FACTORS INFLUENCING KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN THE ENERGY SECTOR IN KENYA

SYLVIA NJERI KIMINGI, PROF. THOMAS ANYANJE SENAJI (Ph.D)

Abstract


The world has now evolved into the era of knowledge-based economy (KBE), where knowledge is the main capital as well as a fundamental factor for growth and development of industries. From the knowledge-based view, an organization is considered as an entity where knowledge is created and used to improve performance. Therefore effective knowledge management process is crucial for success in any organization and knowledge sharing is the most important aspect in knowledge management processes which enables organizations to come up with new solutions to problems. However, there is scarcity of empirical studies on the factors influencing knowledge sharing particularly in the energy sector in Kenya. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors influencing knowledge sharing in the energy sector in Kenya. A descriptive survey of 98 respondents was conducted to determine the influence of rewards and top management support on knowledge sharing in the energy sector in Kenya.  Data was collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22; a response rate of 90.81% was achieved. It was found that rewards (t = 2.711, p = .006 < .05) and top management support (t = 3.080, p = .003 < .05), positively influenced knowledge sharing in the energy sector in Kenya.  The combination of rewards and top management support explained 68.8% (R2 = .688) of the variation in knowledge sharing. Based on these findings, it recommended that the energy sector provide rewards targeted at knowledge sharing and provide support to knowledge management activities. Further, studies are recommended to determine other factors that may be affecting knowledge sharing in other organisations.

Keywords: Knowledge sharing, Rewards, Top Management support 

CITATION: Kimingi, S. N.,& Senaji, T. S. (2020). Factors influencing knowledge sharing in the energy sector in Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 7(4), 389 – 402.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Alhawary, F. A., Abu-Rumman, A. H., & Alshamaileh, M. O. (2017). Determinant Factors of Knowledge Sharing among Academic Staff in the Jordanian Universities, 55(4), 12.

Bello, A. D. K. (2015). Critical success factors of knowledge management in Albania business organizations. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Management Sciences Vol, 3(2).

Boateng, H., & Agyemang, F. G. (2016). A qualitative insight into key determinants of knowledge sharing in a public sector institution in Ghana. Information Development, 32(1), 35–43.

Bryman, A. (2017). Quantitative and qualitative research: further reflections on their integration. In Mixing methods: Qualitative and quantitative research (pp. 57-78). Routledge.

Evans, N. (2012). Destroying collaboration and knowledge sharing in the workplace: a reverse brainstorming approach. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 10(2), 175–187.

Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self‐determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational behavior, 26(4), 331-362.

Gojak-Salimović, S., Korać, F., Zejnilagić-Hajrić, M., & Nuić, I. (2018). Physical chemistry for undergraduate students: integrating knowledge from mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Hitt, M. A., Xu, K., & Carnes, C. M. (2016). Resource based theory in operations management research. Journal of Operations Management, 41, 77-94.

Janus, S. S. (2016). Becoming a knowledge-sharing organization: A handbook for scaling up solutions through knowledge capturing and sharing. The World Bank.

Kaewchur, O., & Phusavat, K. (2016). Key Factors influencing knowledge sharing. International Journal of Humanities and Management Sciences (IJHMS), 4(3), 236-237.

Kalei, E. N. S. (2015). Effect of Intra-Firm Institutionalization of Explicit Knowledge on Employee Performance in Energy Sector Organizations in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, COHRED, JKUAT).

Keglovits, B. T. (2013). Sharing Tacit Knowledge in an Organization.

Maina, M. (2013). Investment Strategies by Kenya Power and Lighting Company Within The Power Distribution Sector.

Mayfield, M. (2010). Tacit knowledge sharing: techniques for putting a powerful tool in practice. Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, 24(1), 24–26.

Mc Manus, P. (2016). Examining the Factors to Knowledge Sharing within an Organisational Context. Conference Papers. https://doi.org/10.21427/D7JZ2K

Mládková, L. (2012). Sharing tacit knowledge within organizations: Evidence from the Czech Republic. Global Journal of Business Research, 6(2), 105–115.

Mlanga, M. (2013). Impact of organizational culture on knowledge sharing at Kenya National Library service, Coast Region, Kenya (PhD Thesis). Kisii University.

Mohajan, H. (2016). Sharing of tacit knowledge in organizations: A Review.

Muinde, C. M., Lewa, P., & Kamau, J. N. (2016). The influence of top management support on knowledge sharing during the implementation of ERP systems in Kenya.

Nassiuma, D. K. (2000). Survey sampling. Theory and Methods.

Nawab, S., Nazir, T., Zahid, M. M., & Fawad, S. M. (2015). Knowledge management, innovation and organizational performance. International Journal of Knowledge Engineering-IACSIT, 1(1), 43–48.

Nemati-Anaraki, L., & Nooshinfard, F. (2014). Effective organizational factors in knowledge sharing from the viewpoint of faculty members. Journal of Health Administration (JHA), 17(56).

Nonaka, I., & Toyama, R. (2015). The Knowledge-creating theory revisited: knowledge creation as a synthesizing process. In The essentials of knowledge management (pp. 95–110). Springer.

Obrenovic, B., Obrenovic, S., & Hudaykulov, A. (2015). The value of knowledge sharing: impact of tacit and explicit knowledge sharing on team performance of scientists. International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, 1(2), 33–52.

Ologbo, A. C., Nor, K. M., & Okyere-Kwakye, E. (2015). The Influence of knowledge sharing on employee innovation capabilities. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 5(3), 102–110.

Ong, H.-B., Yeap, P.-F., Tan, S.-H., & Chong, L.-L. (2011). Factors influencing knowledge sharing among undergraduate students: A Malaysian perspective. Industry and Higher Education, 25(2), 133–140.

Ramayah, T., Yeap, J. A., & Ignatius, J. (2014). Assessing knowledge sharing among academics: A validation of the knowledge sharing behavior scale (KSBS). Evaluation review, 38(2), 160-187.

Razmerita, L., Kirchner, K., & Nielsen, P. (2016). What factors influence knowledge sharing in organizations? A social dilemma perspective of social media communication. Journal of Knowledge Management, 20(6), 1225–1246.

Šajeva, S. (2014). Encouraging knowledge sharing among employees: how reward matters. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 156(November), 130-34.

Santos, S. C., & Morris, M. H. (2017). Resource-based Theory and Types of Entrepreneurial Firms. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2017, No. 1, p. 17637). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.

Saunders, M. N., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A., & Bristow, A. (2015). Understanding research philosophy and approaches to theory development.

Titi Amayah, A. (2013). Determinants of knowledge sharing in a public sector organization. Journal of Knowledge Management, 17(3), 454–471.

Vahidi, T. (2017). Role of Knowledge Management in Safety of the Employees of the Electric Distribution Companies. J Bus Fin Aff, 6(262), 2167–0234.

Wernerfelt, B. (2016). Adaptation, specialization, and the theory of the firm: Foundations of the resource-based view. Cambridge University Press.

Witherspoon, C. L., Bergner, J., Cockrell, C., & Stone, D. N. (2013). Antecedents of organizational knowledge sharing: a meta-analysis and critique. Journal of Knowledge Management, 17(2), 250–277.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v7i4.1795

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

PAST ISSUES:
20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Vol 11, No 2 [2024]Vol 10, No 4 [2023]Vol 9, No 4 [2022]Vol 8, No 4 [2021]Vol 7, No 4 [2020]Vol 6, No 4 [2019]Vol 5, No 4 [2018]Vol 4, No 4 [2017]Vol 3, No 4 [2016]Vol 2, No 2 [2015]Vol 1, No 2 [2014]
 Vol 11, No 1 [2024] Vol 10, No 3 [2023] Vol 9, No 3 [2022]Vol 8, No 3 [2021]Vol 7, No 3 [2020]Vol 6, No 3 [2019]Vol 5, No 3 [2019]Vol 4, No 3 [2017]Vol 3, No 3 [2016]Vol 2, No 1 [2015]Vol 1, No 1 [2014]
  Vol 10, No 2 [2023] Vol 9, No 2 [2022]Vol 8, No 2 [2021]Vol 7, No 2 [2020]Vol 6, No 2 [2019]Vol 5, No 2 [2018]Vol 4, No 2 [2017]Vol 3, No 2 [2016]  
  Vol 10, No 1 [2023] Vol 9, No 1 [2022]  Vol 8, No 1 [2021]Vol 7, No 1 [2020]Vol 6, No 1 [2019]Vol 5, No 1 [2018]Vol 4, No 1 [2017]Vol 3, No 1 [2016]   


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.