Knowledge Sharing via ICT Adoption in Political Parties

Knowledge can be more effectively shared within an organization via technology, more so in large organizations which are geographically dispersed. Enabling technology plays an important transformational role and has become a key part of changing the corporate culture to a knowledge sharing culture. While studies in knowledge sharing in organizations are abundant, there is a wide gap in the investigations of adoption of ICT in knowledge sharing within the context of political parties. This study attempts to present a vision of the future in which knowledge sharing via adoption of knowledgebased system development and operation facilitated by ICT infrastructure and technology in creation of knowledge society within Malaysia in the context of political parties. The study was conducted using semi structured interviews and survey questionnaires on State secretary and Head of IT as samples, and case study on youth councils as samples, to obtain data on Information dissemination, ICT management, ICT awareness and literacy, Experience in using ICT, and State of ICT employed by management. The study revealed that the use of the internet and intranet in the party is a highly practical exercise; all state party offices employ staff with at least a basic level of ICT skills for organizational management; the office staffs are highly motivated in using ICT tools and the party seems to be prepared in facing the realm of the knowledge society. Recommendations to facilitate efficient adoption of ICT are given based on Roger’s Five stage Diffusion of Innovation (DOI). A roadmap of ICT adoption in political parties for knowledge sharing was also developed which was adapted from the Innovation Diffusion theory and ROADCON model. Political parties will benefit from information dissemination through online forums, conferences and meetings as suggested in the road map especially in eveloping the political parties administration using ICT in expanding party’s goals and strategy through the use of internet and intranet in the parties’ administration.