Using IT to Share Knowledge and the TRA

Purpose – The major objective of this paper is to examine whether or not information technology (IT) usage to share knowledge is a mediator or moderator of the intention behaviour relationship proposed in the theory of reasoned action (TRA).Design/methodology/approach – A letter of invitation to participate in the study was sent to all of the public‐listed companies in Malaysia. A total of 483 full‐time employees from 23 organizations completed an anonymous, self‐administered survey in a cross‐sectional design. Partial least squares analysis was used to test the conceptual model.Findings – The major finding is that the relationship between the intention to share knowledge and knowledge sharing is partly mediated and not moderated by IT usage to share knowledge.Research limitations/implications – Knowledge sharing was considered only at the individual level. The data are self‐reported, cross‐sectional, from a single source and a single method. The relational and capability‐membership perspective leads to a...

[1]  John P. Meyer,et al.  The measurement and antecedents of affective, continuance and normative commitment to the organization , 1990 .

[2]  Anil Mathur,et al.  Examining trying as a mediator and control as a moderator of intention–behavior relationship , 1998 .

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

[4]  Gabriel Szulanski.  Exploring internal stickiness: Impediments to the transfer of best practice within the firm , 1996 .

[5]  Di Zhikun,et al.  Knowledge sharing among architects in a project design team , 2009 .

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

[7]  V. Vroom.  Work and motivation , 1964 .

[8]  Mary Ann Eastlick,et al.  An online prepurchase intentions model: The role of intention to search , 2001 .

[9]  H. Tajfel,et al.  An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. , 1979 .

[10]  Morten T. Hansen,et al.  What's your strategy for managing knowledge? , 1999, Harvard business review.

[11]  Samer Faraj,et al.  Why Should I Share? Examining Social Capital and Knowledge Contribution in Electronic Networks of Practice , 2005, MIS Q..

[12]  M. Born,et al.  Ethnic and Gender Differences in Applicants' Decision-Making Processes: An Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action , 2006 .

[13]  Sven C. Voelpel,et al.  Managing knowledge sharing in China: the case of Siemens ShareNet , 2005, J. Knowl. Manag..

[14]  M. Grzeda.  In competence we trust? Addressing conceptual ambiguity , 2005 .

[15]  A. Gouldner.  THE NORM OF RECIPROCITY: A PRELIMINARY STATEMENT * , 1960 .

[16]  P. Sheeran.  Intention—Behavior Relations: A Conceptual and Empirical Review , 2002 .

[17]  Chin-Lung Hsu,et al.  Acceptance of blog usage: The roles of technology acceptance, social influence and knowledge sharing motivation , 2008, Inf. Manag..

[18]  Brooks C. Holtom,et al.  Survey response rate levels and trends in organizational research , 2008 .

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

[20]  Scott E. Bryant.  The Impact of Peer Mentoring on Organizational Knowledge Creation and Sharing , 2005 .

[21]  Jing Zhang,et al.  Knowledge sharing in cross-boundary information system development in the public sector , 2006, Inf. Technol. Manag..

[22]  George P. Huber,et al.  Transfer of knowledge in knowledge management systems: unexplored issues and suggested studies , 2001, Eur. J. Inf. Syst..

[23]  Adams Js.  Towards an understanding of inequity , 1963 .

[24]  A. Bandura.  Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control , 1997, Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy.

[25]  J. Coleman,et al.  Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital , 1988, American Journal of Sociology.

[26]  Annette L. Ranft,et al.  Motivations to Maintain Social Ties With Coworkers , 2007 .

[27]  David M. Brock,et al.  Knowledge Transfer Within Multinationals and Their Foreign Subsidiaries , 2009 .

[28]  G. C. Homans,et al.  Social Behavior: Its Elementary Forms. , 1975 .

[29]  P. Ruiz‐Palomino,et al.  Social Capital Generation Inside Science Parks: An Analysis Of Business-University Relationships , 2011, BIOINFORMATICS 2011.

[30]  R. Schwarzer,et al.  Bridging the intention–behaviour gap: Planning, self-efficacy, and action control in the adoption and maintenance of physical exercise , 2005 .

[31]  Soyeon Shim,et al.  Information Search and Shopping Intentions Through Internet for Apparel Products , 2003 .

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

[33]  Natalia Martín Cruz,et al.  The influence of employee motivation on knowledge transfer , 2009, J. Knowl. Manag..

[34]  Andrew B. Whinston,et al.  Research Commentary: Introducing a Third Dimension in Information Systems Design - The Case for Incentive Alignment , 2001, Inf. Syst. Res..

[35]  Jaideep Motwani,et al.  The evolution of TQM: An empirical analysis using the business process change framework , 2005 .

[36]  Scott B. MacKenzie,et al.  Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. , 2003, The Journal of applied psychology.

[37]  Albena Antonova,et al.  How to Extend the ICT Used at Organizations for Transferring and Sharing Knowledge , 2011 .

[38]  Hazel Hall,et al.  Input-friendliness: motivating knowledge sharing across intranets , 2001, J. Inf. Sci..

[39]  E. Lawler.  An Affect Theory of Social Exchange1 , 2001, American Journal of Sociology.

[40]  Seokwoo Song,et al.  An Internet Knowledge Sharing System , 2002, J. Comput. Inf. Syst..

[41]  Paul E. Spector.  Method Variance in Organizational Research , 2006 .

[42]  Kyoko Fukukawa,et al.  Developing a framework for ethically questionable behaviour in consumption. , 2002 .

[43]  Huaiqing Wang,et al.  The adoption of virtual banking: an empirical study , 1999 .

[44]  Dennis Coon,et al.  Study guide for introduction to psychology : gateways to mind and behavior , 2000 .

[45]  C. Ruppel,et al.  Sharing knowledge through intranets: a study of organizational culture and intranet implementation , 2001 .

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

[47]  Sheng Gao,et al.  Attitude towards Knowledge Sharing Behavior , 2005, J. Comput. Inf. Syst..

[48]  Gwo-Guang Lee,et al.  Perceptions of senior managers toward knowledge‐sharing behaviour , 2004 .

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

[50]  D. A. Kenny,et al.  Process Analysis , 1981 .

[51]  Mohd Zool Hilmie Mohamed Sawal,et al.  The Study of Barrier Factors in Knowledge Sharing: A Case Study in Public University , 2011 .

[52]  Inga M. Hunter,et al.  A Descriptive Study of the Use of Multimedia Based Collaboration Technologies by Health Community Support Groups in New Zealand , 2008 .

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

[54]  Joseph G. Rosse,et al.  Understanding Reactions to Workplace Injustice Through Process Theories of Motivation: a Teaching Module and Simulation , 2007 .

[55]  Scott Fernie,et al.  Knowledge Sharing: Context, Controversy and Confusion , 2003 .

[56]  Andreas Riege,et al.  Actions to overcome knowledge transfer barriers in MNCs , 2007, J. Knowl. Manag..

[57]  D. Mcclelland.  How motives, skills, and values determine what people do. , 1985 .

[58]  Richard E. Boyatzis,et al.  The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance , 1982 .

[59]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[60]  Andreas Riege,et al.  Three-dozen knowledge-sharing barriers managers must consider , 2005, J. Knowl. Manag..

[61]  Cheolho Yoon,et al.  The effects of national culture values on consumer acceptance of e-commerce: Online shoppers in China , 2009, Inf. Manag..

[62]  Elayne W. Coakes,et al.  Knowledge Management: Current Issues and Challenges , 2003 .

[63]  Alexander Ardichvili,et al.  Motivation and barriers to participation in virtual knowledge-sharing communities of practice , 2003, J. Knowl. Manag..

[64]  Carrie R. Leana,et al.  Organizational Social Capital and Employment Practices , 1999 .

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

[66]  D. A. Kenny,et al.  The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. , 1986, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[67]  Helen J. Mitchell,et al.  Technology and knowledge management: is technology just an enabler or does it also add value? , 2003 .

[68]  D. A. Kenny,et al.  Data analysis in social psychology. , 1998 .

[69]  Kyoko Fukukawa,et al.  Developing A Framework for EthicallyQuestionable Behavior in Consumption , 2002 .

[70]  Guy Paré,et al.  The Influence of High-Involvement Human Resources Practices, Procedural Justice, Organizational Commitment, and Citizenship Behaviors on Information Technology Professionals' Turnover Intentions , 2007 .

[71]  Jone L. Pearce,et al.  Expectations of organizational mobility, workplace social inclusion, and employee job performance , 2004 .

[72]  R. Schwarzer,et al.  The General Self-Efficacy Scale: Multicultural Validation Studies , 2005, The Journal of psychology.

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

[74]  Wanda J. Orlikowski,et al.  Learning from Notes: organizational issues in groupware implementation , 1992, CSCW '92.

[75]  Bart van den Hooff,et al.  Knowledge sharing in context: the influence of organizational commitment, communication climate and CMC use on knowledge sharing , 2004, J. Knowl. Manag..

[76]  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..

[77]  Ralf Schwarzer,et al.  Self-efficacy moderates the mediation of intentions into behavior via plans. , 2009, American journal of health behavior.

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

[79]  Kai H. Lim,et al.  Understanding customer knowledge sharing in web-based discussion boards: An exploratory study , 2006, Internet Res..

[80]  S. Fiske,et al.  The Handbook of Social Psychology , 1935 .

[81]  R. Bagozzi,et al.  Trying to Consume , 1990 .