Developing Organizational Transactive Memory Systems: The Impact of the Costs of Reciprocity

Abstract

Prior research has focused on how reciprocity can incentivize cooperative behavior among individuals. However, this paper argues that there are costs of reciprocity which so far have been widely neglected but which can have an adverse impact on intra-organizational knowledge collaboration. Potential knowledge seekers may hesitate to ask for help if they perceive the costs of reciprocity to be high. This can substantially impede the development of organizational transactive memory systems. Using a unique dataset of 212 German companies, we find that the costs of reciprocity indeed restrict the development of organizational transactive memory systems. Organizations can counter this adverse effect: Formalization of procedures for knowledge collaboration and organizational slack resources moderate the negative effect of reciprocity on the development of organizational transactive memory systems. An IT supported knowledge management system, however, shows no effect.