Knowledge sharing intention at Malaysian higher learning institutions: The academics’ viewpoint

Muhammad Ashraf Fauzi ,Christine Nya-Ling Tan ,T Ramayah

doi:10.34105/j.kmel.2018.10.011

Muhammad Ashraf Fauzi , Christine Nya-Ling Tan + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2018.10.011

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Abstract

Knowledge sharing (KS) is a culture that has been fostered and supported in higher learning institutions (HLIs) in Malaysian. This research applies Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Social Capital Theory (SCT) to determine the factors associated with Malaysian academic's KS intention in HLIs. The results indicate that social networking is an important factor of academics’ attitude to KS, while commitment and trust do not influence their attitude to KS. Using social media is found to be a significant factor of perceived behavioral control towards KS. Further, academics’ attitude to KS and perceived behavioral control towards KS are found to be significant determinants of their KS intention, while management support for subjective norm of KS is not significant for KS intention.

Highlights

In higher learning institutions (HLI), knowledge management (KM) is important in creating, acquiring, disseminating and leveraging knowledge for attaining competitive advantage and the institution’s objectives (Nicolas, 2004; Suhaimee, Zaki, Bakar, & Alias, 2006)
Items for commitment are taken from Allen and Meyer (1990), social network are from Kim and Lee (2006), trust are from Mcallister (1995), management support items are from Sveiby and Simons (2002), social media are from Thong, Hong, and Tam (2002), attitude, subjective norm and intention come from Bock, Zmud, Kim, and Lee (2005) while items for perceived behavioral control are taken from Wu and Chen (2005). 7-point Likert scale is applied in this study
This study has shed some light on the knowledge sharing (KS) intention of academics in a Malaysian HLI

Summary

Introduction

In higher learning institutions (HLI), knowledge management (KM) is important in creating, acquiring, disseminating and leveraging knowledge for attaining competitive advantage and the institution’s objectives (Nicolas, 2004; Suhaimee, Zaki, Bakar, & Alias, 2006). Among the elements of KM, knowledge sharing (KS) is regarded as the most important (Yu, Lu, & Liu, 2010). Academics are the pillars of KS, constantly disseminate knowledge to their students and peers in HLIs. Knowledge in HLIs is intensive because it is created from new research and studies and is further documented in publications (Fullwood, Rowley, & Delbridge, 2013). In HLIs, the problem of KS is that some academics are reluctant to share their research findings which may be useful for various issues and contexts. This study aims to identify the determinants of academics’ KS intention including individual (i.e. commitment, social network and trust), organizational (i.e. management support) and technological factors (i.e. social media)

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