Effect of Knowledge Sharing Partnerships on the Performance of Public Universities in Western Kenya

Abstract

Public universities in Western Kenya operate within resource-constrained environments characterised by inadequate funding, infrastructural deficits, and limited research capacity. While knowledge sharing partnerships have been identified as a potential strategy for enhancing institutional performance, empirical evidence on their effect in peripheral higher education contexts remains limited. Most existing studies have focused on internal knowledge management practices or institutions in Nairobi, leaving a significant gap regarding how formal inter-organisational knowledge sharing partnerships influence holistic university performance in Western Kenya. This study examined the effect of knowledge sharing partnerships on the performance of public universities in Western Kenya. The study was anchored on the Knowledge-Based View (KBV) and Resource-Based Theory (RBT). A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase involved a census survey of 68 senior administrators, academic leaders, and industrial partners from four public universities: Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kibabii University, Kaimosi Friends University, and Alupe University. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with items measured on a five-point Likert scale. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected participants and document analysis of partnership agreements, annual reports, and institutional strategic plans. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression in SPSS Version 26, while qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase approach. Descriptive statistics revealed strong positive perceptions of knowledge sharing partnerships, with an overall construct mean of 4.36 (SD = 0.62) on a five-point scale. The highest agreement was recorded for the positive impact on overall university performance (M = 4.56, SD = 0.68), while financial performance improvement received the lowest agreement (M = 4.09, SD = 0.91). Simple linear regression analysis showed that knowledge sharing partnerships had a statistically significant positive effect on university performance (β = 0.512, p < .001), explaining 26.2% of the variance in performance (R² = .262, Adjusted R² = .251, F(1, 66) = 27.98, p < .001). The null hypothesis that knowledge sharing partnerships have no significant effect on university performance was rejected. Qualitative findings corroborated these results, revealing that partnerships enhanced research output through joint publications and shared facilities, improved teaching quality through faculty development and curriculum enrichment, and increased institutional visibility. However, participants identified significant challenges including intellectual property disputes, unequal benefit sharing, and power imbalances between partner institutions. Knowledge sharing partnerships significantly enhance the performance of public universities in Western Kenya. The benefits are most pronounced in research productivity, teaching quality, and institutional reputation, while financial gains remain less pronounced. The realisation of these benefits depends on effective governance mechanisms that ensure equitable benefit distribution and intellectual property protection. Universities should establish formal knowledge-sharing frameworks with clear intellectual property and benefit-sharing provisions, invest in digital infrastructure for collaborative research, provide faculty capacity building on partnership ethics and IP management, and pursue comparative research to identify factors that moderate partnership effectiveness.