KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A CASE OF UGANDA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The study aimed at establishing the relationship between knowledge management practices and organisational performance in Higher Education Institutions; this was with regard to practices of knowledge acquisition, sharing and application and their relation to improving performance at Uganda Christian University. Using a cross sectional survey design, quantitative data was collected using questionnaires administered to 59 academic staff in the faculty of social sciences using simple random sampling. Qualitative data was collected by means of interviews conducted with the faculty dean of social sciences, 3 heads of department, the head human resources as well as the dean school of research using purposive sampling. A content validity index of 0.80 and a Cronbach alpha co-efficient of 0.814 deemed the instrument of quality. Analytical techniques of correlation analysis and regression analysis were applied to quantitative data while content analysis was applied to qualitative data. Results show a moderate significant positive relationship between knowledge acquisition and performance while the relationship between knowledge sharing, application and organisational performance was a positive one yet quite weak in the human resource perspective. Conclusively, knowledge management practices do play an integral part in organisational goals. However, such practices have not been fully integrated into the university’s strategy to realise organisational goals. Knowledge management practices should have the sole purpose to create room for competent, skilled and knowledgeable human resources to acquaint themselves with being effective and productive in their work approaches than delivering knowledge concepts and content with little or no application to realise performance. The study thus recommends: Coherent and strategic training for staff, institute knowledge workers to initiate research activities, award excelling staff in their research endeavours, institute knowledge sharing forums, training, research and publication should orient lecturers towards being productive and effective in their work. The study also presented recommendations for future research.