Knowledge Management Practices And Performance Of Solidaridad Eastern And Central Africa, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The value of human resources and knowledge in an organization have become more important

than the traditional sources of economic power such as capital, land and labor in response to the

changing business environment. Knowledge management helps improve the performance of

individuals and that of the whole organization. Organizations have increasingly recognized

knowledge as a strategic resource that drives competitive advantage, survival and improved

performance. Any organization striving to compete and effectively respond to the needs of its

customers must therefore be prepared to effectively manage its knowledge capabilities.

Organizations have invested significant part of their budgets in development of knowledge

workers who are responsible for knowledge management in the organization A good example is

Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, Kenya office which operates in a challenging

environment characterized by changing regulations, climate change, increased food insecurity,

social exclusion especially among women and increased competition from other organizations.

In order to effectively respond to these challenges, Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa,

Kenya office requires strategies to effectively manage knowledge capabilities. The study sought

to determine the effect of knowledge management practices on the performance of Solidaridad

Eastern and Central Africa, Kenya office. The study was guided by the following specific

objectives; to establish the effect of knowledge acquisition on performance of Solidaridad

Eastern and Central Africa, Kenya office, to establish the effect of knowledge dissemination on

performance of Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, Kenya office, to establish the effect of

knowledge utilization on performance of Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, Kenya office

and to establish the effect of knowledge storage on performance of Solidaridad Eastern and

Central Africa, Kenya office. The study was guided by the Resource Based Views Theory and

the Knowledge Spiral Theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target

population was 52 employees of Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, Kenya office drawn

from the different job levels. The study used a census and thus the sample size was 52

respondents. The study collected primary data using questionnaires. The collected data was

analyzed using means, standard deviations and regression analysis. The findings were presented

using tables and figures. The findings of the study were important to the management of

Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, Kenya office as well as the other 7 expertise centres,

stakeholders, future scholars and academicians. The study established that knowledge

management practices significantly and positively influenced the performance of Solidaridad

International, East and Central Africa, Kenya Offices. The variables explained 85.4% of the

changes in performance of the organization. The study concluded that knowledge acquisition,

knowledge dissemination, knowledge utilization and knowledge storage had a positive effect on

the performance of the organization. Solidaridad had to a significant extent embraced

knowledge management which led to improved database management, decision making and

research and customer service. The study recommends that the organization needs to improve its

research and development to improve innovations and knowledge creation.