Knowledge Process and Learning Organization Development in Science Museums

This study aims to investigate the possibility of improving organizational learning in science museums by promoting knowledge processes. Different knowledge process activities and organizational learning at different levels are examined. This study used a questionnaire to survey two science museums in Thailand: the National Science Museum (NSM) and the Science Centre for Education (SCE). The resulting data was analyzed in order to assess the level of organizational learning and level of conducted knowledge processes and draw conclusions through descriptive statistics. The relationship between knowledge processes and organizational learning was analyzed through correlation and multiple regressions. This study provides evidence that there is a possibility for science museums to enhance levels of organizational learning by supporting knowledge processes. However, this would require science museums to focus its systems on organizational learning and alter the structure of any bureaucratic environments. This research can contribute empirical evidence to the dependency between knowledge management and learning organizations. It can also assist knowledge-oriented public organizations in improving organizational learning through understanding its relationship with knowledge processes. As the survey was conducted at two science museums in Thailand, it is not varied enough to qualify as an application to a generalized science museum context. In addition, this study focuses on knowledge processes, which is only one factor among many that may influence organizational learning. The statistical analysis used in this study also has limitations in determining interactions between variables on a deeper level.