DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT MATURITY MODEL FOR QUANTITY SURVEYING FIRMS IN SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

Proper management of knowledge enhances organisational performance and so a structured approach to knowledge management is important for organisations to succeed in knowledge management initiative. Maturity models are known to give a detailed structure of knowledge management in organisations as well as measure the performance of knowledge management in order to know the present state of organisations in terms of knowledge management and know where necessary improvement is required. Therefore, the aim of the study is to develop a Knowledge Management Maturity (KMM) Model for quantity surveying firms with a view to assessing the knowledge management performance of the firms which invariably will enhance performance of firms. The population of the study were quantity surveyors in quantity surveying firms in South-West, Nigeria. A total of 134 firms were identified and questionnaires were distributed to one quantity surveyor per firm. 86 questionnaires were retrieved and deemed fit for analysis. The study adopted the pragmatism approach using the sequential explanatory mixed research design. Collection of data was through the use of structured questionnaire on a 5 Likert scale followed by qualitative data and analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected and the result discussed. Two (2) rounds of Delphi were conducted to assess the suitability of the performance metrics in developing knowledge management maturity model. Fourteen (14) Expert panel were involved and a consensus was reached at the second round as Kendall coefficient increased at the second round indicating a high level of consensus among Experts. Efficiency of knowledge exchange and knowledge exchange that leads to innovation ranked high in both cases. Mean Item Score (MIS) was used to rank the factors while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used for factor reduction. Kruskal-Wallis H test and Mann Whitney-U test were also used to examine differences in sample means of different groups of respondents and Pearson’s correlation for hypothesis testing. Desk review was used to define the level characteristics and a Mapping exercise was adopted to develop the model. The study revealed that all 29 identified success factors of knowledge management are important to quantity surveying firms as all factors were above the 3-point threshold set but testing and measuring knowledge management implementation and the presence of knowledge officer were ranked least. Also, the 48 performance indicators of knowledge management identified are important and used by these firms in measuring their knowledge management initiative except distribution of incentives for knowledge sharing, organising of databases and other contributions. Knowledge repository, users, Sufficiency of information and Attitude to knowledge were found to be the least measured key areas in quantity surveying firms. The maturity of 72 firms were assessed, and the result showed that about 50% were found to be on level 4 which is the Managed level of maturity and 40% on level 3, which is the Defined level of maturity implying that about 90% of quantity surveying firms in south-west Nigeria are not ignorant of the importance of knowledge management to their organisation and knowledge management activities are stable and practiced with available basic tools and infrastructure. Generally, quantity surveying firms were found to be on maturity level 4 which is termed the Managed level implying that knowledge management practices have been established in these organisations and their performance is being measured quantitatively. The study concluded that key areas on which quantity surveying firms should measure their performance are; Knowledge repository, information technology, quality of knowledge, information sufficiency, information management, knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition, people and participation, knowledge exchange, knowledge sharing culture, users and attitude to knowledge. The study recommends that QSFs should engage more in testing and measuring their knowledge management implementation and appoint knowledge officers who will be in charge of knowledge management. Also, there is a need for quantity surveying firms to improve on the firm’s knowledge repository by organizing the databases and making the databases friendlier with relevant help instructions to aid knowledge retrieval. Firms should ensure lessons learned and success stories stored in their repository are used when necessary to enhance their performance.