Organizational Conditions associated with the sharing of Tacit and Explicit Knowledge in the financial sector in Colombia

Abstract

Knowledge sharing is understood as the social interaction through which individuals exchange their tacit and explicit knowledge with others. Tacit knowledge is difficult to formalize, transfer and communicate to other individuals, and it is a result of experience, talent, and reflections of individuals. Conversely, explicit knowledge is formalized, codified, and easier to transmit. The focus of this study was on four organizational conditions associated with knowledge sharing: culture, training, strategic clarity, and information technology support. Although the relationship between organizational conditions and knowledge sharing has been investigated, there are few studies about whether organizational conditions impact tacit and explicit knowledge sharing differently. In this research, 270 participants were surveyed, belonging to companies in the financial sector in Colombia. It was found that explicit knowledge had a significant positive relationship with strategic clarity, organizational culture, training, and information technology support. On the other hand, tacit knowledge correlated significantly only with organizational culture, and it was not related to strategic clarity, training, and information technology support. Additional research on information and communication technologies that facilitate the sharing of tacit knowledge is recommended, as well as exploration of other types of administrative support besides technology. Studies are also suggested on which elements of the strategy can be considered explicit and which are tacit, and the mechanisms to facilitate their successful sharing.