, such change can also be due to permanent competition and rapid developments. As the world has moved into the twenty-first century, change has become indispensable, and organizations of many kinds face a variety of challenges. The first questions to ask are “Why change?” and “Why is change important?” Change is a fundamental factor behind an organization’s success and can transform an organization into a global competitor. The three big factors that can impact a university are funding, leadership, and the research system, all of which have been directly affected by disturbances from the external environment and indirectly affected by changes to the university context in response to those disturbances. Many universities around the world have built good reputations, but they need to speedily react to future changes. Collaboration between universities and research institutes plays an essential role in developing the research context. In addition, associations based on specialist studies promote continued professional development among university staff. This paper therefore attempts to highlight the need for change in the realm of universities and answer questions regarding the whys and hows of such change.