The Pragmatic Relationship Between Organizational Culture and Knowledge Management: The Case of UNECA
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Date
2014-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The overall objective of this study is to examine the practical relationships between
organizational culture and knowledge management imperatives in the context of
UNECA configuration. Moreover, this research endeavored to examine the
predicting impact of organizational culture on knowledge management dimensions.
A cross-sectional and descriptive design; and quantitative survey method were
employed for this study. Data gathering instruments such as a questionnaire and
document analyses were used. An online questionnaire was distributed to 163
knowledge-workers, (working in seven offices of the Commission located across the
four corners of Africa); 66 knowledge-generators; 97 knowledge-deliverers. A
representative sample size from Professional, National Officer and General Service
categories were chosen using a mixed sampling method of stratified, purposive and
random-sampling, took part in the study. The data obtained through the
questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools such
as percentage, frequency, mean scores, standard deviation, standard mean error, t-
Test, and correlation and regression coefficient. The data collected and analyzed
has revealed that UNECA has an imbalanced organizational culture where one or
two attributes of its organizational culture profoundly dominating its common
values and behavior of its knowledge-workers. Moreover, UNECA heavily relied on
and limited to very few distinct knowledge management processes to deliver
knowledge management services. Consequently, its knowledge-culture interface
compiled to accommodate a mismatch between organizational culture and
knowledge management variables and failed to bring the conceptual knowledge
management model. The two categories of knowledge-workers perceived the
organizational culture of the Commission differently. The organizational culture
not only created a positive and strong relationship with knowledge management
dimensions but also had a predicting impact on the latter. These findings summed
up to lead to a conclusion that UNECA has no effective knowledge culture that
would have been streamlined and aligned to its refocusing theme to help in
enhancing its contemporary efforts towards becoming a knowledge-based
organization. That in turn would have contributed tremendously to achieve the
Commissions primary objective, i.e., to become and remain the premier think thank
on Africa’s transformative agenda through purpose-oriented knowledge
management. In order to bring the required amalgamation between organizational
culture and knowledge management, the overall recommendation of the study was
that UNECA should revamp and double up the existing efforts to build an effective
knowledge-culture by creating, developing and sustaining a strong and balanced
organizational culture. UNECA might introduce organization-wide cultural
interventions that would not only last long to commence the necessary level of
alignment between organizational culture and knowledge management but also to
ensure that UNECA knowledge culture interface linkup with a feedback system that
would further affirm organizational effectiveness.
Key words - knowledge management and organizational culture
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Keywords
Knowledge Management and Organizational Culture