Effect of Knowledge Transfer Processes on Employee Performance in State Corporations in Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to examine the effect of knowledge transfer processes on employee performance in State Corporations in Kenya. Despite the importance of employee performance to organizations, little systematic studies exist on how knowledge is enabled and transferred in firms to improve employee performance. Knowledge transfer processes specifically mentoring, coaching, peer to peer training and talent development are critical in addressing the problem of employee performance in. Locally, regionally and globally, cases of decline in employee performance in firms have been reported creating an urgent need to address this problem. In particular, State Corporations in Kenya employ about 119,689 workers with an annual wage bill of over 131.2 billion and only 51% are self-sustaining. This is of great concern to the Government, people of Kenya and International Community as State Corporations are important in economic transformation and national development. The general objective of the study was to examine the effect of knowledge transfer processes on employee performance in State Corporations in Kenya. A sample of 126 State Corporations was randomly selected from a population of 187. The unit of observation was 126 human resource managers or their equivalents drawn from the sampled State Corporations. From 126 questionnaires distributed, 92 were filled and returned. The study applied mixed methods research with cross-sectional survey design. Multiple regression analysis and inferential analysis was carried out. This was useful in the interpretation of the study results. The data was analysed using SPSS (version 23) and presented by way of means, percentages, standard deviation, tables and figures. The study found positive significant relationship between knowledge transfer processes and employee performance. Iformation communication technology was found to be an enabler of knowledge transfer processes though it did not significantly moderate the relationship between peer to peer training and employee performance. Coaching was the strongest predictor of the variance in employee performance in State Corporations in Kenya. The study recommends that State Corporations allocate more resources in coaching activities in comparison to the other processes. The study further recommends the use of Information Communication Technology to support knowledge transfer processes. The study concludes that knowledge transfer processes significantly improve employee performance in State Corporations in Kenya and therefore necessary resources to be avialed to support the processes.