ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ENABLERS ON ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY FIRMS

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Author

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Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
Construction firms in contemporary times have evolved into structurally standard organisations where there is the understanding of knowledge management enabling factors as an essential management philosophy that drives organisational performance. This study sought to analyse specifically, the influence of knowledge management enablers on organisational performance of construction consultancy firms. Using a quantitative research approach, this research examined the relationship between knowledge management enabling factors and organisational performance in consultancy firms. One hundred and twenty-one (121) construction firms in Nigeria completed the questionnaires used for the research. Mean score was used to identify the knowledge enabling factors and organisational performance dimensions dominant in construction firms while multiple regression analysis was used to assess the influence of knowledge management enablers on organisational performance of construction consultancy firms. The findings from this study revealed that the different knowledge management enabling factors mentioned in this study, after being analyzed for the effectiveness of the construction firm’s performance, have significant positive relationship with one another. The study further revealed that most of the identified knowledge management enabling factors significantly influence (19 0f 31) organisational performance with improved employees’ professional skills being influenced more by six factors followed by financial stability with five factors influencing it. Achieving sustained profit is the least influenced with two factors. The study concluded that consultancy firms practice majority of the KM enabling factors in their organisation with no fewer than Twenty – Eight (28) factors having a weighted mean that is above average score and it was agreed that increasing firm’s reputation in the construction market should be the top priority and starting point for improved performance followed by improving employee’s professional skills. The findings from this study implied that Knowledge management enablers are capable of improving firm’s performance; therefore, consultancy firms should practice it more to reap wide range of benefits that comes from its practice including gaining competitive advantage. Keywords: Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Enablers, Construction Consultancy Firms, Organisational Performance.