Tacit knowledge is seen as difficult to be shared in an organisation owing to its intuitive, versatile and practice-based nature. Consequently, tacit knowledge is not well-understood or valued in most organisations and more so in public institutions. The purpose of the study was to investigate how the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) manages tacit knowledge as an intangible asset and also to recommend a framework or model for the management of tacit knowledge for a competitive advantage and development at the KIPPRA. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, with interviews and observation methods constituting the primary data collection methods. The study targeted 60 employees of KIPPRA consisting of researchers, young professionals, heads of divisions, a knowledge manager and administrative staff. The qualitative data collected were organised, categorised and reported verbatim. Among the key findings were that KIPPRA has the capacity for tacit knowledge sharing, capture, transfer and storage that have not been capitalised on. Further, employees experience challenges such as the identification and understanding of tacit knowledge, access to tacit knowledge sharing platforms, access to expertise with specific tacit knowledge, tacit knowledge hoarding, individualism, and ICT-related challenges in accessing tacit knowledge. Finally, the study recommends the adoption of a proposed framework for managing tacit knowledge at the KIPPRA.
Rethinking Polanyi’s Concept of Tacit Knowledge: From Personal Knowing to Imagined Institutions
