Knowledge Sharing Barriers in Bulgarian Companies – an Empirical Study

Abstract

Knowledge sharing, although a key process for achieving business success and competitive advantage, does not always run smoothly. A number of factors, also called knowledge sharing barriers, hinder this process. They are extremely diverse and sometimes hard to find. The manifestation of knowledge sharing barriers is highly dependent on the context and in each organisation they manifest in a different way depending on the individual characteristics of the employees, the organisational structure and culture, the relevance and adequacy of the information and communication technologies used, etc. They cannot be completely overcome or eliminated, but their negative impact on knowledge sharing can be mitigated or minimised. The aim of the present study is to identify and rank knowledge sharing barriers in Bulgarian companies based on a literature review and conducting an empirical study. The research revealed three main barriers to knowledge sharing – lack of time, inadequate organisational culture and lack of trust. At the same time, some of the most frequently discussed barriers to knowledge sharing in the literature were not highly rated by respondents. The results of the research can serve business management as a guide in building a knowledge management system and an environment in which people will be able to freely share their knowledge.