CHOCHU M. RACHEL2026-06-022024-11https://repository.mua.ac.ke/handle/123456789/2239This study addressed the underexplored impact of organizational culture on employee performance within Kenya's State Department for Basic Education. Unlike the private sector, public service lacks empirical insights on how different cultural models—clan, adhocracy, market, and hierarchy—affect performance and satisfaction. The main aim of this investigation was to examine the effect of organizational culture on employee performance in the public service in Kenya, with a case study of the State Department for Basic Education. The specific objectives were to examine the effects of clan culture, adhocracy culture, market culture and hierarchy culture on employee performance. The study was based on Dynamic Capability Theory, Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory as the anchor theory and Schein's Theory of Organizational Culture. The research design for the study was a case study. The target population for this study consisted of 709 employees who worked at the State Department for Basic Education in Nairobi. The study's sample size was determined using Yamane's formula. The study used a questionnaire to collect primary data. The investigation employed statistical data analysis, and the data was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 28. The study revealed that organizational culture significantly impacted employee performance in Kenya's public service. Clan culture fostered cooperation, mentorship, and community, improving teamwork and performance. Adhocracy culture promoted creativity, flexibility, and problem-solving, while market culture emphasized competitiveness and customer satisfaction. Hierarchy culture promoted stability but required improvement in accountability. A good organizational culture balanced flexibility, structure, creativity, and collaboration, leading to increased productivity and commitment in public service like the State Department of Basic Education. The study recommended that the public service should focus on improving employee performance by expanding employee participation in decision-making and strengthening mentorship programs. The study recommended fostering group identity and collaboration in public service through shared norms and values, encouraging risk-taking, and funding innovative solutions for flexibility. Market culture should emphasize continuous training, performance recognition, and target-setting, while hierarchy culture needs strengthening for clear decision-making. Tough accountability, defined roles, and command structures were advised for underperforming areas. Insights showed the long-term benefits of corporate culture on job satisfaction and employee performance, urging policymakers to support mentoring, creativity, and cooperation. Practitioners were encouraged to improve culture by fostering collaboration, setting performance targets, and recognizing achievements. Further research should assess varied cultural impacts on performance.Thesis