Journal of Knowledge-Research Studies

Waste of Knowledge in Iranian Universities: A Comparative Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Information Science and Knowledge Studies, Faculty of Education and Psycology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 M.A. Student of Information Science and Knowledge Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the level of knowledge waste in selected universities and identify the key factors contributing to this phenomenon.
 Methodology: An evaluative research design was employed. Data were collected using the standardized questionnaire developed by Klein et al. (2023), which includes four dimensions: explicit knowledge waste, failure to retain tacit knowledge, overspecialization, and underutilized talents. The study population comprised experts in educational affairs from Shahid Beheshti University, the Central Organization of Islamic Azad University, and the Central Organization of Payam Noor University. Systematic sampling was used to select participants, and the Cochran formula determined a sample size of 157 respondents. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.
 Findings: The results revealed that all four dimensions of  knowledge wast were above average in the studied universities. Furthermore, a significant relationship was  observed between knowledge waste dimensions andthe introversion-extroversion traits of respondents. Extroverted participants were more likely to believ that explicit knowledge waste occurs more frequently  in universities. Logistic regression analysis identified overspecialization as the most influential factor contributing to knowledge waste..
Conclusion: The findings suggest that factors beyond managerial and knowledge management practices—particularly overspecialization—significantly contribute to knowledge waste in universities.
Value: This study provides a novel perspective in the field of  knowledge management by paradoxically revealing that academia, despite its mission to generate and disseminate knowledge, can itself  be a major center of knowledge waste.
 

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Main Subjects

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Journal of Knowledge-Research Studies
Volume 4, Issue 2 - Serial Number 12
September 2025
Pages 67-90
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