Determinants of public sector performance in Kenya. Is organizational culture (a tacit knowledge factor) an influence?

Abstract

Knowledge is a crucial component in the growth of any economy and forms a significant fraction of all the resources required for organizational growth. Out of the renowned factors of production, three out of the five factors (60 percent) are human factors (resource) who are actually, the main drivers of knowledge management and tacit knowledge sharing. In the Kenyan civil service, there seems to be ignorance about the amount of knowledge that flows through the service every day. Chief among the reasons for this scenario are strong hierarchy and bureaucracies that impede workforce communication and interactions and consequently, the generation, distribution and sharing of knowledge and information which is crucial for organizational performance. The study sought to establish the role played by workforce communication and interactions as a driver of tacit knowledge sharing, and the consequent effect this has on performance of the Kenya public sector. The study was guided by intellectual capital theory and Nonaka’s model of knowledge creation. The study employed use of descriptive 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 and simple random sampling to seek responses from targeted civil servants. Data was collected by use of questionnaires, was analysed and presented using tables and other appropriate presentations. Chief among the conclusions made was that workforce communication and interactions had insignificant influence on tacit knowledge sharing in all the counties under study, save for Garissa, Makueni and Kirinyaga counties. Among the key recommendations, were creation of knowledge repositories whereby crucial information is stored and retrieved at will in order to propagate a knowledge economy. In addition, there should be automation of workflows for ease of work and enhancement of Government service delivery efficiency.