Knowledge management factors and knowledge sharing among academic staff of Makerere University

Abstract

Knowledge sharing (KS) is an inevitable activity that underpins the business of knowledge management (KM) factors. It is a critical activity since knowledge bears no value if it is not distributed and shared. However, the question of whether KS does really exist among academics of Makerere University, and factors affecting the practice are yet to be known. This study focused on the establishment of the relationship between the individual, organizational, technological and communication KM factors and KS among the academic staff of Makerere University. The method of cluster sampling was used in selecting 136 respondents who filled in self-administered questionnaires. Using SPSS, data analysis was done at descriptive and inferential levels. The analysis of data at the univariate level was based on relative frequencies and descriptive statistics such as means. Using Pearson’s linear correlation co-efficiency and multiple regressions, the four research hypotheses were tested at bivariate and multivariate level respectively. The study found out that unlike for individual, organizational and technological KM factors and KS, communication factors were found to be significantly, positively linearly correlated with KS. The study concluded that communication factors were vital in enhancing KS. The study came up with recommendations that University Top Management should put more emphasis on communication factors in the quest to enhance KS among academics. Top Management should also work towards avenues that facilitate helpfulness communication in research-related activities, interaction with fellow academic staff, build a high level of face-to- face interaction among academics, and promote easy communication with other academics, discussions on research-related matters and collaboration among academics taking place through face-to-face meetings.