Knowledge Management Practices in Universities of Pakistan: Development of Framework

Abstract

Knowledge management (KM) is a process of knowledge creation, validation, presentation, dissemination, and application. It is a set of procedures, infrastructures, technical and managerial tools, designed in the direction of creating, sharing, and leveraging knowledge within and outside of the organization. Educational institutions intentionally engaged in the process of acquiring, storing and disseminating knowledge through all the processes from administration to curriculum development and classroom interactions. The objectives of the study were to find out (1) faculty perceptions regarding knowledge management practices (2) the existing knowledge management practices (3) find out the benefits of knowledge management practices (4) the prevailing challenges in the effective use of knowledge management practices (5) implementation barriers in knowledge management practices and finally the development of Knowledge management framework for higher education of Pakistan. The sequential concurrent triangulation research design from mixed method was adopted. Furthermore, survey was conducted, and the study was descriptive in nature. The population of study was all approved PhDs research supervisors of all public and private sector universities in Pakistan. The researcher used multi-stage sampling techniques to select the sample for the quantitative portion of study. To select an appropriate and representative sample group of the study, the researcher selected 465 PhD approved supervisor out of 4636. Theoretical sampling was used for qualitative portion of research study to find out knowledge management practices in universities of Pakistan. A total of 15 PhD approved supervisors were interviewed for qualitative portion of the study. Standardized Research Questionnaire (SRQ) was adapted for data collection. Data was collected through Email, google form, post and personal visits to the targeted universities of Pakistan. The collected data was analyzed through descriptive analysis (Percentage) and inferential statistics (chi-square) by using SPSS 17 version. Grounded theory was used as a foundation for qualitative data analysis. Findings of the study revealed that there was low understanding about knowledge management in universities of Pakistan. Faculty of universities was aware about the benefits of Knowledge management practices, but no efforts were made by universities of Pakistan. Findings for barriers and challenges were standing in terms of perceptions, perspectives, information communication technologies, capturing tacit and explicit knowledge, non-availability of framework, coordination point, financial issues, and lack of leadership support for knowledge management practices in Pakistani universities. Furthermore, knowledge management as a tool was never used widely in universities of Pakistan. The findings uncovered the need of knowledge management practices to be placed in universities of Pakistan. This research study concludes that knowledge management practices has not been fully incorporated in the planned agenda of most universities and Higher Education commissions of Pakistan, no knowledge management plan, lack of proper infrastructure, no knowledge management framework, never accomplished Knowledge management audit, no research unit to looking market and no knowledge management projects with national or international level. The study recommends that universities and Higher vii Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan to design strategies, plan, framework, and policy guidelines for knowledge management practices. Special budget, knowledge management unit, National and international level training, capturing of tacit and explicit knowledge facilities, leadership support, sophisticated technologies, appointment of knowledge management officers and primary coordination point may be provided for effective use of knowledge management practices in universities of Pakistan. Ministry of Federal Education and training of Pakistan may include knowledge management in National education policy for the development of education system of the country.