Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning in Public Administration: Toward a Knowledge-Driven Governance Model for the Twenty-First Century State

Abstract

Knowledge has become a critical strategic resource in modern public administration, yet governments vary widely in their ability to effectively generate, share, and apply it. This article explores the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and organizational learning within public sector institutions and introduces the Knowledge-Driven Governance Model (KDGM) as an integrated framework. The model explains how governments can strengthen knowledge capabilities to improve policy outcomes, service delivery, and adaptability. The KDGM is based on a systematic review of 112 peer-reviewed studies (2001–2025) and a comparative analysis of 20 government organizations across 12 countries. It identifies six key knowledge capabilities: acquisition, articulation, codification, sharing, application, and renewal. These capabilities are linked to four governance outcomes: policy effectiveness, service innovation, organizational adaptability, and collaboration quality. The findings highlight several critical insights. First, tacit knowledge practical, experience-based knowledge is both the most valuable and the least effectively managed asset in public organizations. Second, bureaucratic silos significantly hinder knowledge flow and utilization. Third, communities of practice emerge as the most cost-effective tools for knowledge sharing, yet they receive limited institutional support. Finally, leadership plays a central role: leaders who actively promote knowledge-seeking and sharing behaviors are key to fostering a strong knowledge culture. The article concludes by proposing a policy agenda to enhance knowledge-driven governance, emphasizing investment in knowledge systems, institutional support for collaboration, and leadership development to build sustainable knowledge capacity in the public sector.