Theorizing, Measuring, and Predicting Knowledge Sharing Behavior in Organizations - a Social Capital Approach

• Main Authors: WAH, Chay Yue, Menkhoff, Thomas, LOH, Benjamin, EVERS, Hans-Dieter
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2005
• Subjects: Organizational Behavior and Theory
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/2356; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/3355/viewcontent/FinalDraftofRevisedHICSSPaper.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

This study aims to understand the social and organizational factors that influence knowledge sharing. A model of knowledge management and knowledge sharing was developed inspired by the work of Nahapiet and Ghoshal. Data on demographics and various social capital measures were collected from a sample of members of a tertiary educational institution in Singapore in 2003. Reward & recognition, open-mindedness and cost concerns of knowledge hoarding turned out to be the strongest predictors of knowledge sharing rather than pro-social motives or organizational concern. Overall, the findings provide evidence for the importance of a conducive organizational climate and state-of-the art performance management systems in high-performing knowledge organizations.