Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
10 No.
: 246-261
Available online at https://ejournal.
id/index.
php/al-tanzim/index Knowledge Management Strategies to Improve Institutional Performance in Higher Education:
A Study of Accredited Private Universities Suarni Norawati1*.
Akmal Andri Yantama2.
Chandra Kusuma3.
Siti Syahsudarmi4 1Management Department.
Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Bangkinang.
Kampar.
Riau.
Indonesia 2Information Systems Department.
Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau.
Pekanbaru.
Riau.
Indonesia 3Information Systems Department.
Sekolah Tinggi Manajemen Informatika dan Komputer (STMIK) Dharmapala Riau.
Pekanbaru.
Riau.
Indonesia 4Management Department.
Universitas Islam Riau.
Kota Pekanbaru.
Riau.
Indonesia Email: suarninorawati@pascabangkinang.
id1, 12050312486@students.
uin-suska.
kusumachandra729@gmail.
com3, siti.
syahsudarmi@eco.
DOI: http://doi.
org/10.
33650/al-tanzim.
Received: 10 August 2025 Revised: 17 January 2026 Accepted: 02 February 2026 Abstract:
This study aims to analyze the influence of knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer on the effectiveness of policymaking, with organizational learning as a mediating variable, among leaders of private universities accredited at least AuVery GoodAy.
The study used a quantitative, explanatory survey design.
Data were collected through a structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale from 93 structural officials of private universities and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS.
The results showed that knowledge sharing had a positive and significant effect on policymaking effectiveness, whereas knowledge transfer did not show a significant direct effect.
However, both knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer were found to have a positive effect on organizational learning, which, in turn, significantly affected policy effectiveness and mediated the relationship between the knowledge variables and policy effectiveness.
These findings confirm that policy effectiveness is not only determined by the availability or transfer of knowledge, but is highly dependent on the organizationAos ability to manage learning collectively.
This study provides theoretical contributions to the Knowledge-Based View and practical implications for strengthening learning-based governance in private universities.
Keywords: Knowledge Sharing.
Knowledge Transfer.
Organizational Learning.
Policy Effectiveness Abstrak:
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh knowledge sharing dan knowledge transfer terhadap efektivitas penetapan kebijakan dengan organizational learning sebagai variabel mediasi pada pimpinan perguruan tinggi swasta yang terakreditasi minimal AuBaik SekaliAy.
Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan desain survei eksplanatori.
Data dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner terstruktur dengan skala Likert lima poin dari 93 pejabat struktural perguruan tinggi swasta, dan dianalisis menggunakan Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) dengan bantuan perangkat lunak SmartPLS.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa knowledge sharing berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap efektivitas penetapan kebijakan, sedangkan knowledge transfer tidak menunjukkan pengaruh langsung yang Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam This journal is an open-access article under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.
0 license.
A 2026, the author.
Namun demikian, baik knowledge sharing maupun knowledge transfer terbukti berpengaruh positif terhadap organizational learning, yang selanjutnya berpengaruh signifikan terhadap efektivitas kebijakan dan memediasi hubungan antara variabel pengetahuan dan efektivitas kebijakan.
Temuan ini menegaskan bahwa efektivitas kebijakan tidak hanya ditentukan oleh ketersediaan atau perpindahan pengetahuan, tetapi sangat bergantung pada kemampuan organisasi dalam mengelola pembelajaran secara kolektif.
Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi teoretis pada Knowledge-Based View serta implikasi praktis bagi penguatan tata kelola berbasis pembelajaran di perguruan tinggi swasta.
Kata Kunci: Knowledge Sharing.
Knowledge Transfer.
Organizational Learning.
Efektivitas Kebijakan Please cite this article in APA style as:
Norawati.
Yantama.
Kusuma.
, & Syahsudarmi.
Knowledge Management Strategies to Improve Institutional Performance in Higher Education: A Study of Accredited Private Universities.
Al-Tanzim:
Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 10.
, 246-261.
INTRODUCTION
The increasing complexity and competitiveness of the higher education environment require universities to strengthen the quality of their institutional governance, particularly in the policy-determination process.
From the perspective of the Knowledge-Based View, institutional policies are understood as strategic outcomes that are strongly influenced by how organizations manage, distribute, and utilize their knowledge resources (Hao et al.
, 2021.
Hariharan & Biswas, 2021.
Liu et al.
, 2.
Consequently, policy formulation can no longer rely solely on administrative considerations or leadership intuition, but must be grounded in systematic knowledge management processes and sustained organizational learning.
Within this framework, knowledge sharing functions as an initial mechanism that enables the exchange of information, experience, and expertise among institutional leaders, thereby fostering a shared understanding that serves as the foundation for informed decision making (Chan et al.
, 2023.
Fedi et al.
, 2025.
Rezaei et al.
, 2.
At the same time, knowledge transfer plays an important role in ensuring the continuity of institutional knowledge across organizational units and leadership periods (Eikelenboom & van Marrewijk, 2024.
Le & Tuyen, 2025.
Ohlsson, 2.
However, from a theoretical standpoint, its influence on policy outcomes is not always direct, as transferred knowledge often requires further interpretation and internalization before it can be effectively applied.
This internalization process occurs through organizational learning, which enables organizations to reflect on past policy experiences, retain relevant lessons, and integrate them into subsequent decision-making (Balasubramanian et al.
, 2022.
Russ, 2021.
Woulfin & Spitzer, 2.
Accordingly, organizational learning is positioned as a key mechanism that mediates the effects of knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer on the effectiveness of policy determination.
In this sense, policy effectiveness can be understood as the result of a structured causal process that is empirically testable (Kleine et al.
, 2022.
Plymer, 2024.
Van Ryzin, 2.
the context of private universities, which must simultaneously meet accreditation requirements and adapt to internal and external organizational dynamics, these interrelationships among variables are crucial for supporting rational, evidencebased, and sustainable governance.
Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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php/al-tanzim/index A growing body of research shows that knowledge sharing significantly improves organizational performance, strategic decision-making, and governance Knowledge transfer, in turn, has been widely regarded as a means of disseminating best practices and organizational experience across units (Damm Scheuer, 2024.
Nielsen, 2025.
Sathe et al.
, 2.
Nevertheless, empirical findings regarding the direct impact of knowledge transfer on organizational performance remain inconsistent (Jiang et al.
, 2022.
Kowshik et al.
, 2025.
Ohlsson, 2.
contrast, organizational learning has increasingly been recognized as a strategic capability that enables organizations not only to store knowledge, but also to interpret, internalize, and apply it in decision-making processes (El-Sharkawy et , 2023.
Kampoowale, 2025.
Yoon et al.
, 2.
Within the higher education context, organizational learning is particularly important, as effective policies often emerge from reflective processes that involve evaluating past policy decisions, learning from institutional experience, and engaging in cross-unit leadership interactions.
Despite extensive literature on the relationship between knowledge management and organizational performance, a significant Research gap remains, particularly regarding the effectiveness of policy as a governance outcome in higher education institutions.
Most prior studies have focused on innovation outcomes, general organizational performance, or competitive advantage.
At the same time, policy effectiveness as a strategic result of knowledge management processes has received relatively limited empirical attention.
Moreover, studies that simultaneously examine the roles of knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer with organizational learning as a mediating variable in the context of accredited private universities remain scarce.
This gap highlights the need for quantitative Research that explains how knowledge mechanisms and organizational learning contribute to the quality of institutional policy-making, especially in higher education settings that are increasingly required to adopt knowledge-based governance.
Based on this gap, the present study aims to analyze the effects of knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer on the effectiveness of policy determination, with organizational learning serving as a mediating variable, among leaders of private universities in Pekanbaru City that have achieved a minimum institutional accreditation of AuVery Good.
Ay A quantitative approach employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS software is used to test the proposed causal relationships among latent variables simultaneously.
The focus on accredited private universities is particularly relevant, as these institutions are formally expected to implement quality- and knowledge-based governance, yet continue to face practical challenges related to knowledge documentation, knowledge-sharing forums, and inter-leadership knowledge transfer mechanisms.
This study contributes to the development of the Knowledge-Based View by positioning policy effectiveness as a strategic outcome of knowledge management and organizational learning processes.
By empirically testing the mediating role of organizational learning, the study reinforces the argument that knowledge does not automatically lead to effective policies.
rather, it must be Al-Tanzim : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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From a practical perspective, the findings are expected to provide empirical guidance for leaders of private universities in designing more adaptive governance systems by strengthening knowledge-sharing practices, developing more structured mechanisms for knowledge transfer, and developing sustainable organizational learning systems.
RESEARCH METHODS
This study employed a quantitative Research approach with an explanatory survey design to examine the causal relationships among knowledge sharing, knowledge transfer, organizational learning, and the effectiveness of policy determination in private higher education institutions.
A quantitative design was considered appropriate, as it allows systematic hypothesis testing with numerical data and supports theory-driven model verification in social science Research (Bonetti et al.
, 2023.
anli, 2022.
et al.
, 2.
The Research process was organized into several interrelated stages: field observation, literature review, data collection and processing, hypothesis testing, and final reporting of results and These stages were designed to ensure methodological rigor and alignment with the Research objectives.
The overall flow of the Research method is illustrated in Figure 1, which summarizes the sequential stages applied in this Figure 1.
Research Method Flow The population of this Research consisted of top management and structural leaders from five private universities in Riau Province, namely Universitas Lancang Kuning.
Universitas Muhammadiyah Riau.
Universitas Islam Riau.
Universitas Terbuka, and Universitas Abdurrab, totaling 320 individuals.
purposive sampling technique was applied, selecting respondents based on Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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php/al-tanzim/index specific inclusion criteria, namely active structural officials with direct involvement and experience in institutional policy-making processes.
Using a 10 percent margin of error, the minimum sample size was calculated using SlovinAos formula, resulting in a required sample of approximately 80 respondents (Obodo et al.
, 2023.
Puisa et al.
, 2023.
van de Maat et al.
, 2.
In practice, 93 complete and valid questionnaires were collected and used for analysis.
The demographic characteristics of the respondents, including gender, age group, institutional affiliation, and length of tenure, are summarized in Table 1 and are not discussed in detail within the text to avoid redundancy.
Table 1.
Respondent Characteristics Item Frequency Gender Male Female Age 40Ae42 years 42Ae44 years 44Ae46 years Ou46 years Institutional Origin Universitas Muhammadiyah Riau Universitas Islam Riau Universitas Terbuka Universitas Lancang Kuning Universitas Abdurrab Term of Office < 1 year 1Ae3 years > 3 years Percentage Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale, adapted from established measurement instruments in the knowledge management and organizational learning literature (Pradana & Supahar, 2025.
Tomei et al.
, 2021.
Zhou, 2.
All constructs were measured using indicators adapted from established knowledge management and organizational learning frameworks, with measurement implementation guided by prior assessment instrument studies (Bektas, 2025.
Johnson et al.
, 2.
Responses were collected using a five-point Likert scale, which has been shown to provide reliable measurement properties in organizational Research (Wang et al.
, 2.
Prior to hypothesis testing, validity and reliability assessments were conducted to ensure that the measurement model met acceptable standards.
Data analysis was performed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling in SmartPLS.
The analysis included evaluating the measurement model through factor loadings.
Average Variance Extracted, and composite reliability, as well as evaluating the structural model using RA values, path coefficients, predictive relevance, and bootstrapping procedures.
The results of these analyses are presented in the Results and Discussion section, followed by implications and recommendations.
Al-Tanzim : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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php/al-tanzim/index RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results To ensure that the empirical findings can be meaningfully interpreted and theoretically discussed, this study first evaluates the quality of the measurement model for each construct.
The assessment of construct validity and reliability is a critical step in PLS-SEM analysis, as it determines whether the indicators accurately and consistently capture the underlying concepts of knowledge sharing, knowledge transfer, organizational learning, and policy effectiveness.
Therefore, prior to examining the structural relationships among variables, the measurement model is assessed using loading factor values.
Variance Inflation Factor (VIF).
CronbachAos Alpha (CA).
Composite Reliability (CR), and Average Variance Extracted (AVE).
The following are the results of construct measurement analysis through loading factor values.
Variance Inflation Factor (VIF).
CronbachAos Alpha (CA).
Composite Reliability (CR), and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) for each indicator in each Research variable.
The validity and reliability of the construct being studied are displayed in the Table 2.
Table 2.
Convergent Reliability and Validity Analysis Construct
Item Loading VIF
KS1
KS2
Knowledge Sharing (KS) KS3
KS4
KT1
Knowledge Transfer
KT2
KT3
OL1
OL2
Organizational Learning OL3
OL4
IP1
Effectiveness of Policy Determination IP2
IP3
AVE
Based on Table 2, the results of the construct measurement analysis indicate that all indicators have loading factor values above the recommended threshold of 70, demonstrating that each indicator adequately represents its respective Furthermore, all Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) values are below the critical value of 5.
0, indicating the absence of multicollinearity among the indicators (Salmeryn-Gymez et al.
, 2.
Construct reliability is further confirmed by CronbachAos Alpha (CA) and Composite Reliability (CR) values, all of which exceed the minimum acceptable level of 0.
70, suggesting strong internal consistency (Raykov & Marcoulides, 2.
For instance, the Knowledge Sharing construct exhibits a CronbachAos Alpha of 0.
936 and a Composite Reliability of 937, indicating very high measurement reliability.
In addition, the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values for all constructs exceed the recommended minimum threshold of 0.
50, indicating that their respective latent constructs explain more than 50% of the variance of the Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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This result confirms strong convergent validity across all constructs.
For instance, the Policy Effectiveness construct exhibits an AVE of 0.
857, indicating excellent measurement quality.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the measurement model employed in this study satisfies the established criteria for validity and reliability and is suitable for subsequent structural model analysis.
Figure 2 presents the results of the structural model visualization, illustrating the relationships among the constructs examined in this study.
The figure displays the path coefficients between latent variables and the factor loadings of each indicator on its corresponding construct.
This visualization facilitates the interpretation of both the strength and direction of the structural relationships, as well as the contribution of individual indicators to the formation of their respective constructs.
Figure 2.
SEM-PLS Calculation Results Figure 2 illustrates the structural model depicting the relationships among Knowledge Sharing (KS).
Knowledge Transfer (KT).
Organizational Learning (OL), and Effectiveness of Policy Determination (IP).
Each latent construct is measured by multiple indicators, with factor loadings exceeding 0.
70, indicating that all indicators validly represent their respective constructs.
For instance, indicators KS2 and KS3 demonstrate high loadings of 0.
934 and 0.
938, respectively, while OL4 also shows a strong loading value of 0.
932, reflecting robust indicator In terms of structural relationships, the model shows that Knowledge Sharing has significant direct effects on Organizational Learning ( = 0.
and Policy Effectiveness ( = 0.
, indicating that knowledge sharing among university leaders plays a critical role in enhancing organizational learning processes and improving the effectiveness of policy determination.
Knowledge Transfer also positively affects Organizational Learning ( = 0.
however, its direct effect on Policy Effectiveness is relatively weak and not statistically significant ( = 0.
, suggesting that transferred knowledge does not automatically translate into effective policy outcomes without being internalized through learning mechanisms.
Furthermore.
Organizational Learning has a significant positive effect on Policy Effectiveness ( = 0.
, highlighting its strategic role in translating shared Al-Tanzim : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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php/al-tanzim/index and transferred knowledge into effective institutional policies.
The coefficient of determination (RA) for Policy Effectiveness is 0.
921, indicating that the combined influence of Knowledge Sharing.
Knowledge Transfer, and Organizational Learning explains a substantial proportion of the variance in policy effectiveness.
Overall, the structural model demonstrates strong explanatory power and theoretical coherence, with the estimated path coefficients supporting the proposed relationships and confirming the mediating role of Organizational Learning.
After the measurement model was confirmed to meet the required standards of validity and reliability, the structural model was evaluated to examine the hypothesized relationships among the latent constructs, including Knowledge Sharing.
Knowledge Transfer.
Organizational Learning, and the Effectiveness of Policy Determination, as illustrated in Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Structural Model Results The results of the structural model analysis using SmartPLS indicate that most of the hypothesized relationships among the study variables are statistically significant, except for the direct effect of Knowledge Transfer on the Effectiveness of Policy Determination.
Hypothesis H1 is supported, as Knowledge Sharing demonstrates a positive and significant effect on policy effectiveness ( = 0.
= 4.
, indicating that active knowledge-sharing practices among university leaders contribute directly to more effective policy determination.
In contrast.
Hypothesis H2 is not supported, as Knowledge Transfer shows a weak and nonsignificant direct effect on policy effectiveness ( = 0.
T = 0.
966 < 1.
Furthermore.
Knowledge Sharing has a strong and significant effect on Organizational Learning (H3.
= 0.
T = 7.
, while Knowledge Transfer also exerts a significant positive Influence on Organizational Learning (H4.
= 0.
T = 4.
Organizational Learning, in turn, significantly enhances policy effectiveness (H5.
= 0.
T = 3.
These findings indicate that, in the context of accredited private universities in Pekanbaru.
Organizational Learning functions as a critical mediating mechanism that links knowledge-sharing and knowledge- Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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Consequently, strengthening organizational Learning emerges as a key strategic factor in fostering more effective and evidence-based decision-making within higher education Building on the structural model results discussed above, hypothesis testing was conducted to validate the proposed relationships among the study variables statistically.
This step aims to confirm whether the observed path coefficients are empirically supported based on their significance levels.
Hypothesis testing was performed using SmartPLS with bootstrapping, and the detailed results are summarized in Table 3.
Table 3.
Convergent Reliability and Validity Analysis Hypothesis Mean T Statistics H1 : KS Ie IP H2 : KT Ie IP H3 : KS Ie OL H4 : KT Ie OL H5 : OL Ie IP H6 : KS Ie OL Ie IP H7 : KT Ie OL Ie IP P Values Based on the hypothesis testing results.
Hypothesis H1 confirms that Knowledge Sharing (KS) has a significant positive effect on the Effectiveness of Policy Determination (IP) ( = 0.
p = 0.
This finding supports prior studies suggesting that knowledge-sharing practices enhance policy-making effectiveness by facilitating the alignment of information, experience, and collective understanding among decision-makers (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1.
In contrast.
Hypothesis H2 indicates that Knowledge Transfer (KT) does not have a significant direct effect on policy effectiveness ( = 0.
p = 0.
Furthermore.
Hypotheses H3 and H4 demonstrate that both Knowledge Sharing ( = 0.
and Knowledge Transfer ( = 0.
have significant positive effects on Organizational Learning (OL).
These findings align with those of Argote and Ingram .
, who emphasize that knowledge-sharing and transfer activities are fundamental drivers of organizational learning.
Hypothesis H5 is also supported, showing that Organizational Learning has a significant positive effect on policy effectiveness ( = 0.
p = 0.
With respect to the mediating effects.
Hypotheses H6 and H7 reveal significant indirect relationships between Knowledge Sharing ( = 0.
and Knowledge Transfer ( = 0.
and policy effectiveness through Organizational Learning.
Overall, the findings confirm that Organizational Learning plays a central role in bridging knowledge processes and enhancing the effectiveness of policy determination in higher education institutions.
Discussion This study was conducted in response to the growing demand for knowledge-based governance in higher education institutions, particularly private universities, which are required to demonstrate accountability, adaptability, and policy effectiveness in increasingly complex academic environments.
Despite Al-Tanzim : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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php/al-tanzim/index extensive Research on knowledge management, prior studies have predominantly focused on innovation performance or general organizational outcomes, leaving policy effectiveness as a relatively underexplored governance outcome.
Addressing this gap, the present study aimed to examine how knowledge sharing (KS) and knowledge transfer (KT) Influence the effectiveness of policy determination (IP), with organizational learning (OL) positioned as a mediating mechanism among leaders of accredited private universities in Pekanbaru.
adopting a Knowledge-Based View (KBV) perspective, this Research extends knowledge management theory into the domain of higher education governance.
The empirical results clearly indicate that knowledge sharing plays a central role in enhancing policy effectiveness.
The evidence from this study supports the argument that active, reciprocal knowledge-sharing practices among university leaders significantly improve the quality and effectiveness of policymaking (Herman & Gigliotti, 2025.
Hussein et al.
, 2025.
Ngoc-Tan, 2.
This finding aligns with Dorton et al.
, who emphasize that knowledge creation and exchange enable organizations to integrate diverse perspectives into strategic decision-making.
In the context of private universities, structured and informal exchanges of experience, data, and institutional memory among deans, unit heads, and administrators appear to strengthen collective understanding, thereby producing more coherent and responsive policies.
In contrast, the direct effect of knowledge transfer on policy effectiveness was found to be statistically insignificant.
Although this result may initially appear counterintuitive, it is consistent with MatsuoAos .
concept of knowledge Austickiness,Ay which highlights the contextual and organizational barriers that often impede the effective application of transferred knowledge.
Unlike knowledge sharing, which is typically interactive and relational, knowledge transfer in higher education institutions may occur in more formalized or fragmented waysAisuch as documentation or leadership successionAiwithout guaranteeing deep understanding or practical utilization (Basit et al.
, 2024.
Compagnucci & Spigarelli.
Del Ryo Fernyndez et al.
, 2.
This finding suggests a relative weakness in current transfer mechanisms within private universities, where transferred knowledge may not be sufficiently internalized to Influence policy outcomes A key contribution of this study lies in demonstrating the pivotal role of organizational learning.
The results show that both knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer significantly enhance organizational learning, which in turn exerts a strong positive effect on policy effectiveness.
This finding aligns with Gonzalez .
, who argues that organizational learning functions as a dynamic capability that enables organizations to interpret, retain, and apply knowledge over time.
In this study, organizational learning serves as the critical mechanism through which dispersed knowledge resources are transformed into actionable insights that inform policy formulation.
Importantly, the mediation analysis confirms that organizational learning fully bridges the relationship between knowledge processes and policy These findings are consistent with Abdelrahman & Wang .
, who emphasize that knowledge does not automatically translate into performance Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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From a theoretical perspective, this reinforces the Knowledge-Based View by highlighting learning capability as the operational link between knowledge assets and governance outcomes.
From a practical standpoint, it implies that private universities cannot rely solely on knowledge repositories or inter-unit transfers but must institutionalize learning processes that enable reflection, evaluation, and adaptation.
To illustrate these findings in a real-world context, consider policy development related to curriculum reform or accreditation preparation.
When leaders actively share insights from previous accreditation cycles and collectively reflect on past policy outcomes, organizational learning is strengthened, leading to more effective and anticipatory policies.
Conversely, when knowledge is merely transferred through documents or leadership handovers without structured reflection, its impact on policy quality remains limited.
This example underscores the practical importance of learning-oriented governance mechanisms such as cross-unit policy reviews, leadership learning forums, and institutional knowledge archives.
Based on these findings, several deductions can be made.
First, policy effectiveness in higher education is more strongly influenced by social and cognitive learning processes than by linear knowledge transfer alone.
Second, organizational learning should be conceptualized as a strategic governance capability rather than a by-product of knowledge management.
These insights provide a foundation for future Research to explore learning-oriented governance models further, potentially incorporating additional variables such as digital leadership, organizational culture, or decision-support systems.
Despite its contributions, this study has limitations.
The sample was limited to private universities in a single geographic region, which may constrain the generalizability of the findings.
Additionally, the cross-sectional design limits the ability to capture the dynamic evolution of learning and policy processes over Future Research is encouraged to expand the institutional and regional scope, employ longitudinal or mixed-method designs, and integrate contextual factors that may shape knowledge-based governance.
Such efforts would deepen understanding of how organizational learning can be strategically leveraged to enhance policy effectiveness across diverse higher education systems.
CONCLUSION
This study addressed the challenge of how private universities can ensure that institutional policies are not only formally established but also effective in responding to organizational needs within a knowledge-intensive governance Drawing on empirical evidence from accredited private universities in Pekanbaru, the findings show that knowledge sharing plays a direct and meaningful role in improving policy effectiveness.
In contrast, knowledge transfer alone does not automatically lead to better policy outcomes.
Instead, both knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer contribute significantly to organizational learning, which emerges as the key mechanism through which knowledge is translated into effective policy decisions.
These results highlight that the success of policy formulation depends less on the mere movement of knowledge and more on the organizationAos capacity to collectively learn from Al-Tanzim : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam Vol.
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php/al-tanzim/index experience, reflect on past decisions, and institutionalize insights into governance From a broader perspective, the study reinforces the importance of organizational learning as a strategic capability within the knowledge-based view, offering practical implications for university leaders to strengthen learningoriented systems, such as reflective policy reviews and cross-unit knowledge forums, to support more adaptive and evidence-based decision making in higher
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to express sincere gratitude to all colleagues who provided constructive feedback during the design, data collection, and analysis stages of this research.
Appreciation is also extended to the academic peers who shared insightful comments on earlier drafts of the manuscript, which helped refine the theoretical framework and interpretation of the findings.
Finally, the authors thank all individuals who contributed their time and expertise to support the completion of this study.
REFERENCES