Modeling Knowledge Sharing and Interemployee Helping From a Perspective of Flow Theory: A Survey of Online Knowledge Works

6 This study proposes a model based on flow theory by postulating key antecedents as the critical drivers of 7 knowledge sharing and interemployee helping. In the model, knowledge sharing is influenced by flow 8 experience directly and also indirectly via the mediation of interemployee helping. Accordingly, the flow 9 experience is influenced simultaneously by four exogenous factors related to individuals’ perception 10 about their work: work skills, self-fulfillment in challenges, perceived control, and vividness. The 11 empirical findings of this study confirm the applicability of flow theory in business organizations by 12 investigating online knowledge workers from business organizations. This study contributes to the 13 knowledge management literature by extending flow theory to the area of knowledge sharing and 14 interemployee helping, by validating idiosyncratic antecedent drivers of the flow theory, and by 15 performing a practical operationalization of the flow experience. This research also provides managerial 16 implications and limitations. 17

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