Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine the knowledge management practices of financial institutions in Uganda, in order to understand how these practices influence the high performance organisation factors and thereby the performance of the financial institutions.
Design/methodology/approach: The study includes a review of the literature concerning dominant views on knowledge management and high performance organisations. Moreover, the characteristics of the financial industry are discussed. Then, twenty-three firms from the financial services industry in Uganda have been selected as the sample-base for an empirical test.
Findings: Obviously, knowledge management is highly inter-connected to the high performance framework. In this paper, we investigate (1) three processes of KM (knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, responsiveness to knowledge) and (2) how they relate to the high performance organisation framework. The three KM processes, when executed well, result in a higher organisational performance.
Research limitations: The existing theories and our research on knowledge management are in some sense limited in explaining the extent to which knowledge management is related to high performance organisations. The reasons are: infrastructure, research time, and willingness to cooperate. Practical implications: The paper may serve as a basis for financial institutions in Uganda (1) to adopt the high performance organisation framework and (2) to establish insights into how to improve the knowledge management practices. As such, the HPO framework might be the organisational model that managers are looking for to achieve economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Originality/value: Past research into HPOs in developed countries may not be applicable to the unique nature and environment of organisations in a developing country. The paper tries to bring forward concern in the area of knowledge management practices and high performance organisation in the Ugandan finance sector.
Design/methodology/approach: The study includes a review of the literature concerning dominant views on knowledge management and high performance organisations. Moreover, the characteristics of the financial industry are discussed. Then, twenty-three firms from the financial services industry in Uganda have been selected as the sample-base for an empirical test.
Findings: Obviously, knowledge management is highly inter-connected to the high performance framework. In this paper, we investigate (1) three processes of KM (knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, responsiveness to knowledge) and (2) how they relate to the high performance organisation framework. The three KM processes, when executed well, result in a higher organisational performance.
Research limitations: The existing theories and our research on knowledge management are in some sense limited in explaining the extent to which knowledge management is related to high performance organisations. The reasons are: infrastructure, research time, and willingness to cooperate. Practical implications: The paper may serve as a basis for financial institutions in Uganda (1) to adopt the high performance organisation framework and (2) to establish insights into how to improve the knowledge management practices. As such, the HPO framework might be the organisational model that managers are looking for to achieve economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Originality/value: Past research into HPOs in developed countries may not be applicable to the unique nature and environment of organisations in a developing country. The paper tries to bring forward concern in the area of knowledge management practices and high performance organisation in the Ugandan finance sector.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The 1st Annual Maastricht School of Management Conference |
| Place of Publication | Maastricht |
| Publisher | [s.n.] |
| Pages | 1-28 |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |