| dc.description.abstract | This research study aims at assessing the strategies put in place to encourage or enable data sharing
among government institutions in Kenya a; establish the existence of data and information sharing
and the factors affecting data/ information sharing among government institutions. Due to the
emergence of new technologies and need for shared knowledge and information, this study is
important to stimulate and improve data sharing among public institutions.
This is a survey study conducted on a target population of 50 selected government institutions in
Kenya with offices in Nairobi City County. Hard copy and online survey questionnaire was
administered to the selected institutions, out of which 29 responses were received. Data collected
include, general information (demographics), frequency of data/information sharing and the factors
affecting data sharing among public government institutions in Kenya. Data analysis was done using
descriptive statistics using SPSS analytical software. The study determined that majority of the
institutions do have data/information governance policy and guidelines and that most them have a
defined data or information sharing strategy, with majority of them frequently use electronic mail,
website / online portal, media and meetings as ways of data sharing. The study also determined that
the most institutions frequently used tables(spreadsheets);text format (doc, pdf) and that they have
infrastructure/ICT tools to manage data sharing; with most of the primary data sources being field
data collection and regular updates from collaborating partner institutions. The major challenges to
most institutions are due to lack of clear policy, standards, communication protocol, incompatibility
(interoperability issues) and data security. Data Sharing occurs more frequently on request and
obligation. It is recommended that public institutions should ensure that appropriate data/information
governance, policy and guidelines are developed to provide a common framework for best practice in
data sharing. Institutions are also recommended to cooperate and partner with one another to stimulate
data sharing and that there is need to make sure that data in their possession is easily available to other
public/government institutions by improving infrastructure and embrace new technologies such as egovernment,
KNSDI, and e-repositories. Moreover, capacity development is required to improve IT
maturity levels for data and information sharing among government institutions. | en_US |
