The Effects of Intergenerational Harmony on Middle Aged Worker’s Knowledge Sharing Behavior

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the positive effect of middle-aged workers’ perception of generational harmony, based on the importance of organization-specialized knowledge accumulated during long tenure and recently raising generational conflict issue. In order to derive implications for the knowledge industry, the focus was on the impact on knowledge-sharing behavior, and the technical context middle-aged workers faces and individual differences faced were also tested to reveal interactional effects on knowledge-sharing behavior. Specifically, the moderating effect of ICT stress and goal orientation experienced by middle-aged workers was examined. To test the research model, data were collected from 284 middle-aged workers in their 40s or older working in various domestic organizations, and the collected data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. As a result of the study, it was found that the perception of generational harmony among middle-aged workers had a positive effect on knowledge sharing behavior. The moderating effect of ICT stress was also significant. The moderating effect of the mastery goal orientation was also found to be significant, but the pattern was different from that hypothesized in this study. This study suggests that the organization needs to explore the generational conflict problem and come up with a solution by clarifying the relationship between generational harmony and job behavior. Also, based on the research results, the theoretical significance and practical implications of this study are discussed, and limitations and future research tasks are presented.