Influence of Standardised Knowledge Sharing Practices on Organisational Decision-Making at the Norwegian Refugee Council

Abstract

Norwegian Refugee Council Somalia experiences 50% longer emergency response times than sector standards, with decision-making delays directly impacting 1.2 million beneficiaries due to deteriorated knowledge-sharing systems where 40% of sharing attempts fail. This study

investigated how standardised knowledge-sharing practices influence organizational decision- making effectiveness at NRC Somalia. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, Social Capital

Theory, and Information Processing Theory, the research examined systematic knowledge exchange mechanisms' impact on decision outcomes. The study was conducted at NRC

Somalia offices in Mogadishu, South Central Somalia, Puntland, and Somaliland using a cross- sectional survey design. The target population comprised 100 staff across five organizational

levels. Census sampling eliminated sampling error. Data collection utilized structured questionnaires, achieving 89% response rate (n=89), semi-structured interviews with 18 key informants, and 67 organizational documents. Content validity was established through expert review, and reliability through Cronbach's alpha (α>0.70). Analysis employed descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation using SPSS v27. Findings revealed that only 14.6% agreed that tracking mechanisms existed, 28.1% confirmed effective digital platform utilization, while 57.3% reported delayed critical decisions, and 66.3% experienced bureaucratic delays. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong positive relationship between knowledge sharing and decision-making effectiveness (r=.72, p<.001). The study concludes that informal WhatsApp networks compensate for failed formal systems while hierarchical filtering prevents critical knowledge from reaching decision-makers. Recommendations include: NRC management implementing unified mobile-optimized platforms; IT department establishing direct field-to-management channels; operations unit developing security-compliant protocols; monitoring unit creating tracking mechanisms; HR streamlining decision protocols. The study's novelty lies in quantifying knowledge sharing's predictive power in humanitarian contexts, demonstrating that addressing sharing deficiencies could improve decision-making effectiveness by 52%, ultimately enhancing humanitarian response capabilities for vulnerable populations.