Knowledge Conversion Capability and Organizational Effectiveness among Private Universities in Kenya: A SECI Model Perspective

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effect of Knowledge Conversion capability on Organizational Effectiveness in private Universities in Kenya from a SECI Model Perspective. The SECI Model describes the process of interaction between explicit and tacit knowledge. It is now accepted that we live in a knowledge economy and it has been predicted that those organizations that can convert information to organizational knowledge will be the most successful. It was of interest to understand how higher education institutions handle this crucial resource given that they are in knowledge business and thus subjected to market pressures like any other business organization.  Data was collected from the registrars/deputy registrars and academic staff using semi-structured face-to-face interviews which provided the data about how private universities perform these knowledge conversion activities. The study findings contribute to practice, theory and methodology. The findings indicated that knowledge conversion had an effect organizational effectiveness. The study examined private universities only. Future research should be conducted in other higher education institutions such as public universities, colleges and polytechnics. The study recommends that opinions of other stakeholders such as students, other members of staff, employers and communities be studied in future.