Zelalem Gebretsadik (PhD)Tekle Getachew Desta2025-03-042025-03-042024-10-28https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/4440Organizations are expected to manage their knowledge systematically and scientifically in today’s knowledge-based economy to maintain competitive advantages, especially in the education sector, where knowledge is highly important. The study aimed to examine the processes of knowledge management (KM) and its effects on organizational performance (OP) with a mediating role of organizational learning (OL) in Addis Ababa and Haramaya universities. The study employed an explanatory research design. It adopted a deductive research approach by focusing on all academic staff of the two universities with a sample size of 354. The data was collected online using Google Forms through a questionnaire and analyzed using smart PLS version 4.1.0.6. The reliability and validity (measurement model) were assured using the appropriate validation techniques. Bootstrapping was used to test the significance and relevance of the structural model. The hypothesis testing outcomes reveal several key findings. Knowledge acquisition has a negative significant effect on organizational performance. Knowledge application and protection significantly and positively affect organizational performance; however, knowledge sharing and organizational performance show a positive relationship only at 10% significance level. Organizational learning acts as a partial mediating factor in the relationship between knowledge acquisition (KA), knowledge application (KAP), knowledge protection (KP), and organizational performance. Organizational learning has a full mediation effect between knowledge sharing and organizational performance. Furthermore, organizational learning has a strong and direct positive effect on organizational performance. This implies that while knowledge management processes are crucial, their effectiveness in improving performance is significantly enhanced when organizational learning is present.enThesis