Library Professionals’ Perceptions Toward Influencing Factors of Knowledge Management Implementation: A Case with University Libraries in Bangladesh

Purpose: The primary aim of this study is to assess the perceptions of private university library professionals in Bangladesh regarding the factors that influence knowledge management (KM). Additionally, the impact of influencing factors on the implementation of KM and the challenges associated with KM practice in these libraries are also examined. Methodology: This research employs a quantitative approach. The total population for the present research was 59. Forty-one library professionals from 11 private university libraries in Dhaka, Bangladesh, participated in this study, and we distributed 46 questionnaires among library professionals, as 13 of them refused to participate in the survey because they had little idea about KM. Finally, the study received 41 accurately completed questionnaires, which were used for data analysis, resulting in an overall response rate of 89.1%. A questionnaire consisting of several closed-ended questions was designed to collect primary data. The data were analysed using IBM®SPSS®Statistics Version 25 Software. The inferential analyses have been performed by adopting non-parametric analysis methods. Findings: The findings reveal that most of the library professionals of the sample universities (60.5%) who have taken part in the survey have a positive consensus regarding the determinants of the influencing factors of KM. In addition, the opinions of the participants with varying levels of working experience are diverse in terms of sharing knowledge on social media platforms. The prime barriers the participants face while implementing KM in their libraries are insufficient rewards, technological barriers, poor KM techniques, pressure to fulfil top-level management’s commitment, and lack of expertise. Also, the study found that male and female library professionals face similar challenges while implementing KM in their libraries. Moreover, participants with different work experiences hold differing views on the issue that their libraries’ current cultures are not conducive to knowledge sharing. Finally, all the hypotheses were supported, indicating no significant relationship between the influencing factors of KM and KM implementation in these libraries. Originality/Value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to assess library professionals’ perceptions towards various influencing factors of KM in private university libraries in Bangladesh.