Universities have long been recognised as avenues for teaching and learning, research and discovery,
as well as providers of services to the society through the application of knowledge. To strive for academic
excellence, it is imperative for public universities to become a learning organization. This can be done by the
knowledge management process to drive their future value and to enhance their organisational performance.
Hence, this paper adapts the studies of Watkins and Marsick (1993; 1996) and Hernandez (2000), to develop a
comprehensive research model which examines the relationship between learning organisation and knowledge
management process of tacit knowledge in a public university in Malaysia. The objective of this first phase of
research project is to explore the components of seven dimensions of the learning organisation and the transfer
process of tacit knowledge which are deemed important factors to influence the knowledge performance
improvement of a public university. A survey questionnaire was employed as the main instrument to collect data
from the academicians in this university. The empirical findings of this study provides an initial step forward
identifying the relevant dimensions of a learning organisation and the effective knowledge management process
of tacit knowledge which drive the organisational performance of a public university.