KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: CASE OF MURAN’GA COUNTY GOVERNMENT, KENYA
Jemmimah Wangechi Maragwa - Masters in Information Science (Knowledge Management), Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Wekalao Namande (PhD) - Department of Computing and Information Science, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
County governments play a pivotal role in formulating and implementing practices that enhance stakeholder and citizen satisfaction. With the increasing emphasis on knowledge management as a driver of efficiency, transparency, and service delivery, this study assessed how knowledge management influences the performance of Murang’a County Government, Kenya. Specifically, it examined knowledge management practices. The study adopted a descriptive research design, analyzing responses from employees across different levels of the county government. Murang’a County was selected as the study site, with a target population of 300 employees comprising senior managers, middle-level managers, and general staff. Using Nassiuma’s (2015) formula and stratified random sampling, a sample size of 144 respondents was determined. This sample included 15 senior managers, 35 middle-level managers, and 94 employees. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews and was analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The regression analysis was carried out to investigate the joint effect of knowledge management practices on county performance. The findings revealed that while Murang’a County Government has made significant strides in publicizing information, sharing data, and integrating information and communication technology systems, gaps remain in the consistent application and institutionalization of knowledge management processes. Regression analysis indicated that knowledge management practices had a positive and significant effect on performance, whereas managerial capacity and knowledge application showed negative but significant effects, highlighting possible implementation bottlenecks. Correlation analysis revealed weak associations, suggesting the need for stronger alignment of knowledge management with organizational priorities. The study concludes that effective knowledge management has the potential to enhance county performance, but fragmented strategies limit its impact. It recommends that county leadership embed knowledge management into strategic planning, policymakers institutionalize supportive frameworks, employees foster a stronger knowledge-sharing culture, and researchers further investigate sectoral knowledge management applications. Collectively, the study underscores that knowledge management, when coherently integrated, can significantly improve county-level performance and service delivery.