Implementation of knowledge management as a tool for sustainable competitive advantage at the University of Nairobi Library, Kenya

Abstract

University libraries are knowledge hubs established in support of the mission of their parent institutions. Most of the libraries have significantly developed and are utilizing some Knowledge Management (KM) principles to increase their operational efficiency to meet this mandate. Knowledge management offers new ways of enhancing competitive edge despite the challenges occasioned by, among other factors, dwindling library budgets, competition, and user approach to information access and retrieval. The aim of the study was to investigate the implementation of Knowledge Management as a tool for sustainable competitive advantage at the University of Nairobi Library. The study was guided by the following objectives: to determine the extent to which knowledge management is practiced at the University of Nairobi Library; to determine which KM strategies can generate sustainable competitive advantage for the University of Nairobi Library; to evaluate the effectiveness of Knowledge Management as a source of sustainable competitive advantage for the University of Nairobi Library; and to identify the challenges encountered in implementing knowledge management strategies for sustainable competitive advantage in University of Nairobi Library. This research is a case study which was conducted at the University of Nairobi Library. The study used a descriptive research design and purposive sampling technique. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze data. Questionnaires and interview guide were used to collect data for the study. Data from the returned questionnaires was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel software. The analyzed data has been presented using pie charts, tables and graphs. This research made the following findings: the UON library has no central KM policy and its implementation is at the introductory stage, there is no organizational culture which promotes knowledge creation, sharing, retention and reuse, among other challenges. Therefore, the following conclusions were made: formulation and implementation of a knowledge strategy covering policy formulation, knowledge creation, sharing, retention and reuse and training staff in Knowledge Management. The findings of the study add to the body of knowledge in KM practice in university libraries and for library professionals wishing to leverage KM in their libraries will find the research results quite informative.