A cultural contingency model of knowledge sharing and job performance

Abstract

Drawing from the knowledge management literature, we developed and tested a nomological network related to knowledge sharing – i.e., knowledge seeking and knowledge providing using knowledge management systems. We investigated the effect of cultural contingencies on the prediction of both knowledge seeking and knowledge providing. In addition, we examined the effect of knowledge sharing using a KMS on employee job performance. We conducted a study using a field survey of 224 employees in an organization in the People’s Republic of China and United States. We found that sensitivity to image and sensitivity to organizational incentives influenced both knowledge seeking and knowledge providing, and the effect was varied across individuals with different cultural values. For example, our findings suggested that the negative relationship between sensitivity to image and knowledge seeking was stronger for individuals with collectivistic values than for those with individualistic values. We also found that both knowledge seeking and knowledge providing led to better job performance.