Knowledge Management Strategies on Performance of Information, Communication and Technology Companies in Nairobi County

A Research Project Report Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for Business Research MethodsSustainable competitive advantage is essential on building and exploiting core competencies. The ability to develop and leverage the value of these intangible assets comprises a core competency for organization, particularly those providing financial and professional services. This study sought to establish the effects of knowledge management strategies on performance of ICT companies in Nairobi County. The study sought to address the following research questions: How do knowledge creation strategies affect performance of ICT companies in Nairobi County? What is the effect of knowledge sharing strategies on performance of ICT companies in Nairobi County? What is the effect of knowledge application strategies on performance of ICT companies in Nairobi County? The study adopted a descriptive research design targeting 81 ICT firms. A census was applied as there are less than 100 firms within the city of Nairobi hence easily accessible. The study collected primary data using a questionnaire. Collected data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft excel to generate quantitative reports which were presented in the form of tabulations, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Analyzed data was presented using tables and figures. The study established that the companies had online portals where employees access relevant information relating to their tasks, had well established media for sharing of information among employees and observes operations inherited since its founding. The study further revealed that knowledge in the organizations emerged from local innovations, firms build technological advantages suited for the local market, majority of the engineers in the companies are local, engineers always take an opportunity to avail solutions to corporate technology challenges, engineers diagnose corporate technology challenges with precision and engineers possess adequate experience on the local technology market. The study found that companies held several talks among staff to generate new knowledge on how to meet customers’ needs, holds brainstorming sessions to come up with new ways of satisfying customer needs, had online portals where employees access relevant information relating to their tasks, had well established media for sharing of information among employees and that knowledge in the organizations emerged from local innovations build to suit the local market. The study concluded that knowledge creation was promoted at the ICT companies through the organization media and training, knowledge sharing increases continuous performance improvement and companies identified what skills are needed to attain organizational goals and experienced staff needed to apply the currently available knowledge more effectively. The study recommends that ICT companies should adopt more ways of creating knowledge/information among employees, adopt more ways of sharing knowledge/information and incentive programs which reward knowledge application. The alignment of knowledge management policy to the organizational strategy will act as a guideline on how knowledge should be disseminated within the organizations. The study further recommends that the ICT companies should adopt more ways of sharing knowledge/information among employees in order to improve their knowledge management capacities. The alignment of knowledge management policy to the organizational strategy will act as a guideline on how knowledge should be disseminated within the organizations. The study also recommends that incentive programs which reward knowledge application that will encourage employees to actively share knowledge with their colleagues should be used. This may go further in encouraging cross-department knowledge sharing and will encourage coordination between different departments. This may be beneficial in reducing duplicate operations within organizations and as a whole creating a learning organization