Factors Influencing Knowledge Management in Organizations: A Case of Unwomen at East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO)

A Research Project Submitted to Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Organizational Development (MODThe purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing knowledge management at UN Women Regional Office in Nairobi. This study was guided by the following research questions: To what extent does information technology influence knowledge management in organizations? How does organization culture influence knowledge management in organizations? What is the influence of knowledge management on competitive advantage in organizations? The study adopted a descriptive survey research design to carry out the study. The study had a targeted population of 30 employees working at UN Women regional office in Nairobi. The study was a census since all employees took part in the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data for frequencies and percentages, while inferential statistics were used to analyze variables for correlations and regression. Data has been presented using tables and figures. The first research question sought to determine whether ICT influences knowledge management at UN Women. The findings revealed a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between ICT and knowledge management. All the components of ICT including e-learning management systems, content and document management, data management, expert networks and knowledge portals were significant. The second research question sought to determine whether organizational culture influences knowledge management at UN Women. The findings revealed the existence of a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between organization culture and knowledge management. All components considered under organizational culture including organizational values, organizational artifacts, and organizational basic assumptions were all statistically significant. The third research question sought to determine whether knowledge management at UN Women had enhanced organizational competitive advantage. The findings revealed the existence of a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between knowledge management and competitive advantage. All components of knowledge management including organizational sustainability, business strategies, enhanced organizational learning and enhanced market strategies were all statistically significant. The study concludes that the relationship between ICT and knowledge management is statistically significant; The relationship between organizational culture and knowledge management is statistically significant; and finally the relationship between knowledge management and competitive advantage is statistically significant. This study recommends that UN Women management should invest more in e-learning platforms to accelerate the adoption of knowledge management at the organization. Equally, there is need to invest more in data management system module that feeds into the knowledge management. This study also recommends that UN Women should document stories that bind the organization together as a way of enhancing knowledge management. There is also a need to document metaphors that inspire the organization and incorporate them in the knowledge management modules This study recommends that UN Women management should incorporate business strategies into the knowledge management module as a way of enhancing generation of business intelligence for sustainable competitive advantage. There is also need for UN Women to ensure that organizational values, organizational artifacts, and organizational basic assumptions are well articulated for employees to follow. There is need to have consistent training on knowledge management as a way of entrenching knowledge culture within the organization