Motivation and knowledge sharing: a meta-analysis of main and moderating effects

Monetary reward mechanism for promoting online knowledge sharing: A modeling study

Knowledge sharing is critical for an organization to acquire sustained competitive advantage. Bestowing monetary rewards may possibly the most direct method of stimulating online knowledge sharing. Under the monetary reward mechanism for promoting knowledge sharing, we intend to find a satisfactory knowledge-sharing promotion policy. First, based on a state evolutionary model for the knowledge-sharing community, we reduce the original problem to an optimal control model. Second, applying optimal control theory to the model, we give an algorithm for solving the model. Next, we validate the feasibility of the algorithm. Finally, we inspect the applicability of the algorithm. To our knowledge, this is the first time the optimal control modeling technique is applied to the research of knowledge sharing.

Investigating the Factors Affecting the Motivation of Nurses for Sharing Knowledge Online

Background

Considering the importance of Knowledge Sharing (KS) among nurses, this research aimed to investigate the factors influencing the motivation of nurses for sharing knowledge online.

Materials and Methods

This research was a questionnaire survey. The statistical population included all 1403 nurses working in the hospitals of Hamadan, Iran, and the sample size was estimated to be 302 participants. The collection tool was a questionnaire adopted from the research by Nguyen et al., and its reliability and validity were measured and confirmed. Structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses using PLS 3.

Results

Of the studied nurses, 78.15% use the Internet "moderate" to "very much." Self-efficacy (β = 0.24, t = 5.03, p < 0.001), reputation (β = 0.54, t = 10.96, p < 0.001), and reciprocity (β = 0/09, t = 2.081, p = 0.04) had a direct and positive impact on the online KS behavior of nurses. In addition, the top management support and individual innovation capability did not have a moderating role in the effect of reciprocity, reputation, and self-efficacy (p > 0.05) on the online KS of nurses.

Conclusions

This study helps to understand that reciprocity, reputation, and self-efficacy are the factors influencing the increase of online KS among nurses, and it is necessary to support the creation of online space for facilitating reciprocal relationships and interpersonal interactions of nurses to increase their online KS.

Knowledge hiding and social exchange theory: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The literature on the antecedents and consequences of knowledge hiding remains fragmented, limiting its practical applications. Social exchange theory (SET), one of the most widely adopted sociological frameworks, offers unique insights into the dynamics of knowledge hiding. This study synthesizes the application of SET in analyzing the nomological framework of knowledge hiding through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. A meta-analysis was conducted based on the random-effects model and the meta-analytic structural equation modeling method, incorporating 66 primary studies with a total of 20,603 participants. Additionally, we examined the mediating role of knowledge hiding by linking key antecedents and consequences. Moreover, an exploratory analysis was conducted to investigate the moderating effects of national culture and research methodology, providing evidence to justify the true heterogeneity in the pairwise relationships between knowledge hiding and its antecedents. The research results generally support most pairwise relationships between knowledge hiding and its correlates, which were theoretically developed based on SET. This study is the first attempt to explore the explanatory power of SET in analyzing the knowledge-hiding phenomenon, and whether the establishment of a knowledge exchange loop contributes to a deeper understanding of this dyadic construct.

Emotional exhaustion weakens the relationship between social media use and knowledge sharing behavior

PURPOSE

Knowledge sharing behavior is crucial for ensuring organizational success, fueling innovation, solving problems, and informing decision-making. While social media platforms offer powerful tools for employees to share knowledge, the intricate relationship between social media use and knowledge sharing behavior remains unclear. Few studies have examined the influencing mechanisms of emotional exhaustion on the above relationships, especially through self-determination perspective.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

As knowledge is inherently private to the individual, grounded in self-determination theory, this study employed a moderated mediation analysis to explore the internal mechanisms of social media use on employee knowledge sharing behavior. The survey of 356 full-time employees was collected from a large environmental protection group in China. Hypotheses are tested using hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap tests.

FINDINGS

The results show that social media use positively affects employee knowledge sharing behavior; knowledge sharing intention partially positively mediates the influence of social media use on knowledge sharing behavior; emotional exhaustion negatively moderates the relationship between social media use and knowledge sharing intention.

CONTRIBUTION OF RESEARCH

The study identifies how two styles of social media use - work-related purpose and social-related purpose - affect knowledge sharing behavior. It significantly advances the understanding of social media use on knowledge sharing behavior from self-determination perspective.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

This study has several important practical implications for organizations seeking to facilitate employee knowledge sharing behavior through social media use. Organizations should improve employees' knowledge sharing intention and avoid emotional exhaustion.

Cultivating Innovative Employees: The Influence of Regulatory Focus and Institutional Empowerment

The relationship between regulatory focus, a pivotal trait, and innovative behavior has been long recognized, with previous scholars often emphasizing the reluctance of individuals possessing a prevention focus to engage in innovation due to their risk-averse tendencies. This study introduces a research model proposing that the relationship between promotion focus, prevention focus, and innovation behavior, is positively mediated by knowledge sharing. Additionally, institutional empowerment is posited as a moderating variable that enhances the positive relationship between regulatory focus and knowledge sharing. Empirical investigation of a moderated-mediation model reveals that the impact of regulatory focus on innovation behaviors is mediated by knowledge sharing, with this mediation being more pronounced under conditions of elevated perceptions of institutional empowerment. This research significantly advances the understanding of regulatory focus and its implications for innovation behavior. In addition, it highlights the significance of institutional empowerment as a boundary condition that encourages individuals with diverse regulatory focus to expand their behavioral boundaries. It specifically emphasizes the managerial capacity to leverage the needs and motivations of individuals with a pronounced prevention focus through institutional empowerment, resulting in transformative outcomes even in unfavorable situations.

Delving into the link between employee proactivity and knowledge sharing: A multilevel mediated moderation investigation

This study examines why and when proactive employees share knowledge. By integrating the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability Framework and Trait Activation Theory, and incorporating Mindsponge Theory, our multi-level model proposed that job autonomy moderates the impact of proactive personality on knowledge sharing (KS) within and between teams. Transformational leadership exhibits a cross-level effect on job autonomy. Utilizing a two-source, three-time-point research design, we collected data from 63 team leaders and 241 team members across six Chinese companies. Multilevel regression analysis revealed that within teams, increased job autonomy coupled with a proactive personality significantly enhanced KS. Between teams, job autonomy had a positive moderating effect. When job autonomy was low, more proactive teams exhibited less KS, whereas this negative effect was mitigated when job autonomy was high. The cross-level effect of transformational leadership on job autonomy was demonstrated. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

The impact of teacher−student relationship on knowledge sharing among Chinese graduate students: The moderating roles of proactive personality

Introducing knowledge sharing into higher education research and exploring the internal influence mechanism of teacher−student relationship on knowledge sharing of graduate students can provide better guidance and reference for the current stage of higher education knowledge management practice. Against this background, this study built and verified a theoretical model to explore in detail the impact of teacher−student relationship on knowledge sharing of graduate students, and the moderating role of proactive personality in such process. This study collected data across two time points, and finally obtained a sample of 365 Chinese graduate students. The empirical results showed that the teacher−student relationship was positively related to knowledge sharing behavior of graduate students, and their knowledge sharing willingness partly mediated this correlation. Furthermore, the influence of teacher−student relationship on knowledge sharing willingness and behavior is positively moderated by proactive personality. Therefore, the findings of this study provide educational guidance and recommendations for promoting knowledge sharing of graduate students.

Technostress, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Resistance to Innovation: Buffering Roles of Knowledge Sharing Culture and Constructive Deviant Behavior

Aim

Scholarly works have primarily found a negative relation between technostress and individual performance outcomes. Nevertheless, there needs to be more empirical research that casts light on the underlying causal mechanism. The current study hypothesizes that technostress affects students' resistance to innovation through the mediating role of academic self-efficacy. Further, the study proposes innovation as a salient goal as a meta-level moderator. To capture this factor, the study investigates constructive deviant behavior and knowledge sharing culture as the buffering agents stimulating these links.

Methods

On a sample of 412 Chinese university students, the authors assess the structural model guided by the social cognitive theory to examine the predictive capability of the hypothesized relationships.

Results

The study found that technostress diminishes students' self-efficacy, which in turn augments resistance to innovation. Besides, constructive deviant behavior and knowledge sharing culture significantly moderate the direct association between technostress and self-efficacy and the indirect relationship between technostress and self-efficacy and then resistance to innovation.

Discussion

The study offers several meaningful theoretical and practical implications related to the critical role of technostress in deteriorating students' self-efficacy beliefs and enhancing resistance to innovation.

Are green HRM Practices enough to build successful green ventures interlinked with innovation and knowledge-sharing behavior? Case of China

Green practices are now treated as an essential component of organizational element and firms are now exploring ways to incorporate new growth strategies that ensure environmentally friendly methods. The present study focuses on manufacturing industry in China and identify that green HRM practices influence eco-innovation and organization's knowledge-sharing culture. The study also aims to identify whether eco-innovation and knowledge-sharing culture help to build successful green venture and provide indirect path to green HRM and green ventures. An adopted survey was used to collect data from manufacturing employees and SPSS-AMOS is employed to assess the model reliability and proposed hypotheses. Study outcomes reveal that green HRM practices increase knowledge-sharing behavior and promote green innovation. Findings also expose that eco-innovation and knowledge-sharing behavior are potential mediator, hence provide an indirect path between green HRM practices and green ventures. Results confirm that essentiality of green HRM in order to promote knowledge-sharing behavior among employees through which environmental commitment can be fulfilled by organizations, further leading to successful green venture.

Why Does the Impact of Psychological Empowerment Increase Employees' Knowledge-Sharing Intention? A Moderated Mediation Model of Belonging and Perceived Organizational Support

This study examines the role of a sense of belonging in the relationship between the impact of psychological empowerment (PE) and employees' knowledge-sharing intention (KSI). The research finding based on a survey sample of 422 full-time employees collected in South Korea reports that a sense of belonging is a key mediator that translates the effect of an employee's perceived impact on the work environment into their KSI. The moderated mediation model shows that the mediating effect of a sense of belonging is more significant when employees perceive that organizational support is high. This study advances the literature on employee motivation and knowledge sharing by offering insights into the role played by employees' sense of control and influence (i.e., impact) in developing social connections, which in turn influence their intention to share knowledge.

The impact of gender diversity on corporate social responsibility knowledge: empirical analysis in European context

Purpose

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated social risks around the world, highlighting inequalities and eroding social cohesion in and between nations. The challenges posed by this global crisis to world governments can be overcome with cooperation between the public and private sectors. Several studies support the importance of external corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in sharing knowledge with citizens and external stakeholders, with benefits for the company and for society. Few studies have investigated the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and sustainability. This work aims to investigate the influence of the gender variable in the sharing of CSR knowledge, focusing on the area of human rights.

Design/methodology/approach

The panel regression analysis was performed on a sample of 660 European companies listed over the years 2017–2020. The hypotheses tested in panel regression were then corroborated by a further test.

Findings

The results show a positive influence of women directors in the external disclosure of human rights. Evidence would assign a positive role to gender in sharing knowledge.

Practical implications

The findings offer new insights into the role of gender on KM and sharing. The results show that gender can be a factor that stimulates CSR knowledge. The presence of women directors can be a useful tool to increase the relational capital of the companies and to share knowledge outside the company.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the poor literature between knowledge sharing and sustainability. Evidence would assign a positive role to gender in sharing knowledge.

Knowledge sharing behaviour among head nurses in online health communities: The moderating role of knowledge self-efficacy

BACKGROUND

Head nurses are vital in understanding and encouraging knowledge sharing among their followers. However, few empirical studies have highlighted their contribution to knowledge-sharing behaviour in Online Health Communities (OHCs). In addition, scant literature has examined the moderating role of knowledge self-efficacy in this regard.

PURPOSES

This study examines the moderating role of self-efficacy between the association of four selected individual factors of head nurses (i.e., Trust, Reciprocity, Reputation, and Ability to Share) and their knowledge-sharing behaviour in OHCs in Jordan.

METHOD

The data were obtained by using a self-reported survey from 283 head nurses in 22 private hospitals in Jordan. A moderation regression analysis using a structural equation modelling approach (i.e. Smart PLS-SEM, Version 3) was utilised to evaluate the study's measurement and structural model.

RESULTS

Knowledge self-efficacy moderates the relationship between the three individual factors (i.e., Trust, Reciprocity, and Reputation) and knowledge-sharing behaviours. However, self-efficacy did not moderate the relationship between the ability to share and knowledge-sharing behaviours.

IMPLICATIONS

This study contributes to understanding the moderating role of knowledge self-efficacy among head nurses in online healthcare communities. Moreover, this study provides guidelines for head nurses to become active members in knowledge sharing in OHCs. The findings of this study offer a basis for further research on knowledge sharing in the healthcare sector.

The Influence of Technostress, Learning Goal Orientation, and Perceived Team Learning Climate on Intra-Team Knowledge Sharing and Innovative Practices Among ICT-Enabled Team Members

In ICT-enabled teams, innovation involves intensive adoption of ICTs and knowledge sharing among all members rather than a few experts. However, ICTs bring not only efficiency but also technostress, which hinders knowledge sharing and innovative practices among team members. To investigate this paradox, we drew on the job demand-control (JDC) model derived from the control theory of occupational stress to construct a theoretical framework regarding the collective influence of technostress, learning goal orientation, perceived team learning climate, and intra-team knowledge sharing on the innovative practices of ICT-enabled team members. Our multiple regression analyses of 481 ICT consultants' responses show that intra-team knowledge sharing positively influenced innovative practices; perceived team learning climate positively moderated this relationship. Further, technostress negatively influenced intra-team knowledge sharing; learning goal orientation positively influenced intra-team knowledge sharing, although the relationship demonstrated an inverted U-shape. Finally, learning goal orientation negatively moderated the relationship between technostress and intra-team knowledge sharing. Our results shed light on the paradox regarding ICT adoption, with theoretical implications for employee-driven innovation, team learning climate, intra-team knowledge sharing, learning goal orientation, and managerial practices about the design and adoption of ICT-enabled jobs.

Understanding the effect of organizational innovation environment and customer participation in virtual communities on customer creativity: A study of mediating and moderating influences

The importance of enterprises significantly improving their innovation performance by working closely with customers throughout the innovation process has been emphasized in recent literature. However, the role of organizational innovation environment in customer creativity and the impact of customer knowledge matching on the innovation environment are not sufficiently explored. Based on the Social cognitive theory and Flow theory, his investigate the factors that influence enterprise innovation performance in the context of customer participation in innovation, as well as how businesses can foster an online innovation environment that fosters customer creativity. The mixed-methods study, which combines qualitative and quantitative research, is used to create the scale item that measures the study’s main variables. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping estimation was performed on survey data collected via questionnaire from 392 consumers who participated in online service innovation in an online virtual brand community between June 2018 and May 2019. The study obtain the following main results. First, the innovative environment of customer online participation in service innovation fosters customer creativity. Second, two mediation interactions exist: creative self-efficacy and positive emotions, both of which partially mediate the relationship between customer creativity and the innovation environment. Third, while customer knowledge matching influences the intermediary effect of creative self-efficacy on innovation environment and customer creativity, it has no effect on the intermediary effect of positive emotion on innovation environment and customer creativity.

Contextualizing AMO Explanations of Knowledge Sharing in MNEs: The Role of Organizational and National Culture

Ability, motivation, and opportunity (AMO) approaches have dominated studies of knowledge sharing in multinational enterprises (MNEs). We argue that there is a need to consider both the national and organizational cultural contexts. Beyond their direct influence on knowledge sharing with colleagues in other business units (BUs), national and organizational culture significantly reinforce the positive relation between individual motivation and knowledge sharing. Thus, our multi-level approach to knowledge sharing in MNEs gives rise to a contextualized AMO approach that provides a novel and more potent understanding of variations in knowledge sharing. At the individual level, our approach includes the degree of ability in the sense of professional competence, intrinsic motivation, and opportunities to interact with colleagues in other BUs. At the organizational and country levels, we examine the direct and indirect effects of a collaborative culture on knowledge sharing. We employ data from an MNE that operates across a variety of regions, including the Nordic countries, Central and Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. The sample consists of 11,484 individuals nested in 1235 departments in 11 countries. As well as confirming the significance of individual competence, intrinsic motivation, and opportunities for interaction for knowledge sharing, our findings reveal that both organizational culture and national culture are important factors for our understanding of knowledge sharing. This suggests that over and above recruiting intrinsically motivated employees, managers can enhance knowledge sharing by developing collaborative organizational cultures at the departmental level.

Organizational learning through training effectiveness: evidence from the hospitality industry in Vietnam

Purpose

To understand the unique context forming organizational learning, the current study aims to investigate the antecedents of training and development (TD) practices as an indicator of effective organizational learning from the Vietnam hospitality sector, which has not been studied rigorously.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative data analysis, including a path analysis partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) based on a sample size of 354 responses and a semi-structured interview of 32 participants to test various paths predicting training effectiveness while exploring contextual differences in the Vietnam hospitality sector.

Findings

The results show that among the variables investigated, extrinsic motivation, team support and job quality were found to be significant to TD, while intrinsic motivation was found to have no significant predictive power. To explore the reasons behind these findings, the interviews indicate that the motivations of employees in the hospitality sector, most of whom are young and have a limited length of service, are highly rooted in the organization’s cultural context.

Originality/value

This study contributes to understanding the complex context of organizational learning through an investigation of an emerging economy from Southeast Asia by adding new insights into the training and motivational theories. It has practical implications for practitioners in the hospitality sector to develop more effective learning organizations during the uncertain period of this unprecedented pandemic.

Rewards and knowledge sharing in the CoPS development context: the moderating role of transformational leadership

Purpose

Knowledge sharing (KS) among employees is critical to successfully developing complex products and systems (CoPS) but is often hampered by employees’ low motivations. The purpose of this study is to investigate how extrinsic and intrinsic rewards influence employees’ explicit knowledge sharing (EKS) and tacit knowledge sharing (TKS) in the CoPS development context. This study also examines the moderating effects of transformational leadership on the relationships between two types of rewards and two types of KS.

Design/methodology/approach

This study builds a research model based on expectancy value theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. To test hypotheses, the authors surveyed 257 employees in CoPS projects and analyzed data with the partial least squares structural equation modeling and hierarchical linear modeling.

Findings

The results of this study demonstrate that extrinsic rewards exert no effect on EKS but negatively affect TKS, while intrinsic rewards significantly promote both EKS and TKS. Moreover, transformational leadership positively moderates the abovementioned relationships.

Originality/value

This study extends the research scenario of KS motivations and responds to the call for shedding light on contextual factors influencing KS. This study also offers a comprehensive theoretical perspective to understand KS motivations. Practically, this study provides managers with suggestions about how to use different rewards to encourage different KS practices.

Effects of organizational culture, affective commitment and trust on knowledge-sharing tendency

Purpose

Prevailing corporate culture coupled with affective trust in co-workers and affective organizational commitment may promote or hinder the tendency for people to share knowledge. This study aims to determine whether knowledge-sharing tendency varies from one form of organizational culture to another by examining the concurrent mediation of affective trust in co-workers and affective organizational commitment and provide insights for appropriate knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

Adult learners (N = 408) enrolled in the MBA and MSc postgraduate programs at five private universities in Singapore participated in a two-part self-administered anonymous survey. Data were analyzed with SmartPLS partial-least squares structural equation modeling using a two-stage analytical technique that examined the measurement and structural models.

Findings

The concurrent effects of affective trust in co-workers and affective organizational commitment complementarily mediated the relationship of organizational culture on the knowledge-sharing tendency for adhocracy, clan and market cultures but fully mediated for hierarchy culture.

Practical implications

This study provides insights for managers to understand the characteristics of their organizational culture and choose appropriate practices for improving knowledge-sharing tendency among its employees.

Originality/value

A model is established to determine the type of organizational culture that facilitates knowledge-sharing tendency. It offers new theoretical insights into how and why affective trust in co-workers and affective organizational commitment impact the relationship of organizational culture on knowledge-sharing tendency. Understanding these relationships can provide valuable insights into various strategies for different organizational cultures to increase employees’ knowledge-sharing tendency.

Self-determination theory and its predictors for sharing knowledge: a critical review

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the impact of extrinsic, intrinsic and amotivation on an individual’s knowledge-sharing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reviewed the literature on self-determination theory (SDT) as an applied predictor of knowledge-sharing behavior, and documented the extent to which SDT conceptual framework components have been studied in relation to predict knowledge sharing.

Findings

Building from SDT and its sub-theories, this study uncovers a gap in the knowledge-sharing literature as the continuum of the SDT framework has yet to fully be applied to knowledge-sharing behavior.

Originality/value

Contributing to the literature on knowledge management and knowledge sharing, this study is the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, of its kind to apply Deci and Ryan’s self-determination continuum, in its entirety, to a knowledge-sharing conceptual framework. The authors thereby address the potential impact of amotivation on an individual’s knowledge-sharing behavior.

Exploring the longitudinal effects of emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence on knowledge management processes

Managing knowledge has become a new reality for multinational corporations (MNCs). Previous studies in the management field have closely examined personality traits as stable dispositional constructs over time, but they oversighted the possibilities that seemingly stable traits are likely to have different effects on outcomes in varying time waves. Combining horizontal and longitudinal surveys, this study collected two-wave datasets of 216 employees from MNCs, and built Fixed, Continuous and Interacting Models to investigate the effects of individual emotional intelligence (EI) and cultural intelligence (CI) as key traits on the processes of organizational knowledge management (KM) over time. This study discovered the fixed, continuous and interacting roles of EI and CI in KM processes at different times, and it also concluded that the traditional assumption of conceptualizing the effects of dispositional variables as fixed should be re-examined. The findings provided empirical and statistical evidence for future research as well as management suggestions for MNCs implementing KM practices.

The Directional Knowledge Sharing Paradigm: A Mixed-Methods Case Study of the Interaction Between Organisational Culture and Intra-Organisational Knowledge Sharing

A partially mixed-methods case study in a Fortune 50 technology company was conducted to delineate the interaction between organisational culture (OC) types (competitive, bureaucratic and clan) and intra-organisational knowledge sharing (KS). This study provided empirical evidence that show differences in KS horizontally (peer-to-peer) and vertically (between direct-report and manager) within an organisation. By focussing on “socialization” adopted from the organisational knowledge creation theory, the iceberg theory and the competing values framework, we addressed an unexamined area within the body of knowledge. Survey data of 82 employees and interview data of 23 employees were analysed. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to analyse the quantitative survey data. The qualitative interview data were analysed through content analysis. A triangulation design was then followed to merge the data through an equivalent status ([Formula: see text]) interpretation to derive meta-inferences. MANCOVA displayed a statistically significant interaction between OC and KS via socialisation. The triangulated results showed that OC types distinctly impacted KS via socialisation with differences between seeking, contributing and the direction of knowledge flow (vertical and horizontal). The empirical evidence shows that organisations must consider the direction of knowledge flow (vertical or horizontal) when enforcing cultural values to drive KS via socialisation. Similarly, researchers should not ignore the directional knowledge sharing paradigm, nor the organisational knowledge creation theory, when examining intra-organisational KS.

Factors affecting online knowledge sharing and its effect on academic performance

Purpose

This study aims to explore the factors that affect online knowledge sharing among the scientific performance of academics at the University of Mosul, Republic of Iraq.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected by using a random sample by means of an electronic questionnaire distributed to 211 academics at the University of Mosul via online platforms. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses using AMOS 24 software.

Findings

The results showed that collaboration, perceived flexibility and willingness to share had a significant effect on online knowledge sharing behavior and that which in turn had an effect on the academic performance of respondents, while the results showed no influence of knowledge self-efficacy and communication on the behavior of online knowledge sharing.

Research limitations/implications

In this research, the effects of five factors on online knowledge sharing behavior were studied, in addition to the effect of the latter on academic performance. The research did not study the effect of the participants’ personal characteristics on the behavior of knowledge sharing online, which could be an area of future investigation. The study was limited to online knowledge sharing for academics working in public universities, and the authors suggest conducting a future study from the perspective of medical staff working in hospitals and its impact on their performance.

Practical implications

Based on the findings of the current study, this study suggests that the academic staff at the University of Mosul and similar universities pay attention to scientific cooperation between researchers and teaching staff, by creating online groups to carry out joint research projects that contribute to sharing knowledge among participants through social media in general and scientific platforms in particular. Establishing a scientific research portal could serve this well for example.

Originality/value

Most previous studies have focused on areas related to knowledge sharing in higher education institutions from the traditional perspective and therefore studies that examine the factors affecting online knowledge sharing among academics are limited, so this study fills this gap. This paper focuses on identifying the scientific benefits for academics through knowledge exchange and the use of electronic platforms at the University of Mosul. The study is expected to contribute to enhance the exchange of knowledge online between academics in similar universities in Asia and Africa due to the convergence of cultures and the nature of the work of these universities, as well as the possibility of generalization due to the research’s use of the deductive method.

Motivations to share knowledge in professional service teams: the moderating role of project stage

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of three-perspective motivations including task interdependence, normative conformity, affective bonding on team knowledge sharing (KS) and the moderating effects of project stage on the proposed model paths.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative method was applied through surveying senior auditors representing 263 audit teams in Vietnam.

Findings

Findings show that task interdependence has salient effect on team KS. Normative conformity and affective bonding become more important when projects move to later stages where knowledge shared is more tacit and the team involves more social interactions.

Research limitations/implications

This study puts forth the limitations related to the study scope of financial statement auditing teams that may influence the generalization.

Practical implications

This study recommends auditing managers to be aware of diverse motivations for team KS and their increasingly important role in specific project stages.

Originality/value

The novelty of the research is to integrate three knowledge-sharing motivations based on economics, social and psychological perspectives and to affirm the dynamic nature of KS within team projects.

Metamotivation in people diagnosed with schizophrenia: A conceptual introduction and qualitative study

Negative symptoms, such as avolition, are considered to be some of the most debilitating symptoms of schizophrenia, yet the mechanisms that contribute to their formation and persistence are poorly understood. In this article, we introduce a novel concept, metamotivation, as having potential implications for avolition, a core negative symptom. Metamotivation is defined as the ability to identify, monitor, and self-regulate motivation in service of goal attainment. In order to explore the potential applicability of metamotivation to schizophrenia spectrum populations, qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were thematically analyzed from 21 people diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Four core themes emerged from the analysis: motivation as unmalleable, motivation as self- regulated primarily through rewards and/or a focus on task outcome, motivation as effortless actions, and motivation as a pleasurable feeling. We discuss these findings with respect to potential inadequacies/errors in motivational knowledge that may occur in people with schizophrenia, which may in turn be implicated in the development and maintenance of avolition. We conclude that metamotivation is a valuable concept for understanding schizophrenia with important research and clinical implications.

Motivated to share? Development and validation of a domain-specific scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives

Purpose

This paper aims to develop and validate a scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives at work. It is aimed to construct a scale which is explicitly different from knowledge-sharing behavior and to develop a comprehensive and domain-specific scale for this special kind of work motivation.

Design/methodology/approach

The constructed scale was tested in two studies. Survey data (n = 355) were used to perform an exploratory factor analysis. Results were further tested on survey data from the core public sector (n = 314) and the health sector (n = 315). A confirmatory factor analysis confirms the results in both samples. The developed scale was further validated internally and externally.

Findings

The analysis underlines that knowledge-sharing motivation and knowledge-sharing behavior are different constructs. The data suggest three dimensions of knowledge-sharing motives: appreciation, growth and altruism and tangible rewards. While it is suggested that the developed scale works in the public as well as the private sector context, it is found that knowledge sharing of public employees is merely driven by “growth and altruism” and “appreciation of coworkers.”

Originality/value

No comprehensive and reproducible scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives, which is different from behavior and domain-specific as well, was available in the literature. Therefore, such a scale has been constructed in this study. Furthermore, this study uses samples from different organizational sectors to deepen the understanding of knowledge sharing in context.

The mediating role of prosocial motivation in the context of knowledge sharing and self-determination theory

Purpose

This paper aims to determine whether prosocial motivation acts as a mediator between the individual motivation types of self-determination theory and knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

A partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) based on data collection (N = 303) ) was calculated, using “Smart PLS 3” software.

Findings

In respect of the influence of individual motivation types on knowledge sharing, it was found that prosocial motivation provides indirect mediation for external motivation and complementary mediation for introjected motivation, whereas it has no mediation effect on intrinsic and identified motivation.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should consider the use of prosocial motivation as a mediator to reveal indirect effects that, otherwise, are at risk of remaining hidden.

Practical implications

To foster knowledge sharing within organizations, measures should be taken to increase external, introjected and prosocial motivation, as it was found that these types of motivation have a significant positive impact on knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

The current unanswered question – whether or not prosocial motivation acts as a mediator between the motivation types of self-determination theory and knowledge sharing – is examined, thereby providing insights into the hitherto largely unexplored role of prosocial motivation in knowledge-sharing models.

A framework for knowledge sharing in the art world in Zimbabwe

Knowledge sharing is a key facilitator of access and use of conventional knowledge in art mediation during engagement processes in the production, distribution and consumption of legitimate artworks in the art world. This study sought to ascertain the dynamics of knowledge sharing during artistic engagements in indigenous communities of practice. The study followed a phenomenology of practice research strategy. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, observations and document analysis. The data sources were purposively sampled using the maximum variation method. The main findings were that actants in indigenous communities of practice were artists, art collectors, art critics, art dealers, the art market, formal training institutions, cultural institutions and material suppliers. Knowledge sharing interactions took place during trainee mentorship and artists’ collaborative engagements through one-on-one consultations at the socialisation stage; advertising and marketing, branding, public presentations, participation in residency programmes, social networking, sculpting, teaching engagements, running workshops and compiling art reviews at the externalisation stage; art criticism, curatorship and mounting exhibitions during the combination stage and experimentation, model imitation and simulation activities at the internalisation stage. Recommendations are that the indigenous communities of practice should devise knowledge sharing strategies using the knowledge sharing framework developed in this research.

Exploring the Relationship Between Learning Goal Orientation and Knowledge-Sharing Among Information Communication Technology Consultants: The Role of Incentive Schemes

Knowledge sharing (KS) is critical for consulting companies to develop sustainable competitive advantages. While the importance of KS in the information communication technology (ICT) sector has been proved, the assumed linear relationships in KS mechanisms are confronted with KS dilemmas: consultants' intention to maximize personal gains from KS resulting in restrained KS efforts, for fear of losing value after sharing knowledge with colleagues. Drawing on motivation theory and goal orientation perspective, this study examines the roles of learning goal orientation (LGO) and incentive schemes in KS among ICT consultants. The multiple regression analyses of 389 consultants' responses from 14 Chinese and 8 Korean ICT consulting companies demonstrated an inverted U-shape relationship between LGO and knowledge sharing; incentive schemes moderate this relationship. The findings shed light on the knowledge-sharing dilemma, with theoretical implications to research regarding goal-orientation, knowledge sharing, and managerial practices about the motivation and incentives of ICT consultants.

Knowledge hiding in organizational crisis: The moderating role of leadership

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused organizational crises leading to shutdowns, mergers, downsizing or restructuring to minimize survival costs. In such organizational crises, employees tend to experience a loss or lack of resources, and they are more likely to engage in knowledge hiding to maintain their resources and competitive advantage. Knowledge hiding has often caused significant adverse consequences, and the research on knowledge hiding is limited. Drawing upon the Conservation of Resources and Transformational Leadership theories, a conceptual framework was developed to examine knowledge hiding behavior and its antecedents and consequences. We collected data from 281 Vietnamese employees working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show that role conflict, job insecurity, and cynicism positively impact knowledge hiding behavior. Knowledge hiding behavior negatively affects job performance and mediates the antecedents of knowledge hiding on job performance. Transformational leadership moderated the impact of role conflict on knowledge hiding.

The Effects of Employees' Perceived Intrinsic Motivation on Knowledge Sharing and Creative Self-Efficacy

Knowledge sharing is the major driving force to maintain enterprises’ competitiveness. This study extends the current knowledge-sharing research by considering knowledge sharing as comprising four types: automatic response, rational reflection, ridiculed reflection, and deprived reflection, based on Kahneman’s (2011) types of system thinking. Drawing on the motivation-action-outcome model, this study explored how individuals’ intrinsic motivation can guide the action of knowledge sharing and reflect the outcome of creative self-efficacy in intelligent transportation jobs. By snowball sampling in intelligent transportation companies, a total of 232 effective questionnaires were collected, and confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling was performed. The research results showed that: intrinsic motivation was positively related to the four types of knowledge sharing tendencies; automatic response was not significantly related to creative self-efficacy; rational reflection was positively associated with creative self-efficacy; but ridiculed and deprived reflection were negatively related to creative self-efficacy. These results can be applied to encourage employees to practice rational reflection in knowledge sharing to enhance their creative self-efficacy in intelligent transportation jobs.

The onlinezation influence on knowledge sharing for corporate innovation during the CoViD crisis

The article describes the study of the influence of shock onlinezation caused by the CoViD‐19 quarantine on the knowledge management performance and effectiveness in organizations. The methodology of the study is based on a set of multiple linear regression equations linking together the onlinezation, knowledge management parameters, problem‐solving and financial performance. The results of the study allow developing a set of practical recommendations regarding the development of knowledge management systems in organizations under the onlinezation context, with a special accent to solving technical and/or marketing uncertainty‐related problems with architectural or modular innovations.

Investigating the moderating effect of humble leadership behaviour on motivational factors and knowledge-sharing intentions: evidence from Jordanian public organisations

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the moderating effect of humble leadership on the relationship between different intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors and employee’s knowledge-sharing intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Responses of 236 employees in public organisations in the country of Jordan were collected via the completion of an online survey. The study data was analysed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

This study found that humble leadership support positively moderated the effect of intrinsic motivational factors (i.e. self-efficacy and enjoyment) on KS intention, while such leadership does not moderate the relationship between extrinsic motivational factors (i.e. rewards and reciprocity) and KS intention.

Originality/value

This study increases the understating of the conditions under which employees’ knowledge-share by exploring the moderating effect of humble leadership behaviour on motivational factors and KS intention in public organisations, particularly in the context of a developing country.

Antecedents of Knowledge Hiding and Their Impact on Organizational Performance

Research on knowledge management has rapidly increased in the last decade, leaving a huge gap on how, why, and what triggers knowledge hiding in inter-organizational setups. Furthermore, the fostering factors for knowledge sharing have also remained unexplored because the employees in an organization are unwilling to share their knowledge with others for several reasons. The current study has attempted to explore the reasons that make employees hide their knowledge from other employees in order to excel. The individual factors considered in this study that make employees hide their knowledge are the lack of rewards for knowledge sharing, internal competition, and psychological entitlement. Furthermore, the interesting consequent factor of knowledge hiding in this study was found to be significant. The moderating role of employees’ social status has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between knowledge-hiding behavior and organizational performance. The population of the study was the managerial employees of financial institutions of China and the sample size taken in his study was 446 via convenient sampling technique. The independent factors in this study found significant results of knowledge-hiding behavior, thus approving the mediating role of knowledge hiding in the organizational performance of the financial institutions of China. The software used in this study for the data analysis was smart PLS and the technique used was partial least square SEM for the measurement of the hypothesis of the study. The study’s findings also have certain implications for policymaking in financial institutions that may hinder knowledge hiding practices and support the uninterrupted flow of knowledge among employees.

Knowledge Sharing Enablers in Small Business Networks

In an increasingly knowledge-based global economy, social capital and knowledge sharing, particularly amongst small business, have become critical sources of competitive advantage, but how can such knowledge sharing be enabled? The objective of this research was to explore the effect of knowledge sharing enablers on knowledge sharing in female small business networks. This research addresses the call for research into the antecedents of social capital. Specifically, Trust, Social Identity, Social Media Usage and Shared Goals were included in the conceptual model for the study. Together these social capital enablers were found to be significant predictors of knowledge sharing behaviour although unique contributions varied. The research contributes to the growing body of literature on the dimensions of social capital and how they affect knowledge management, and is of use to practitioners involved in supporting female entrepreneurial networks.

Towards Sustainable Knowledge Sharing Practices: An Analysis of Organizational Level Enablers

Sustainable management activities focus on creating efficiencies and value for organizations. Scholars advocate that evaluating and enabling appropriate management interventions can pave the way for future competitive advantage and sustainability. Knowledge management is regarded as a key organizational resource and a means of gaining a sustainable competitive advantage. This is especially important in high-tech service organizations, which are under increasing pressure to capture, process and share knowledge efficiently. While much work has been conducted to advance our knowledge on good practices, there is a dearth of empirical evidence relating to organizational level enablers for knowledge sharing. We advocate that creating the conditions conducive to knowledge sharing influences an organization’s ability to sustain a long-term competitive advantage. Therefore, this current study extends the literature on knowledge management by exploring the questions of whether and how key organizational factors impact knowledge sharing, focusing on the role of trust, communication, reward systems and leadership. To do this, we analyzed prior work and generated hypotheses relating to relevant enablers. We then operationalized these constructs via a structured data collection instrument, which consisted of 27 measurable items. Empirical data were collected from 104 team members in a high-tech service organization in Ireland. Data were analyzed using a quantitative approach, and descriptive statistics, correlations and regression analyses are presented. Our research offers a persuasive body of evidence supporting the notion that trust, communication, reward systems, and leadership strongly impact knowledge sharing in organizations. Specifically, the findings reveal that employees are more willing to share their personal knowledge with those they trust, and carefully designed communication systems can enable knowledge sharing. Reward systems play an important role in affecting employees’ motivation to share knowledge, while empowering leadership and participatory leadership are two main drivers in promoting knowledge sharing. This research addresses a relatively unexplored area, has implications for sustainable management practices relating to organizational design and provides ideas for future research studies.

Give and take? Knowledge exchange between older and younger employees as a function of generativity and development striving

Purpose

Knowledge exchange between older and younger employees enhances the collective memory of an organization and therefore contributes to its business success. The purpose of this paper is to take a motivational perspective to better understand why older and younger employees share and receive knowledge with and from each other. Specifically, this study focuses on generativity striving – the motivation to teach, train and guide others – as well as development striving – the motivation to grow, increase competence and master something new – and argues that both motives need to be considered to fully understand intergenerational knowledge exchange.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper takes a dyadic approach to disentangle how older employees’ knowledge sharing is linked to their younger colleagues’ knowledge receiving and vice versa. The study applied an actor-partner interdependence model based on survey data from 145 age-diverse coworker dyads to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Results showed that older and younger employees’ generativity striving affected their knowledge sharing, which, in turn, predicted their colleagues’ knowledge receiving. Moreover, the study found that younger employees were more likely to receive knowledge that their older colleagues shared with them when they scored higher (vs lower) on development striving.

Originality/value

By studying the age-specific dyadic cross-over between knowledge sharing and knowledge receiving, this research adds to the knowledge exchange literature. This study challenges the current age-blind view on knowledge exchange motivation and provides novel insights into the interplay of motivational forces involved in knowledge exchange between older and younger employees.

Motivational factors promoting knowledge sharing in the non-profit sector in Thailand

This study aims to investigate how organizational design – especially culture, employee intentions, intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors, and processes – promotes knowledge sharing in the non-profit context. The research used a quantitative analysis with data from a sample of 213 non-profit organizations. The sample organizations were from diverse sectors operating actively in Thailand. The descriptive statistical technique and analysis of factor loading value were utilized to present the surveyed data. Based on the study findings of the descriptive statistics data, it was noted that motivational factors such as availability, value, and enjoyment in helping the colleagues via sharing the knowledge were remarkably associated with organizational knowledge sharing. Furthermore, the results revealed that sub-factors of knowledge sharing culture, intentions, and processes were more extraordinary for enhancing knowledge management activities. On the other hand, extrinsic motivational factors – mainly, expected organizational rewards such as bonus, salary, job security, and promotion opportunities – were not significantly promoted knowledge sharing. This study supports the non-profit organization's leaders and managers finding ways to boost motivational factors to promote knowledge sharing. Moreover, the study provides empirical insight into the knowledge management-non-profit organizations research domain, which links knowledge sharing and organizational design in the non-profit environment.

Motivation in organisational online knowledge sharing

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the influence of intrinsic motives (self-efficacy, reputation and reciprocity) on online knowledge sharing behaviour. Additionally, this research investigates the moderating role of individual innovation capability and top management support.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted was a questionnaire survey of employees working in Vietnamese telecommunications companies. A total of 501 employees completed a self-administered anonymous survey using a cross-sectional design. Confirmatory factor analysis and ordinary least squared – based hierarchical regression was used to test the conceptual framework.

Findings

Self-efficacy, reputation and reciprocity significantly impact online knowledge sharing behaviour. Specifically, self-efficacy has an inverted U-shape association while reputation and reciprocity have a positively, returns-to-scale association with online knowledge sharing behaviour. Individual innovation capability moderates the effect on these associations as does top management support, but to a lesser extent.

Research limitations/implications

Data were obtained at a single point in time and self-reported. Furthermore, this study was conducted in a specific industry in Vietnam, i.e. telecommunications, which limits the generalisability of the research.

Practical implications

Organisations need to create a favourable environment for online knowledge sharing to foster reciprocal relationships and interpersonal interactions of employees. Encouraging and rewarding employees to actively engage in knowledge exchange will help facilitate reciprocal online knowledge sharing behaviour.

Originality/value

This study contributes to knowledge-sharing behaviour by uncovering an inverted U-shape association and positively, returns-to-scale associations between intrinsic antecedents and online knowledge sharing behaviour. Additionally, individual innovation capability was an important moderator which has been overlooked in past research.

Leadership styles and employee knowledge sharing: Exploring the mediating role of introjected motivation

Drawing on Social Exchange Theory and Self-Determination Theory, this study examines the impact of three leadership styles (ethical, transformational, and passive avoidant) on employee knowledge sharing. Further, this study explores the mediating effect of introjected motivation in the relationship between three leadership styles and employee knowledge sharing. Using time lag data this study employed a sample of 254 faculty members of public sector universities in Pakistan. Results supported the positive relationship between three styles of leadership and employee knowledge sharing. Moreover, our findings confirmed the mediating role of introjected motivation in the relationship between three leadership styles and employee knowledge sharing. Our study is unique, as it simultaneously examines how various styles of leadership predict introjected motivation and employee knowledge sharing. Implications along with limitations and future research directions are discussed.

From “personal” to “interpersonal”: a multilevel approach to uncovering the relationship between job satisfaction and knowledge sharing among IT professionals

Purpose

This study aims to examine how job satisfaction (JS) affects two types of knowledge sharing (KS), in-role KS and extra-role KS. It also investigates the mediating effect of knowledge sharing self-efficacy (KSSE) and the moderating effect of team collaborative culture (TCC) between JS and two types of KS.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies attribution theory to develop a cross-level model and validate it through paired data collected from 322 information technology professionals nested within 80 teams. Hierarchical linear modeling is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

JS positively influences in-role and extra-role KS via KSSE and TCC positively moderates the relationship between JS and extra-role KS.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to investigate the mechanism underlying the influence of JS on two types of KS. It also identifies the mediating and moderating effects of this mechanism.

The family’s effect on knowledge sharing in family firms

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to understand how the family system plays a role in knowledge sharing (KS) within family firms. The authors argue that the family’s influence can occur through two routes. An external route in which the family affects the culture of the organization and through an internal route in which family leadership within the firm affects the practices and behaviors within the business.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for this project came from the survey responses of 93 Spanish family firms.

Findings

The findings expand previous understanding about KS in family firms by outlining the two routes through which the family can have positive effect on KS within family firms. Results show that family system characteristics (i.e. next-generation commitment, family trust and intergenerational relationships) affect KS through their impact on the participative culture of a family firm. Additionally, when a family has been in control of the business for more generations, they place higher importance on family legacy and continuity, which is likely to strengthen the relationship between participative culture and KS in family firms.

Originality/value

Given the important role that the family system plays within the family business, this paper explored how family characteristics can influence KS in family firms. The authors contribute to the literature by highlighting the importance that the owning family can have in creating an environment that can facilitate KS in family firms.

Determinants of role-incongruent knowledge transfer behavior of apprentices and trainers in the context of the German apprenticeship system

What motivates individuals to engage in role-incongruent knowledge transfer? Drawing on role congruity theory, we characterize role-incongruent (“reverse”) knowledge transfer as being based on an incongruity of the functional and social roles of the actors. Further integrating status characteristics theory and relational demography, we propose affect- and cognition-based trust as well as age as determinants of individuals’ engaging in such reverse knowledge transfer. In so doing, we distinguish between the social roles of trainers and apprentices, as these social roles carry implications for which behaviors are regarded as role-congruent or -incongruent. We test the resulting conceptual framework based on individual-level data from 442 participants (338 apprentices and 104 trainers) in multiple organizations within the context of vocational education training. The results largely support our hypotheses: For trainers, affect-based trust in apprentices and own age are positively associated with role-incongruent knowledge seeking, and the latter relationship is positively moderated by apprentice age. For apprentices, affect based trust is positively and cognition-based trust is negatively related to their role-incongruent knowledge sharing, but age has no significant effect. Finally, supplementary analyses document that the antecedents of reverse knowledge transfer differ from those factors that are significantly related to role-congruent knowledge exchange.