The Effect of Knowledge Management Enablers on Sustainable Competitive Advantage Amongst Humanitarian Agencies in Kenya

The paper examines the following knowledge management enablers and reveals how they accelerate knowledge management and subsequently build a competitive advantage for humanitarian agencies. - Employee Empowerment - Information Technology Systems - Organizational Culture - Management Leadership Commitment- Obstacles and Constraints in Practicing Knowledge Management The study used resource-based view and theory of knowledge management for competitive advantage as its theoretical basis. The results from the 40 agencies surveyed reconfirmed a general agreement found in the literature that employee empowerment, information technology systems, organizational culture and management leadership commitment are ideal to bring significant positive correlations in improving organizational competitive advantage. The findings also indicated that while culture is one of the most important enablers affecting knowledge management, integration with employee empowerment, information technology and management leadership commitment may assist to overcome cultural barriers and provide a stronger contribution to competitive advantage. The study also confirmed that humanitarian agencies have experienced obstacles and constraints including restricted resources and financial challenges which impede the development and advancement of knowledge management. The study recommends that humanitarian agencies need to review institutional, management and operational structures to remove impediments to knowledge management. The agencies also need to perform technological audits regularly to ensure the validity of technology used within their agencies. The study further recommends that management and leadership of the humanitarian agencies in Kenya need to strengthen the financial allocation to knowledge management programmes and projects. There is need to increase agency commitment to an open, collaborative and team-orientated culture with more platforms for knowledge mobilization, dissemination and utility. It is envisaged that this study will help humanitarian agencies to prioritize inclusion of knowledge management systems in their policy frameworks. Consequently, they will adopt and utilize the strategic resources, especially the notion of knowledge management in the creation of sustainable competitive advantage