Factors Affect Knowledge Sharing by Using Knowledge Management Systems to Support Decision Making Processes

In the current fluid environment, the challenge for society and organizational decision makers is how to accumulate and share knowledge that stems from various sources, and maximize value generated from all available assets. For this purpose, this paper explores how knowledge sharing (KS) is mediated by technology, and more specifically, by Knowledge Management Systems (KMSs) to support decision making processes (DMP) in organizations. In this study, 42 semi-structured interviews were conducted and a set of strong overarching themes concerning the factors that affect KS in using KMSs to support the DMP in Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in a conceptual framework which comprises four core themes: Knowledge Management Systems, Knowledge Sharing Practice, Culture, and Decision-making Processes. This study proposes a conceptual framework that would help managers, employees and decision makers to identify ways of leveraging and sharing knowledge by using KMSs in MNCs.