Governing individual knowledge-sharing behaviour

The emerging knowledge governance approach asserts the need to build micro-foundations grounded in individual action. Towards this goal, using the theory of planned behaviour, we aim to explain individual knowledge-sharing behaviour as being determined by the intention to share knowledge and its antecedents: attitude towards knowledge sharing, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. In addition, we consider managerial interventions (governance mechanisms) that managers can employ to influence the identified antecedents and thereby govern individual knowledge-sharing behaviour. We test the model arrived at on a dataset collected among individuals engaged in knowledge sharing in two competing firms. Results of the LISREL analysis show that the use of rewards affects attitudes towards knowledge sharing negatively, while the use of reciprocal schemes and communication mechanisms have a positive effect on subjective norms and perceived behavioural control, respectively.

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