Abstract:
Universities and other knowledge based organizations recognize that knowledge is an
asset that can help them achieve their objectives. This can work if the knowledge is
governed by proper knowledge management and sharing systems that support knowledge
sharing. It is regrettable that there are no laid down processes through which relevant
knowledge can be identified and shared among the teaching staff in public universities in
Kenya. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of knowledge sharing on
performance amongst teaching staff in selected public universities in Kenya and propose
suitable strategies that can be used for enhanced performance. The objectives were to:
examine kinds of knowledge communities that are available for enhancement of social
capital; assess the information communication technology physical infrastructure used to
enhance collaborations, linkages and partnerships; determine ways in which knowledge
leakage has impacted on innovations; assess knowledge management practices used to
promote learning, research and innovations; establish whether there are policy
frameworks used to manage knowledge and are suitable in supporting staff performance
and propose suitable knowledge sharing and management strategies that can be used to
enhance performance of knowledge workers in Kenyan public universities. The study was
informed by social exchange, adaptive structured, knowledge based theories and Nonaka
and Takeuchi model of knowledge conversion. Mixed methods research, rooted in
pragmatism was adopted. Systematic random sampling was used to select six universities
from 23 chartered universities. The sample size was three hundred and eight (308)
respondents. Data was collected through structured interviews and questionnaires and
analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative data was compiled into
themes and reported in texts and direct quotations while quantitative data was analysed
using descriptive statistics aided by statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and
presented in percentages, frequencies, means, tables and graphs. There were knowledge
communities, information communication technology infrastructure (60%), knowledge
leakage, underdeveloped knowledge management and lack of knowledge sharing policy
(2%). There was association between: knowledge communities and enhancement of
social capital valued at χ2(16) = 32.657, p=.008; information communication
technology infrastructure and collaborations, linkages and partnerships at χ2(16) =
71.456, p=.000; knowledge leakage and impact on innovations at (χ2(6) = 21.631,
p=.001; best practices used in knowledge management and ability to promote
learning, research and innovations at (χ2(16) = 71.456, p-value = .000 and, policies
of importance in knowledge management at, (χ2(1) = 5.866 p=.000. The study
concluded that communities of practice, information communication technology physical
infrastructure, knowledge leakage, knowledge management practices and knowledge
sharing policies impact on performance. It recommended that university management
should create effective avenues for knowledge sharing; finance teaching staff for
knowledge sharing initiatives; document policies for all the activities; the teaching staff
should tap knowledge from all staff; university librarians should develop working
institutional repositories and the government should allocate enough resources to the
universities to support knowledge sharing activities. A knowledge sharing model was
developed.