Status of Knowledge Management Practices in Pakistani Universities

Quality assurance is increasingly becoming an important aspect of universities in developing countries. Development and implementation of quality assurance in universities is a challenge. The objectives of the study were to evaluate policy of quality assurance in public and private sector universities in Pakistan, to assess the practices of quality assurance in public and private sector universities in Pakistan, to find out the gap in policy and practices of quality assurance in public and private sector universities in Pakistan. Research design of the study was descriptive. The population of the study was 22 directors of quality enhancement cells, 3265 Ph.D. teachers and 288 heads of the department in sixteen public and six private sector universities in Islamabad. Through stratified random sampling technique, the sample of the study included 515 teachers, 215 HODs and 20 directors of QECs from the sixteen public and six private sector universities in Islamabad. Policy and practices of quality assurance in public and private sector universities was evaluated through questionnaire and interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed with the help of SPSS, Mean score, t-test and percentage. Public sector universities’ staff was more skilled and performing their duties according to required standard. Public sector universities promote research culture among faculty and students. It was recommended by the researcher that local and international training on policy and practices of quality assurance should be given to QECs staff, HODs and faculty members

In the present dynamic and knowledge-driven business environment, Knowledge Management (KM) has emerged as a critical factor for enhancing organizational performance, fostering innovation, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Organizations increasingly rely on effective KM practices to systematically create, store, share, and apply knowledge, thereby improving decision-making processes, strengthening collaboration, and achieving strategic objectives. KM serves as a catalyst for managing intellectual assets and transforming them into valuable organizational outcomes, contributing significantly to competitiveness and growth . Despite its growing importance, the implementation of effective KM practices remains a significant challenge across organizations. Various barriers such as cultural resistance, technological limitations, lack of resources, and inadequate organizational support hinder the successful adoption of KM systems. Cultural dimensions, including organizational hierarchy, power distance, and communication patterns, play a crucial role in influencing knowledge-sharing behavior and the overall effectiveness of KM practices. In many cases, rigid organizational structures and resistance to change restrict open communication and limit the free flow of knowledge within organizations . Furthermore, the increasing emphasis on sustainability and digital transformation has highlighted the need for robust and adaptive KM frameworks. Emerging concepts such as Green Knowledge Management (GKM) emphasize the role of KM in achieving environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Organizations are increasingly integrating KM practices with sustainability goals to promote resource efficiency, environmental responsibility, and long-term development. At the same time, advancements in digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and information systems, are transforming traditional KM processes by enhancing knowledge creation, storage, and dissemination capabilities . Although significant progress has been made in KM research, several gaps still exist in understanding its application across diverse organizational and industrial contexts. Existing KM frameworks often fail to adequately address cultural and contextual differences, which are critical for successful implementation. Moreover, while KM has been extensively studied in large organizations, its application in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains relatively underexplored. SMEs face unique challenges such as limited resources, lack of structured KM systems, and informal management practices, which affect the effectiveness of KM initiatives . In addition, there is a need for more empirical and longitudinal studies to evaluate the long-term impact of KM practices on organizational performance, innovation, and sustainability. Many existing studies are conceptual in nature and lack practical validation across different industries and cultural settings. The integration of KM with emerging technologies and its role in supporting innovation and decision-making processes also require further exploration . This study adopts a literature review-based approach to examine the current landscape of Knowledge Management research, with a focus on its interrelationship with culture, innovation, and sustainability. By synthesizing findings from various studies, the research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of KM practices, identify key challenges and research gaps, and suggest directions for future research. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the importance of context-specific KM frameworks and the need for integrating technological, cultural, and sustainability dimensions in KM practices.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the development of education in private sector universities in Pakistan as compared to public universities. Additionally, the purpose is to understand the quality of education in private universities in light of the 2012 higher education commission (HEC), Pakistan ranking data.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes the data shared by HEC at its web site (http://hec.gov.pk) and compares the total scores and the scores for research of private universities in the top ten ranking within the given categories. This comparison is used to evaluate issues related to access and quality of private higher education in Pakistan.FindingsThe private higher education sector is agile and more responsive to market demands. Furthermore, it has allowed the “youth bulge” of Pakistan access to higher education. However, with few exceptions the quality of private higher education is inadequate.Originality/valueThe need for Pakistan to reform its education to counter the grave twin dangers of religious extremism and militancy has been well recognized. High‐quality education at all levels is seen as one of the ways to create a more liberal society. This paper is among the first to evaluate private higher education in Pakistan in light of the most recent HEC rankings published in 2012.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to advance the understanding of innovation offshoring by integrating knowledge management (KM) practices. It aims to identify how KM contributes to strategic offshoring, sourcing decisions for innovation and the utilization of knowledge-intensive business services. By doing so, it seeks to provide a framework that enhances both theoretical insights and practical applications in the field of innovation offshoring. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a tri-method approach – bibliometric analysis, co-citation analysis and text mining – to examine the intersection of innovation offshoring and KM. Data from Web of Science (WoS), analyzed using Leximancer and Bibexcel, reveal key KM practices, such as absorptive capacity and knowledge-sharing, that enhance offshoring-driven innovation. Integrating KM with global sourcing strategies is shown to manage complexities, lower transaction costs and boost innovation performance. Addressing the limitations of prior single-method studies, this research presents a structured KM-offshoring integration framework, mapping the thematic interconnections between KM practices and global sourcing strategies to enhance innovation performance and cross-border knowledge transfer. Findings This study finds that effective KM practices are crucial for optimizing innovation offshoring strategies. Key KM elements such as internal knowledge creation, absorptive capacity and knowledge-sharing routines significantly enhance innovation outcomes. The integration of KM practices with global sourcing strategies helps firms manage complexities, reduce transaction costs and improve innovation performance by leveraging global talent and resources. Research limitations/implications The study’s reliance on data from the WoS and the Association of Business Schools journal ranking may introduce selection bias, limiting the generalizability of findings. Future research should incorporate additional databases such as Scopus to validate the results. Moreover, the study predominantly uses bibliometric methods, which could benefit from being complemented by qualitative analyses to provide deeper insights into KM practices in innovation offshoring. Practical implications For practitioners, this study underscores the critical role of KM in optimizing innovation offshoring strategies. Effective KM practices enable firms to capture, share and use knowledge efficiently across global operations, mitigating the risks associated with geographical and cognitive distances in offshoring arrangements. Social implications The integration of KM in innovation offshoring has significant social implications. By effectively managing knowledge, firms can contribute to the development of global knowledge economies, promote cross-border collaborations and support the growth of local talent pools. This can lead to increased innovation, economic development and the creation of high-value jobs in emerging markets. Originality/value This study is original in its comprehensive approach to examining the intersection of innovation offshoring and KM. It provides valuable insights into how KM practices can enhance innovation performance in global sourcing contexts. The findings contribute to both academic literature and practical applications, offering a nuanced understanding of the strategic role of KM in innovation offshoring.

PurposeThis study aims to identify the key contributing factors of knowledge management (KM) practices with respect to an employee benefit. The research is designed to gain insight into the KM practices of Indian information technology (IT) firms and evaluate its effects on employee perceived benefit (EPB) and employee satisfaction (ES).Design/methodology/approachThis study focuses on the cause and effect relationship between the variables. In this research study, a structured questionnaire is administered and accumulated responses from executives, software developers and knowledge managers from five IT firms with the help of google form. The sample size was 339 for this study. Confirmatory factor analysis and partial least square (PLS)-structural equation modeling have been used to analyze the data with the help of SMART-PLS software.FindingsThe well-fitted model describes the importance of KM practices with respect to increasing employee benefit and satisfaction. The hypothesized model is empirically investigated and it is also supported by the analysis. The KM practices have significant effects on EPBs. Employee benefits have a significant effect on ES. The result shows that the benefits of KM practices are more intended toward the sources of motivation where they can increase their capability with the help of KM practices.Research limitations/implicationsBenefit leads to the motivation and satisfaction of employees. The work itself can be a highly motivating dimension with the help of proper KM practices. The managers’ prime responsibility is to focus on collaborative work with regularizing the exchange of knowledge, where new knowledge can be created and, do better for the organization.Originality/valueThis research study offers a new direction of motivation to work. The employee can be highly motivated if he can be benefited from the work itself. This study gives an approach to satisfy the employee with the help of KM practices. Perceived benefit is considered as an essential element for this study.

Background: State-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa face a serious challenge of knowledge loss caused largely by resignations, the ageing workforce and a lack of knowledge management (KM) practices. Objective: This article explores KM practices in the South African SOEs to mitigate the risks inherent in tacit knowledge loss. Methods: The study adopted a mixed methods research strategy using an exploratory sequential design to identify KM practices and their effectiveness in addressing the issue of tacit knowledge loss. The qualitative data was collected through the interviews and document analysis of 2018 annual reports in nine SOEs across five market sectors. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 585 respondents, with a 25% response rate (145) for quantitative data in three SOEs. Results: The results revealed that the majority of the SOEs lacked KM practices in their structures. The lack of KM practices implies that the SOEs are lagging behind in knowledge protective capacities to mitigate the risks inherent in the organisational tacit knowledge loss. With many South African SOEs, facing all these sorts of knowledge loss risks and a lack of KM practices to mitigate them, achieving the objectives of a developmental state remains a far-fetched idea. Conclusion: The absence of KM practices negatively affected knowledge transfer and retention in most of the SOEs. A lack of KM practices will negatively affect their performance and their sustainability to deliver on their developmental mandate. Investment in KM practices will assist SOEs to mitigate the risks associated with loss of organisational tacit knowledge.

Hybrid work (HW) environments are increasingly prevalent, necessitating effective knowledge management practices (KMPs) to ensure organizational success. This study aims to evaluate the critical success factors (CSFs) of KMPs in hybrid workplaces, emphasizing the integration of quality management systems and structured knowledge management frameworks to enhance industry relevance. The research was conducted in two successive steps. First, the literature review was conducted to derive the CSFs of KMPs. As little literature was found regarding CSFs of KMPs in HW, CSFs of KMPs in traditional office-centric work were also considered. Second, a semi-structured interview was conducted to evaluate these CSFs in HW. The participants were from five global organizations across various industry sectors that adopt hybrid work and practice extensive knowledge management (KM). The study shows that CSFs for effective KM in HW are: well-designed processes and policies, comprehensive training and development systems, strategic use of technology, strong leadership support, a culture of cooperation and participation, seamless integration of KM into daily workflows, adaptability to organizational changes, and continues evaluation through feedback mechanisms. These factors collectively enable organizations to manage knowledge effectively, enhancing overall performance and adaptability in hybrid work environments. This study focused on the unique context of hybrid workplaces, a relatively new and evolving work model, and exploring the critical success factors for effective knowledge management within this setting. By examining diverse industries and utilizing in-depth case studies, this research provides practical insights into how organizations can successfully implement knowledge management practices in hybrid settings, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on quality systems and structured KM frameworks.

Knowledge is a critical enabling factor for healthy agri-food innovation systems (AIS). AIS and related knowledge management (KM) frameworks face significant implementation challenges. We review applications of KM to AIS, the current state of the art and shortcomings and present a new KM framework, Agricultural Knowledge Management for Innovation (AKM4I). Previous agricultural KM frameworks do not integrate innovation pragmatically, use linear, reductionist, top-down pathways to innovation, and do not explicitly incorporate issues of power, politics, ownership, and trust when combining scientific and local knowledge across multiple stakeholders. The AKM4I framework addresses systemic interactions favouring innovation outcomes by formalising flows and management of information and knowledge between diverse sets of stakeholders; and explicitly considering previously unresolved practical and relational barriers aiming to facilitate more equitable, rapidly evolving, and actionable knowledge generation and management for innovation and transformational change. An agricultural case study serves as an example of the implementation of AKM4I.

Knowledge Management (KM) is essential to professional services such as quantity surveying, where the ability to capture, store, and reuse knowledge directly influences project success, decision-making, and organisational learning. However, KM practices in the Nigerian construction industry, particularly among Quantity Surveyors, remain underdeveloped and poorly institutionalised. This study investigates the barriers affecting KM implementation among registered Quantity Surveyors in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to 201 professionals, with 120 valid responses (59.70% response rate). The study employed Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), mean score ranking, and Cronbach’s alpha reliability testing to analyse the data and uncover underlying patterns. Two principal categories of KM barriers emerged: Knowledge Management Barriers and Cultural and Structural Barriers. The most critical challenges identified include the absence of clear KM metrics, weak knowledge retention strategies, fragmented knowledge repositories, and a lack of leadership commitment to KM. The results show that technical and managerial issues pose greater constraints to KM than cultural or behavioural resistance. These findings highlight the importance of addressing systemic weaknesses to promote sustainable knowledge practices. Theoretically, the study supports the applicability of the SECI model and Knowledge-Based View in emerging market contexts by demonstrating how technical limitations obstruct the externalisation and integration of knowledge. Practically, the study recommends the development of ICTsupported KM platforms, integration of KM key performance indicators into project appraisals, and the implementation of mentorship programmes to retain tacit knowledge. This study provides empirical insights that are valuable for researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers aiming to institutionalise KM in Nigeria’s professional services sector. It contributes to the limited body of knowledge on KM barriers in sub-Saharan Africa and lays the groundwork for context-specific KM frameworks that can enhance performance, competitiveness, and innovation in the quantity surveying profession.

Aim/Purpose: Despite rapid digitalisation transforming Asian higher education, knowledge management (KM) implementation remains paradoxically fragmented across the region’s diverse institutional landscapes, creating critical theoretical and practical gaps that require systematic investigation. Background: This scoping review addresses these gaps by examining KM practices in Asian universities through a novel multi-dimensional analytical framework encompassing disciplines, practices, aspects, and stakeholder dynamics. Methodology: Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we systematically reviewed 29 peer-reviewed studies (2009–2025) from Scopus and Google Scholar across nine Asian countries, highlighting both the field’s limited empirical base and emerging contours through thematic coding across four dimensions. Contribution: The study’s primary theoretical contribution is a hybrid ‘technology-mediated personalisation’ approach. This concept recontextualises Nonaka’s SECI model (a framework for converting tacit and explicit knowledge) and challenges existing KM strategy typologies. Furthermore, this paper presents the first multi-dimensional scoping review of KM practices across diverse Asian higher education contexts. Findings: Knowledge utilisation dominates practice (48% of studies), contradicting Western literature’s emphasis on knowledge creation. Institutional management applications significantly outweigh pedagogical implementations. Robust multi-stakeholder ecosystems emerge, involving faculty, administrators, and students; yet, university-industry collaboration remains severely underdeveloped. Policy-driven implementation prevails over organic knowledge communities, reflecting distinct cultural adaptations. Recommendations for Practitioners: Institutions should develop integrated KM frameworks balancing policy-driven governance with collaborative knowledge communities, invest in technology platforms supporting multiple KM processes, and strengthen university-industry knowledge transfer mechanisms. Recommendation for Researchers: Future research should focus on developing education-specific KM theoretical frameworks, conducting cross-cultural comparative studies, and investigating emerging AI-enhanced knowledge management technologies in academic contexts. Impact on Society: Enhanced KM practices will improve educational effectiveness, foster innovation ecosystems, and strengthen knowledge-based economic development across Asia’s rapidly evolving higher education landscape. Future Research: Critical priorities include longitudinal studies that track the evolution of KM systems, cross-cultural comparative frameworks, research on technology-enhanced knowledge creation, and sustainable university-industry collaboration models.

In Malaysia, there has been an argument that the Knowledge Management (KM) practice especially in construction industry has not been commensurable with its status as a developing country. Hence, an initiative that aims to appraise the KM practice amongst consultant firms working in industry of construction in Malaysia becomes the focal point of this study. This aim is achieved by fulfilling its objectives of delving into the understanding of consultant firms on KM practices and exploring the critical success factors (CSFs) of KM implementation in Malaysia. In this paper, the data is studied on a number of statistical analysis tools, namely descriptive analysis, reliability analysis and relative important index (RII). The results obtained from the questionnaire survey clearly showed that most respondents made a claim that KM enhances the decision making in the organization and KM spurs innovations. Few respondents disagreed with the components of KM practices, indicating that these respondents may not be well aware of the importance of KM. About the top ranking of CSFs for KM practices implementation, it is found that “continuous organization support”, “leadership demonstration by senior staff/management”, “knowledge and sharing cul-ture”, “execution of plan”, and “continuous learning” make the top five factors very vital to the effective execution of KM by the consultant firms in the construction industry.

As organizations increasingly navigate the complexities of the digital age, the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into knowledge management (KM) frameworks is becoming indispensable for the attainment of sustained competitive advantage. This chapter explores the transformative capabilities of AI within KM, underscoring the pivotal significance of human–AI collaboration. We will investigate how emerging technologies, including AI, machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP), can enhance key KM dimensions: the creation, storage, retrieval, sharing and application of knowledge. Furthermore, the chapter considers the essential contributions of human expertise, contextual understanding and decision-making in KM practices. By elucidating the synergy between the advantages of AI, like scalability, data analysis, human competencies, creativity and empathy, the chapter further explores specific implementations of AI–human collaboration, encompassing automated knowledge repositories for knowledge generation, NLP for knowledge retrieval and tailored recommendations for knowledge application. We will also address the ethical challenges and implications that accompany AI integration, focusing on issues such as bias, the need for transparency, trust in AI systems, data privacy and the balance between human oversight and AI control. Finally, we outline practical implications for organizations aiming to empower talent, create AI-friendly infrastructures and streamline knowledge processes to foster successful human–AI partnerships. We conclude by discussing the future of AI–human collaboration in KM, identifying emerging trends and the long-term benefits of integrating AI into organizational learning and innovation.

This paper aims at highlighting technological dimensions for knowledge management (KM) practices in firms with the review of the potential conception of activities adopted by organizations to utilize the knowledge resources. The study systematically reviews the literatures available on KM practices with excluding articles based on keywords, abstracts, and full text. KM practices were incorporated in Heisig’s (J Knowl Manage 13(4):4–31, 2009 [1]) categorization format of human, technology, organization, and management process-oriented practices. The findings described that learning and sharing attitude in human are effectively directing adoption of technological tools for KM in firms. Top management support and strategy are also key KM practices supporting technology usage. In terms of originality and value, the paper reviews all the latest technologies and their integration for supporting KM in firms. The study promotes for faster and accurate business ideas with the accumulation of advanced technological tools for knowledge storing, sharing, and application. The famous Nonaka and Takeuchi (The knowledge-creating company—how Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation. Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford, 1995 [2]) KM Model is adopted to integrate the technology and KM practices.KeywordsKnowledge managementKnowledge management practicesManagement processInformation and communication technology

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report the results of an exploratory investigation of the organizational impact of knowledge management (KM).Design/methodology/approachA search of the literature revealed 12 KM practices whose performance impact was assessed via a survey of business organizations.FindingsKM practices were found to be directly related to organizational performance which, in turn, was directly related to financial performance. There was no direct relationship found between KM practices and financial performance. A different set of KM practices was associated with each value discipline (i.e. customer intimacy, product development and operational excellence). A gap exists between the KM practices that firms believe to be important and those that were directly related to organizational performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe majority of the research constructs were formative, thus improving the measurement of KM practices will prove vital for validating and extending these findings. The findings were based solely on organizations from North America and Australia and may not reflect KM practices in other geographic, economic or cultural settings.Practical implicationsThis study encourages practitioners to focus their KM initiatives on specific intermediate performance outcomes.Originality/valueThe paper examines the relationship between KM practices and performance outcomes. It was expected that a direct relationship between KM practices and organizational performance would be observed. It was also expected that organizational performance would mediate the relationship between KM practices and financial performance. These expectations were supported. KM practices showed a direct relationship with intermediate measures of organizational performance, and organizational performance showed a significant and direct relationship to financial performance. There was no significant relationship found between KM practices and financial performance.

The interest in knowledge management (KM) and its capabilities exists in all business sectors. Since 2009, and building on the result of Heisig's (2009) study, a few researchers have tried to create a new unified knowledge management framework, such as Evans et al. (2015) and Shongwe (2016). These frameworks and other heterogeneous knowledge management frameworks have been presented as holistic solutions that meet all sectors’ needs globally. Aiming to assist non-profit organizations implementing knowledge management programs, and as a part of a PhD thesis, this qualitative case study provides a practical and effective holistic KM framework dedicated to guiding NPOs in achieving their goals in serving surrounding communities and countries. This paper highlights pertinent issues in Knowledge Management framework development and implementation, which enhances the academic understanding and the practical implementation avenues for KM researchers and managers in the non-profit sector by suggesting common components of KM programs in NPOs led by a framework. This study is unique in presenting knowledge management components and framework derived from NPOs’ country, language, and culture to meet their specific needs and guide them in implementing successful KM programs.