Knowledge Investment and its Relationship with Building the Competitive Advantage of the new Universities in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the importance level of some of the proposed ideas for the implementation of knowledge investment and the level of its importance in building a competitive advantage in the new universities from the perspective of the academic department heads. The study also aimed to explore the relationship between the level of importance of the proposed ideas for knowledge investment implementation and the level of importance in building a competitive advantage at the new universities in Saudi Arabia. The researcher used the descriptive methodology through using questionnaires for gathering data. The study participants were the heads of academic departments at the new universities in each of Jazan, Hail, and Al-Jouf. The study results showed the participants agreement was at a high level on the importance of knowledge investment within proposed ideas implementation in the areas of education and training at new universities. Participants also showed a high level of agreement on the imprtant of knowledge investment importance in the areas of scientific research, consultation and production of new universities. Participants also highly agreed on the importance of knowledge investment in building the competitive advantage of new universities in the areas of education, training, scientific research, scientific consulting and research production. The findings also revealed a positive correlation between the level of importance of knowledge investment within proposed ideas implementation and the level of importance in building a competitive advantage in the areas of education and training, scientific research, consulting and research production of new universities. The study concluded with several recommendations and proposals.