Tacit Knowledge Sharing And Public Sector Performance In Kenya

ABSTRACT

Knowledge is the most important asset to an organization since, unlike other organizational assets; it is non-imitable and takes a long time before it gets outdated. Many organizations pay a lot of attention to the quality of other factors of production like land and capital and ignore labor, entrepreneurship and management. The study sought to establish the influence of tacit knowledge sharing on the performance of public sector departments in Kenya. Chapter one traces the historical advancement of knowledge management up to the level of tacit knowledge sharing. it explores the following objectives: To determine the factors that influence tacit knowledge sharing and their influence on public sector performance, examining the extent to which tacit knowledge is shared in the public sector departments, examining government policies that address tacit knowledge sharing in public sector departments and generating strategies and specific interventions that the public sector can utilize to enhance tacit knowledge sharing and performance. The study is significant, since in the knowledge age, knowledge is one of the most important tools for gaining competitive advantage. The study also acts as a springboard for other researchers to base future researches on the gaps occasioned by this study. Though comprehensively researched, the study area was confined to the public sector and to only four variables. The study assumed that the research instruments were adequate and would be returned duly filled. Both scholarly and empirical literature that was reviewed confirmed that tacit knowledge sharing influences public sector performance and is crucial for competitive advantage. Literature by scholars such as Nonaka and David Kolb was reviewed. The study was guided by intellectual capital theory, constructivism theory, self-efficacy theory and Nonaka’s model of knowledge creation. The study employed use of descriptive and comparative research design and targeted all public sector departments in Kenya. Eight counties namely Samburu, Makueni, Kirinyaga, Kilifi, Nairobi, Homa Bay, Bungoma and Garissa, formed the sample of the study. The study adopted purposive sampling to seek responses from the management and the line staff in the chosen public departments. Questionnaires were dropped and picked and the data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The analysed data was presented in graphs, tables, charts and other appropriate presentations. Chief among the conclusions made were that workforce communication and interactions, organizational culture and functional boundaries have a more significant influence on organizational performance than motivation. The county by county analysis showed that workforce communication and interactions were insignificant in all the counties. Both were positive in Garissa, Makueni and Kirinyaga counties. In all other counties, they was negative and insignificant.