Organizational factors and knowledge management applications to user-centred services in federal university libraries in Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between organizational factors and knowledge management applications to user-centred services in federal university libraries in Nigeria. The population of the study consisted of 26 federal university libraries in Nigeria with 450 professional librarians. A questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. This research instrument was pretested for reliability using Cronbach alpha procedure. A total of 450 copies of the questionnaires were distributed to the respondents. Of these, 350 questionnaires were completed and returned, thereby accounting for a response rate of approximately 78%. Descriptive and inferential analyses of data were achieved using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that knowledge management applications were more focused on knowledge identification and acquisition than on knowledge creation and dissemination. The findings also revealed that top management leadership and collaboration were the strongest of the organizational factors, and they correlated significantly with knowledge management applications to user-centred services. Other factors such as human resources policy and compensation schemes had both low and non-significant correlation with knowledge management applications. Both top management leadership and collaboration had significant relationships with knowledge management applications. It is, therefore, recommended that a knowledge management strategic action plan be developed for the federal university libraries in Nigeria.