ADMINISTRATIVE INNOVATION: LEVERAGING ON KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PARADIGMS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

Knowledge management has emerged as a strategic imperative in achieving administrative innovation within higher education systems. This study investigated the relationship between knowledge management and administrative innovation in tertiary institutions in Rivers State, Nigeria. Adopting a correlational survey design with a macro-level unit of analysis, the study took a census of sixty respondents (twelve per institution) from five tertiary institutions comprising universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with Spearman’s rank-order correlation and regression statistics. The findings revealed that knowledge sharing significantly enhances process improvement, while knowledge retention strongly influences service enhancement. These results align with extant literature affirming the centrality of knowledge-based practices in fostering efficiency, responsiveness, and innovation in organizations. The study concludes that strategic investments in knowledge management are vital for sustaining innovative and efficient administrative systems in tertiary institutions. It is recommended that institutional leaders establish formal structures, such as digital repositories and collaborative platforms, to promote knowledge sharing and safeguard institutional memory for continuous service improvement.