KNOWLEDGE SHARING STRATEGIES AMONGST ACADEMICS IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, KENYA

Abstract

Purpose of the study: The study investigated strategies and the integration of technology in knowledge sharing amongst academics in selected institutions of higher learning in Kenya. Methodology: The study utilized a descriptive survey design and adopted a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interview schedules were used to collect data from a sample of four public universities from which 54 respondents were purposely selected and successfully interviewed. The collected data was analyzed thematically. Main Findings: The findings of the study revealed that universities shared knowledge through various strategies/ forums such as conferences, teaching, seminars, workshops, mentorship of the novice by the experts, especially in the science-based disciplines and institutional repository, among others. The study identified the existence of communities of practice, which were mainly informal, and policies were the primary inhibitor to knowledge sharing. The study established the integration of information technology in knowledge sharing as mostly asynchronous. Applications of this study: The study findings can be applied in both the public and private sectors. They contribute to research in Knowledge Management as a discipline and as a business strategy. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study provides data to the limited visible research in knowledge sharing strategies in institutions of higher learning, especially in Kenya