Determinants of Knowledge Management Practices Among Academic Staff in Tanzanian Universities: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Rationale of the Study - This study investigates knowledge management (KM) practices and their determinants among academic staff in Tanzanian universities, with a focus on the creation, sharing, storage, and application of knowledge. Methodology - A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 190 academic staff from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST). Data were collected using structured questionnaires on a five-point Likert scale. Reliability tests yielded strong Cronbach’s alpha values (≥0.85). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was used to validate constructs, and multiple linear regression was used to test determinants of KM practices. Findings - Respondents showed moderate to high engagement across all knowledge management domains, with the highest participation in preparing teaching manuals (M = 4.02), conducting research (M = 4.01), research collaboration (M = 3.92), and repository use (M = 3.85), with mean scores ranging from 3.49 (knowledge sharing) to 3.72 (knowledge application). ANOVA results revealed significant differences among practices (F(10,1419) = 2.385, p = 0.008), with knowledge application significantly higher than the other dimensions. Regression analysis (R²=0.46, Durbin Watson 1.89) identified organisational culture (β=0.683, p