Impact of Knowledge Management on Organizational Performance: A Case Study of Selected Universities in Southern Punjab-Pakistan

Abstract

Knowledge management is an important issue in the business organization. The business firms which is able to manage knowledge will secure competitive advantage and sustainable growth. The objective of this research paper is analyze the impact of knowledge management on organizational performance with respect to selected Universities in Southern Punjab. For this purpose, two Public Universities: Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan and Islamia University of Bahawalpur were selected as a sample of the study. Four variables such as knowledge acquisition, knowledge conversion, knowledge application, and knowledge protection were taken as independent variables while firm performance was taken as dependent variable. Primary data was collected from 200 respondents that include selected Universities’ academic and non-academic staff. The response rate was about 90 and 71 percent among academic and non-academic staff respectively. Five estimation techniques such as Likert scale, Correlation technique, Score Card, Ration and Regression Analysis were used to draw the results. A comparison was also carried out to measure the performance of Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan and Islamia University of Bahawalpur. The results were robust and signification, showing close relationship between knowledge management and organizational performance. The comparative analysis shows that Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan has performed well in managing knowledge vis-à-vis Islamia University of Bahawalpur. The Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan is ahead of Islamia University Multan in terms of faculty, class performance, and research work and admission criteria. Though this study is specific to two big public Universities of Southern Punjab, yet its results can be generalized to other Universities of Pakistan as well as of the Universities in other countries.

Keywords: Knowledge creation, knowledge management, knowledge protection, intellectual capital.