Navigating Institutional Performance through Employee Experience: The Moderating Role of Innovative Culture in Kenyan Public Universities

Abstract

In the contemporary global knowledge economy, the performance of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is a critical indicator of national development. However, public universities in Kenya face systemic performance challenges despite possessing a cadre of highly experienced academic and administrative staff. This study, extracted from a broader doctoral research project, focuses specifically on the influence of employee experience on the performance of public universities in Kenya and the moderating effect of an innovative culture. Using a pragmatic research philosophy and a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 191 management staff across 32 chartered public universities. The study operationalized employee experience through tenure, role diversity, task complexity, and supervisory responsibility. Findings from bivariate regression analysis revealed that employee experience significantly predicts institutional performance (Adjusted R2=0.231, p<0.001, R2=0.231, p<0.001), explaining 23.1% of the variance. Furthermore, hierarchical regression analysis established that an innovative culture serves as a vital catalyst, significantly strengthening the relationship between experience and performance (β=0.070, p=0.008, β=0.070, p=0.008). The study concludes that while accumulated experience provides institutional memory, its value is only fully realized within a culture that supports experimentation and risk-taking. The paper recommends that university leadership move beyond seniority-based promotions to implement strategic role rotation and mentorship programs that keep institutional experience dynamic and innovation-oriented.