Designing a Model to Explain the Relationship Between Competent Organizational Culture and Knowledge Management Establishment: A Study of Faculty Members

Abstract

This study aimed to design and test a model explaining the relationship between competent organizational culture and knowledge management establishment among faculty members of Islamic Azad Universities in Tehran Province. This applied study used a descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional design based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of 4,687 male and female faculty members working at Islamic Azad Universities in Tehran Province. Using cluster random sampling, 357 questionnaires were distributed, and 304 complete and analyzable questionnaires were included in the final analysis. Data were collected through two researcher-made questionnaires measuring competent organizational culture and knowledge management establishment. The validity of the instruments was assessed through content validity, construct validity, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS. Structural equation modeling indicated that the final model had an acceptable fit to the data, with fit indices including χ²/df=1.848, CFI=0.966, GFI=0.876, AGFI=0.851, and RMSEA=0.053. Competent organizational culture positively and significantly predicted the organization stage of knowledge management establishment (β=0.929, p<0.01). Moreover, competent organizational culture had significant positive effects on identification (β=0.912), acquisition (β=0.889), dissemination and sharing (β=0.878), application and implementation (β=0.846), review (β=0.816), and audit and evaluation (β=0.793). The internal paths among the sequential stages of knowledge management establishment were also positive, strong, and statistically significant. The findings demonstrate that competent organizational culture is a fundamental antecedent of successful knowledge management establishment in universities. Strengthening dimensions such as quality orientation, justice and professional ethics, participation, citizenship behavior, empowerment and knowledge orientation, trust-building leadership, and transcendental culture can facilitate the organization, identification, acquisition, sharing, application, review, and evaluation of knowledge in academic institutions.