Breaking down barriers: exploring the impact of social capital on knowledge sharing and transfer in the workplace

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed formidable challenges to economic mobility and corporate expansion. Among these challenges is its pronounced effect on knowledge innovation, a cornerstone upon which many organizations depend. To re-establish the flow of internal knowledge, organizations are compelled to refine their knowledge management strategies and amplify employees’ motivation and eagerness to share and transfer information. This study delves into the influence of knowledge management processes on employees’ knowledge-sharing and transfer behaviors, viewed through the lens of the social exchange theory. It also probes the role of social capital in fostering and augmenting employees’ involvement in refining these processes. Data was gleaned from 30 information service firms in mainland China, resulting in 483 valid responses. Our findings highlight that both relational and structural forms of social capital positively influence the knowledge management processes, subsequently enhancing employees’ knowledge-sharing and transfer behaviors.