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Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal) Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

12-26-2019

Application of Knowledge Management in Academic Libraries: A

SWOT Analysis
Roseline Bawack
[email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac

Part of the Library and Information Science Commons

Bawack, Roseline, "Application of Knowledge Management in Academic Libraries: A SWOT Analysis"

(2019). Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 3814.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/3814
Introduction.
In the last decade, academic libraries have generated increasing amounts of information
concerning their operations. Yet, like other types of libraries, they rarely use this operational
information to create and apply organizational knowledge. Instead, they give several excuses
like saying they are so involved in providing services that there is no time to engage into new
practices, nor time to explore this overabundance of information which could lead to increase
in organizational effectiveness. In fact, most academic libraries do not consider organizational
knowledge as a resource in its own right as they do to their staff, their collections, or other
facilities. Academic librarians do not manage knowledge produced by their institutions as they
manage other external resources because they have not structured their libraries to use
organizational knowledge. They do not apply institutional knowledge to improve services
related to scholarly information. For example, libraries and their websites all generate
information and knowledge but very few librarians consciously use that knowledge to improve
organizational efficiency nor do libraries lead their institutions in managing their knowledge.
The evolving field of knowledge management offers academic libraries great opportunities to
create knowledge to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness for both themselves
and their institutions. Some tasks carried out by academic librarians related to handling
information as in indexing, codification, classification, database management, authority control
and dissemination are all very relevant to the application of KM in academic libraries. However
these tasks will require new and additional skills and competencies such as interpersonal and
leadership, managerial, knowledge generation and sharing techniques for improved
performance. As for challenges academic libraries face innumerable challenges in nurturing
and managing knowledge. Managing tacit knowledge is a challenge, how to capture and use
tacit knowledge internalized by individuals is a huge challenge for libraries (Bhatt,
2002). However, literature indicates that the most mentioned challenges to successful
knowledge management application in academic libraries include: misunderstanding of the
concept of KM, lack of knowledge sharing culture, reluctance of librarians to embrace change,
lack of skilled and competent staff, lack of incentives for innovation and knowledge sharing,
lack of commitment by management, lack of motivation for collaboration. (Maponya 2004; Al-
Hawamdeh, 2005; Roknuzzana, Kanal & Umemoto 2009; Ugwu & Ezem 2010; Asogwa, B.
E. (2012). These challenges are threats to the application of knowledge management in the
library. This study therefore presents a SWOT analysis of the academic library as an option to
better x-ray the library’s operations in order engage and improve in KM activities and
processes.

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The Concept of Knowledge Management
Knowledge management is a concept that has emerged in the business community and has been
discussed and written extensively over the past decade by various researchers and professionals
(Allee 1997; Davenport et al 2000; McCreedy 1999; Bhatt 2002; Probst, Raub & Romhardt
2000; Skyrme 1997; Wiig 2000; López-Nicolás 2011). Knowledge is the important part of
knowledge management. Therefore, to determine what knowledge management is, it is
necesary first to examine the various concepts of knowledge by distinguishing between data,
information and knowledge.

Several researchers have addressed the differences between data, information and knowledge
(Allee 1997; Bellinger, Castro & Mills 1997; Barquin 2000; Beller 2001). According to
Mustajarvi, Suurla and Markkula (2002, p.35), “data refers to codes, signs, signals and symbols
that do not necessarily have any significance as such”. This means that data are raw facts that
have no context or meaning of their own. What organizations do is to collect, summarize and
analyze data to identify patterns and trends. Most of the data collected is associated with
functional processes of the organization. On the other hand, information as a concept has
different meanings, depending on the context in which it is used or discussed. Data becomes
information when organized and patterned, grouped, and categorized thereby, increasing its
depth of meaning to the receiver (Boone 2001, p.3). Information can be changed into
knowledge through learning and adoption (Suurla, Markkula & Mustajarvi, 2002). It is evident
from literature that knowledge is an intrinsically ambiguous term, therefore, a precise definition
of it is difficult. This is because different disciplines use the term differently to denote different
things. However, despite the difficulties in defining knowledge, it is generally agreed that,
“knowledge is the expertise, experience and capability of staff, integrated with processes and
corporate memory” (Abell & Oxbrow 2001, p.73). It is always bound to individuals and
validated in the context of its application.

Organizations have been applying knowledge management and technology not only to
survive but to gain strategic competitive advantage (Holsapple, Clyde, ed. (2013). As a
result, Knowledge Management (KM) is being implemented and used across the globe, in the
public and private sector as well as in higher education institutions including their libraries.

What then is knowledge management? Knowledge management could be defined as all the
processes that create and share knowledge across an organization to optimize decision making

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in the attainment of its goals and objectives. It is an emerging discipline developing the cracks
and crannies of a vast arena of disciplines including library and information science. It involves
capturing an organization’s knowledge as well as its assets and then sharing that knowledge
with the right people and at the appropriate time throughout the organization. Therefore, in the
context of this study, knowledge management can be defined as the acquisition, analysis, usage,
storage and application of knowledge in the library by librarians.

The management of information and knowledge has long been regarded as the reserved domain
of libraries and librarians (Mohmood, 2003; Olembe 2012). Independently, academic librarians
have developed and applied many knowledge management principles in the provision of
academic library services. They have been practicing knowledge management knowingly or
un-knowingly for several decades. Their traditional role has been to identify, collect, process,
share information resources retrieve, utilize, connect users to information, and help them access
their information needs. Reference, cataloging, and some other library services are designed to
encourage the use of scholarly information thus increasing the amount of academic knowledge
being used in higher education. Yet, as seen in literature, libraries are reticent to engage in the
application of knowledge management, consequently very little is being done to use
organizational information to create knowledge that can be used to improve the functionality
of the library.
A study by Siddike & Munshi (2012), revealed that most librarians got to know about KM in
literature and elsewhere, and they have not done any course relating to it, thus the concept is
vague in their minds. This is perhaps another reason for variance in perception of KM by library
and information professionals, and reason why they are reluctant to accept it as a new concept
that could improve organizational performance (David and Naushed (2015).

The objective of this article is to urge academic librarians to transform the skills and
competencies they have used for several decades in routine library services and operations to
now manage knowledge. They should consciously embrace the strategy of finding and
providing the right knowledge to the right users, in the right formats and at the expected time.
In order words, time is running out for library and information professionals to change from
information managers to content and knowledge managers. For a start to this journey, this study
proposes an option, which is, to conduct a SWOT analysis of library processes. SWOT is the
modern tool for analyzing the situation of the libraries within the context of knowledge
management.

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SWOT Analysis of the Position of Librarians in Knowledge Management Practices or
Programs
There are various approaches used in the analysis of an organization’s strategic position in
terms of knowledge management. One of the strategies is conducting a SWOT analysis.
SWOT is an acronym ‘S’ stands for strengths, ‘W’ for weaknesses, ‘O’ for opportunities and
‘T’ for threats (http://rapidbi.com/swotanalysis/). SWOT analysis refers to the strategic
utilization of tools in identifying internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external
opportunities and threats. The purpose of a SWOT analysis is to build on internal strengths so
as to drastically reduce or completely eliminate weaknesses, as well as to optimize
opportunities in order to minimize threats from external forces (Kirgin 2010). SWOT is a very
useful tool for reviewing and understanding an organization’s position prior to making
decisions about future implementation of a new project (Madden, 2008). It was created in the
1960’s by business experts Edmund P. Learned, C. Roland Christensen, Kenneth Andrews and
William D. Book in the book titled: Business Policy, Text and Cases (R.D.Irwin, 1969).

A SWOT analysis of knowledge management in the context of librarianship presents the

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats confronting libraries and information
professionals in the development of user-centered dynamic knowledge based services. The
SWOT analysis therefore, is a sustainable effort to enable librarians to have a holistic and
clearer view of the full potentials, career expansion opportunities, deficiency, if any, as well as
challenges militating against showcasing such potentials. Supporting this view, Kumar and
Gupter (2012) have stressed that SWOT analysis allows strategies to be planned for successful
utilization and exploitation of all the strengths and all the opportunities to overcome
weaknesses and threats. It should be noted that the strengths and weaknesses exist in the
internal environment of the library, while opportunities and threats exist in the external
environment of the library.
The academic library can be perceived from both the external and internal environments. The
external environment relates to the community of library’s users, whereas internal environment
relates to the staff, managerial structure, resources and library operations. A SWOT analysis,
therefore, is an analysis of the library’s position vis-a-vis its external and internal environments.
It helps the library focus on improved library services and programs to identify the areas where
the library is strong or weak, focus on where the opportunities are, and then overcome the
threats/challenges. The SWOT analysis is the best practice to understand the current position
of the library vis-a-vis knowledge management practices.
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Wikipedia also presents SWOT analysis as a structured planning method used to evaluate the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in the library by identifying favorable
and unfavorable internal and external factors that can be used to achieve the library’s goals and
objectives.
In the context of this study, SWOT is an activity predominantly involving library staff,
library users and sometimes involving all the stakeholders. The analysis compares strengths
and weaknesses by evaluating the internal environment alongside the opportunities and
threats presented by the library’s external environment.

The SWOT Analysis:

Internal Survey of Weaknesses and Strengths in the academic library:
An assessment of strengths and weaknesses can be facilitated through methods like surveys,
questionnaires, observation, focus groups and interviews with students, library staff and other
knowledgeable sources.
Strengths: Strengths refer to tasks and actions one can do well with talent, skills and knowledge
which also include one’s selling point. They are found in the internal environment of the
library. Strengths refer to the resources or capability of the library to successfully achieve its
goals and objectives. The strengths of the library should deal with threats in the external
environment, so that the strengths can be maximized and the threats can be minimized.
Therefore the most desirable situation of libraries is that in which the libraries can use their
strengths to take advantage of opportunities. The libraries have to strive to overcome the
weaknesses and making them strengths. They have to face threats to cope with them, so that
they can focus on opportunities (Weihrich, H. K 1994).
The strengths of the library could be identified through its resources, finances, staff skills,
competencies, infrastructure, relationship with hierarchy and overall capabilities of the entire
workforce. Some examples of library strengths includes its hybrid and robust collection,
electronic resources, qualified and competent library staff, presence of adequate state-of-the-
art technologies and tools to drive KM processes, fluid communication, knowledge sharing
culture, membership in a library consortium, cooperation ties with other university libraries
and networking to share resources. Strengths should be maximized, for example successes to
build on fruitful actions.
Weaknesses: Weaknesses refer to disabilities or shortcomings, faults and limitations of the
library that prevent librarians or the library from achieving its set goals and objectives. They
are weak factors which need to be addressed and improved. The weaknesses of a library

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includes lack of qualified, competent and adequate personnel, lack of digital and electronic
resources, lack of digital space, lack of communication with management, inadequate and
obsolete technologies and infrastructure. Weaknesses should be minimized, corrected and or
completely eliminated.

Opportunities: Opportunities and threats represent the external environmental forces in which
the library operates. Opportunity is a favorable manifestation in the external environment that
poses as an advantage for growth, expansion and recognition of the library. Opportunity is
considered as a conducive or favorable situation in the library’s external environment;
those positive events which occur externally to academic libraries that might be pursued with
new strategies. Opportunities should be considered as chances that should be exploited for the
benefits of the library. An opportunity will allow the library to enhance or improve its
performance. However, the library may not have control over opportunities sometimes. For
example, technological developments, changes in the external environment and operational
changes may be opportunities or threats. Unskilled personnel may face threats in technological
developments, but training and peer assistance will be considered as opportunities to such
staff). Opportunities for the library can be summarized to mean: giving formal training
programs and demonstration on how to use selected library software to staff, open access
movement, digitization of library collections, building and managing institutional repositories,
availability of internet and effective usage by staff and students, library website, users’ needs
etc. With great opportunities, KM presents to academic libraries and information science
professionals the possibility to expand their horizon, achieve great visibility and add value to
library services and operations. Badghdadabad (2008) observed that inserting KM into library
and information science curriculum is a response to the threats of professional irrelevance.

Threats: These are the external factors that tend to jeopardize the successes of library
operations. They are the challenges found in the external environment of the library. Threats
should be met if the library has to achieve its vision. They are the unfavorable conditions,
barriers or constraints which may pose problems in the day-to-day operations of the library.
Threats to academic libraries could be inadequate financial and electronic resources, high
demand for changing needs of users, increase in cost of publications, information service
providers, and access to information. For a successful application of KM in academic libraries,
identified threats should be minimized.

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Advantages of SWOT analysis
Conducting a SWOT analysis unveils several advantages to the academic library, its personnel
and management. Some advantages include the following:
 Library management will be able to understand and determine present position of the
library vis-à-vis knowledge management processes and practices.
 The gap between the existing library practices and the future of the library and the future
of the library if knowledge management is implemented will be known.
 Opportunities will be an orientation and will facilitate library operations that are related
to improve KM practices.
 Opportunities will suggest the right lane for libraries to follow towards achieving future
expectations and library’s goals.
 SWOT analysis would provide managers with responses for increased efficiency and
effectiveness of existing library services.
 It is a way for library directors to understand the status of their libraries, and develop
strategies to enable them find answers to respond to the incessant changing and
increasing needs of library patrons.
 SWOT analysis will prepare the library to engage in better and successful KM practices.

Conclusion
The application of knowledge management in academic libraries will lead to an improved
ability of the library to learn, identify and use knowledge processes and activities from both
internal and external resources. A SWOT analysis is an excellent tool for exploring the
possibilities of initiating new programs and knowledge management initiatives in academic
libraries. A SWOT analysis looks at future possibilities for the library through a methodical
approach of reflection into both positive and negative concerns. It will help library
managers to quickly expand their vision. The strongest message from a SWOT analysis is that,
whatever action is decided, final decision should contain the following elements: building
on Strengths, minimizing Weaknesses, seizing Opportunities, and counteracting Threats.
Conducting a SWOT analysis of library practices, services, resources, and procedures of
academic libraries for the purpose of integrating knowledge management will lead to a
generation of new and better quality services and improve performance.

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