Knowledge sharing and individual work performance: an empirical study of a public sector organisation

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether individual-level knowledge sharing (in terms of attitudes, benefit estimations, self-efficacy and actualised behaviours) affects individual work performance. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses are tested through structural equation modelling of survey data collected from 595 members of a public organisation. Findings The findings confirm the hypothesis that knowledge-sharing propensity impacts positively on knowledge-sharing behaviour. Additionally, knowledge-sharing behaviour mediates the relationship between knowledge-sharing propensity and individual performance. The latter effect is also significant amongst the most highly educated members of the organisation but not among those with the lowest educational levels. Originality/value This paper provides insights into the knowledge-sharing–attitude–behaviour–work performance linkage. It thus addresses a relatively neglected area in knowledge management (KM) research, namely, that of individual knowledge behaviours and their performance impact, with an aim to better understand the micro-foundations of KM. It also contributes to knowledge on KM in the public sector.

[1]  B. Kogut,et al.  What Firms Do? Coordination, Identity, and Learning , 1996 .

[2]  John S. Edwards,et al.  Knowledge management: a review of the field and of OR's contribution , 2009, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[3]  Bart van den Hooff,et al.  Explaining Knowledge Sharing , 2006, Commun. Res..

[4]  Iris Reychav,et al.  Good for workers, good for companies: How knowledge sharing benefits individual employees , 2009 .

[5]  Bernard J. Jaworski,et al.  Enhancing and Measuring Consumers’ Motivation, Opportunity, and Ability to Process Brand Information from Ads , 1991 .

[6]  R. Grant,et al.  Knowledge and the firm: Overview , 1996 .

[7]  Robert W. Zmud,et al.  Behavioral Intention Formation in Knowledge Sharing: Examining the Roles of Extrinsic Motivators, Social-Psychological Factors, and Organizational Climate , 2005, MIS Q..

[8]  Shiu-Wan Hung,et al.  To give or to receive? Factors influencing members' knowledge sharing and community promotion in professional virtual communities , 2010, Inf. Manag..

[9]  Atreyi Kankanhalli,et al.  Contributing Knowledge to Electronic Knowledge Repositories: An Empirical Investigation , 2005, MIS Q..

[10]  W. S. Chow,et al.  Social network, social trust and shared goals in organizational knowledge sharing , 2008, Inf. Manag..

[11]  J. Spender.  Making knowledge the basis of a dynamic theory of the firm , 1996 .

[12]  M. Bauer.  Exchange And Power In Social Life , 2016 .

[13]  Iris Reychav,et al.  Bridging intention and behavior of knowledge sharing , 2010, J. Knowl. Manag..

[14]  M. Polanyi.  Chapter 7 – The Tacit Dimension , 1997 .

[15]  Ken G. Smith,et al.  Knowledge Exchange and Combination: The Role of Human Resource Practices in the Performance of High-Technology Firms , 2006 .

[16]  Snejina Michailova,et al.  Diagnosing and Fighting Knowledge-Sharing Hostility , 2002 .

[17]  Morten T. Hansen,et al.  When using knowledge can hurt performance: the value of organizational capabilities in a management consulting company , 2005 .

[18]  Jonathon N. Cummings.  Work Groups, Structural Diversity, and Knowledge Sharing in a Global Organization , 2004, Manag. Sci..

[19]  L. Argote,et al.  KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER: A BASIS FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN FIRMS , 2000 .

[20]  P. Ritala,et al.  Knowledge sharing, knowledge leaking and relative innovation performance: An empirical study , 2015 .

[21]  P. M. Podsakoff,et al.  Self-Reports in Organizational Research: Problems and Prospects , 1986 .

[22]  R. McDermott.  Why Information Technology Inspired but Cannot Deliver Knowledge Management , 1999 .

[23]  Kun Huang.  Knowledge Sharing in a Third-Party-Governed Health and Human Services Network , 2014 .

[24]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research , 1977 .

[25]  Lee Sproull,et al.  What's Mine Is Ours, or Is It? A Study of Attitudes about Information Sharing , 1994, Inf. Syst. Res..

[26]  Nicolai J. Foss,et al.  Encouraging knowledge sharing among employees: How job design matters , 2009 .

[27]  Rob Cross,et al.  Where Has the Time Gone? Addressing Collaboration Overload in a Networked Economy , 2013 .

[28]  M. Černe,et al.  What Goes Around Comes Around: Knowledge Hiding, Perceived Motivational Climate, and Creativity , 2014 .

[29]  Prodromos D. Chatzoglou,et al.  Knowledge-sharing behaviour of bank employees in Greece , 2009, Bus. Process. Manag. J..

[30]  Aleda V. Roth,et al.  How motivation, opportunity, and ability drive knowledge sharing: The constraining-factor model , 2008 .

[31]  Soonhee Kim,et al.  The Impact of Organizational Context and Information Technology on Employee Knowledge‐Sharing Capabilities , 2006 .

[32]  Lin Lu,et al.  Managerial Knowledge Sharing: The Role of Individual, Interpersonal, and Organizational Factors , 2006, Management and Organization Review.

[33]  M. Sandhu,et al.  Knowledge sharing among public sector employees: evidence from Malaysia , 2011 .

[34]  Siew H. Chan,et al.  Knowledge sharing in Asian public administration sector: the case of Hong Kong , 2007, J. Enterp. Inf. Manag..

[35]  Blair H. Sheppard,et al.  The Theory of Reasoned Action: A Meta-Analysis of Past Research with Recommendations for Modifications and Future Research , 1988 .

[36]  S. Ghoshal,et al.  Social Capital, Intellectual Capital, and the Organizational Advantage , 1998 .

[37]  Nicolai J. Foss,et al.  Bringing the knowledge perspective into HRM , 2009 .

[38]  I. Ajzen.  The theory of planned behavior , 1991 .

[39]  Dorothy E. Leidner,et al.  Review: Knowledge Management and Knowledge Management Systems: Conceptual Foundations and Research Issues , 2001, MIS Q..

[40]  I. Nonaka.  A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation , 1994 .

[41]  Rodney McAdam,et al.  A comparison of public and private sector perceptions and use of knowledge management , 2000 .

[42]  S. Chaiken,et al.  The psychology of attitudes. , 1993 .

[43]  M. Buelens,et al.  Knowledge Sharing in Public Sector Organizations: The Effect of Organizational Characteristics on Interdepartmental Knowledge Sharing , 2006 .

[44]  I-Chieh Hsu,et al.  Knowledge sharing practices as a facilitating factor for improving organizational performance through human capital: A preliminary test , 2008, Expert Syst. Appl..

[45]  Angel Cabrera,et al.  Knowledge-Sharing Dilemmas , 2002 .

[46]  Sarah Cummings,et al.  Communities of practice and networks: reviewing two perspectives on social learning , 2005 .

[47]  Rong Du,et al.  Relationship between knowledge sharing and performance: A survey in Xi'an, China , 2007, Expert Syst. Appl..

[48]  D. Staples,et al.  Operationalizing Knowledge Sharing for Informers , 2010 .

[49]  Ross Dawson,et al.  Knowledge capabilities as the focus of organisational development and strategy , 2000, J. Knowl. Manag..

[50]  Suliman Al-Hawamdeh,et al.  Knowledge management in the public sector: principles and practices in police work , 2001, J. Inf. Sci..

[51]  Young-Gul Kim,et al.  Breaking the Myths of Rewards: An Exploratory Study of Attitudes about Knowledge Sharing , 2002, Inf. Resour. Manag. J..

[52]  Siong Choy Chong,et al.  KM Implementation in a Public Sector Accounting Organization: An Empirical Investigation , 2011, J. Knowl. Manag..

[53]  Kwok Kee Wei,et al.  What drives continued knowledge sharing? An investigation of knowledge-contribution and -seeking beliefs , 2009, Decis. Support Syst..

[54]  C. Prahalad,et al.  The Core Competence of the Corporation , 1990 .

[55]  Raymond E. Miles,et al.  Understanding Knowledge Activists’ Successes and Failures , 2002 .

[56]  Teppo Felin,et al.  Dynamics of Industry and Innovation: Organizations, Networks and Systems Strategic Organization: a Field in Search of Micro- Foundations Strategic Organization: a Field in Search of Micro-foundations , 2022 .

[57]  P. Adler,et al.  Social Capital: Prospects for a New Concept , 2002 .

[58]  Angela Titi Amayah.  Determinants of knowledge sharing in a public sector organization , 2013, J. Knowl. Manag..

[59]  Dick Stenmark,et al.  Leveraging Tacit Organizational Knowledge , 2000, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[60]  Daniel A. Levinthal,et al.  ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON LEARNING AND INNOVATION , 1990 .

[61]  S. D. Uma Mageswari,et al.  A comprehensive analysis of knowledge management in Indian manufacturing companies , 2017 .

[62]  E. A. Locke.  Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social-Cognitive View , 1987 .

[63]  Fytton Rowland,et al.  Knowledge management in a public organization: a study on the relationship between organizational elements and the performance of knowledge transfer , 2004, J. Knowl. Manag..

[64]  Heeseok Lee,et al.  Knowledge Management Enablers, Processes, and Organizational Performance: An Integrative View and Empirical Examination , 2003, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[65]  Ingoo Han,et al.  Knowledge sharing behavior of physicians in hospitals , 2003, Expert Syst. Appl..

[66]  Linda Argote,et al.  Managing Knowledge in Organizations: An Integrative Framework and Review of Emerging Themes , 2003, Manag. Sci..

[67]  Ganesh D. Bhatt,et al.  Knowledge management in organizations: examining the interaction between technologies, techniques, and people , 2001, J. Knowl. Manag..

[68]  Bruce J. Avolio,et al.  HOW TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP WEAVES ITS INFLUENCE ON INDIVIDUAL JOB PERFORMANCE: THE ROLE OF IDENTIFICATION AND EFFICACY BELIEFS , 2008 .

[69]  Josune Sáenz,et al.  Knowledge sharing and innovation performance , 2009 .

[70]  B. Kogut,et al.  Exploring internal stickiness : Impediments to the transfer of best practice within the firm , 2007 .

[71]  Jay Liebowitz,et al.  Knowledge Sharing Proficiencies: The Key to Knowledge Management , 2004 .

[72]  Nicolai J. Foss,et al.  Building Micro-foundations for the Routines, Capabilities, and Performance Links , 2007 .

[73]  R. Noe,et al.  Knowledge sharing: A review and directions for future research , 2010 .

[74]  K. M. Bartol,et al.  Encouraging Knowledge Sharing: The Role of Organizational Reward Systems , 2002 .

[75]  D. Minbaeva,et al.  Strategic HRM in building micro-foundations of organizational knowledge-based performance , 2013 .

[76]  Wei-Tsong Wang,et al.  Motivations of employees' knowledge sharing behaviors: A self-determination perspective , 2015, Inf. Organ..

[77]  N. Foss,et al.  Governing Knowledge Sharing in Organizations: Levels of Analysis, Governance Mechanisms, and Research Directions , 2010 .

[78]  R. Grant.  Toward a Knowledge-Based Theory of the Firm,” Strategic Management Journal (17), pp. , 1996 .

[79]  Greg Laugero,et al.  Managing Knowledge , 1998 .

[80]  S. Winter.  Understanding dynamic capabilities , 2003 .

[81]  H. Tsoukas.  The firm as a distributed knowledge system : A constructionist approach , 1996 .

[82]  Dianne P. Ford,et al.  Understanding "disengagement from knowledge sharing": engagement theory versus adaptive cost theory , 2015, J. Knowl. Manag..

[83]  M. Schulz.  THE UNCERTAIN RELEVANCE OF NEWNESS: ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE FLOWS , 2001 .

[84]  A. Bandura.  Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory , 1985 .

[85]  Suresh Cuganesan,et al.  Investigating the Management of Knowledge for Competitive Advantage: A Strategic Cost Management Perspective , 2006 .

[86]  Zahra Tohidinia,et al.  Knowledge sharing behaviour and its predictors , 2010, Ind. Manag. Data Syst..

[87]  Donald Hislop,et al.  Journal of Knowledge Management Knowledge management as an ephemeral management fashion ? , 2016 .

[88]  Chun-Ming Chang,et al.  Knowledge sharing behavior in virtual communities: The relationship between trust, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations , 2007, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..

[89]  B. Delahaye,et al.  Influences On Knowledge processes In Organizational Learning: The Psychosocial Filter , 2000 .

[90]  Hsin Hsin Chang,et al.  Social capital and individual motivations on knowledge sharing: Participant involvement as a moderator , 2011, Inf. Manag..

[91]  J. Hair.  Multivariate data analysis , 1972 .

[92]  H. D. Thomas,et al.  SUCCESSFUL KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS , 1998 .

[93]  P. Blau.  Exchange and Power in Social Life , 1964 .

[94]  Edwin A. Locke,et al.  A Multilevel Investigation of the Motivational Mechanisms Underlying Knowledge Sharing and Performance , 2007, Organ. Sci..

[95]  F. Reid,et al.  Creating a knowledge‐sharing culture among diverse business units , 2003 .