Knowledge-sharing Process Research Articles

Understanding the relationship between ICT and knowledge sharing using structural equation modeling: A study from Indian milk co-operatives

The objective of this paper is to find out the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) and knowledge sharing process (KS) in Indian Milk Co-operatives. This study uses a quantitative approach as an instrument to collect data from the questionnaire. A total of 114 samples were collected from two different milk co-operatives in India. The data obtained was analyzed and tested the hypothesis by using Structural equation modeling (SEM). The result shows that ICT has a significant influence on knowledge sharing in respondent milk co-operatives. The results of the study can serve as a guide to managers of the co-operatives in designing and ascertain the direction of ICT for effective knowledge sharing practices.

Determinants of radical and incremental innovation: the influence of transformational leadership, knowledge sharing and knowledge-centered culture

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of transformational leadership (TL) on radical and incremental innovation through the mediating roles of knowledge sharing (KS) behaviors. This study also attempts to bring deeper insight of the correlation among the latent factors by examining how knowledge-centered culture (KCC) moderates the effects of TL on KS behaviors and innovation capability.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducts a questionnaire survey and Structural Equation Modeling to test the proposal research model based on a sample of 321 participants in 85 service and manufacturing firms.FindingsThe results revealed that KS behaviors significantly mediate the relationship between TL and two types of innovation. Specifically, knowledge collecting has more significant effect on incremental innovation compared with influence of knowledge donating. By contrast, knowledge donating has a greater effect on radical innovation compared with effect of knowledge collecting. The paper also highlights the important role of KCC in enhancing the effects of TL on KS activities and innovation capabilities.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has highlighted the important role of KCC as it positively moderates the influences of TL on KS and innovation capability.Practical implicationsThe study provides evidence that TL style is the main driving force of KS processes. Managers should prioritize practicing this leadership style to improve employees' KS behaviors and firm's innovation capability.Originality/valueThe study significantly fills the gaps in the literature that emphasizes how KS behaviors induce different impacts on specific aspects of innovation capability. By exploring the moderator of KCC, the paper significantly contributes to advancing the understanding of how transformational leaders foster employees' KS behaviors for improving radical and incremental innovation.

Designing Knowledge Sharing System for Statistical Activities in BPS—Statistics Indonesia

Statistics of Indonesia’s (BPS) performance are not optimal since there is a lack of integration among business processes. This has resulted in unsynchronized data, unstandardized business processes, and inefficient IT investment. To encourage more qualified and integrated business processes, BPS should optimize the knowledge sharing process (KSP) among government employees in statistical areas. This study designed a Knowledge Sharing System (KSS) to facilitate KSP in BPS towards knowledge sharing improvement. The KSS manifested a hypothesis that the design of qualified knowledge management can facilitate an organization to overcome the lack of integration among business processes. Hence, BPS can avoid repetitive mistakes, improve work efficiency, and reduce the risk of failure. This study generated a business process-oriented KSS by combining soft system methodology with the B-KIDE (Business process-oriented Knowledge Infrastructure Development) Framework. It delivered research artifacts (a rich picture, CATWOE analysis (costumer, actor, transformation, weltanschauung, owner, environment), and conceptual model) to capture eight mechanisms of knowledge, map them into the knowledge process, and define the applicable technology. The KSS model has perceived a score of 0.40 using the Kappa formula that indicates the stakeholders’ acceptance. Therefore, BPS can leverage a qualified KSS towards the integrated business processes statistically while the hypothesis was accepted.

Споделеното знание като част от отворената наука (Sharing Knowledge as a Part of Open Sciencе)

Bulgarian Abstract: Настоящата разработка се опитва да разгледа споделянето на знание, като част от движението за Отворена наука. Прави опит за кратък анализ на историческото му развитие и възможностите за съвременна реализация на идеята за отворена наука. Разглежда процеса на споделяне на знание, като елемент на утвърждаване на научните разработки и част от общественото развитие. Търси отговор на създадените национални и други ограничения при споделянето на знание, както и значението му при ограничаване на споделянето. English Abstract: Тhis article is trying to focus on knowledge-sharing as part of the Open Science movement, to attempt a brief analysis of its historical development and the possibilities for modern realization of the idea of Open Science. Examines the knowledge-sharing process as an element of promoting scientific researches and part of the public development. Also seeks an answer to the created national and other restrictions on knowledge sharing, as well as its importance in limiting the sharing process.

Knowledge sharing as a give-and-take practice: the role of the knowledge receiver in the knowledge-sharing process

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate whether openness to receive and openness to share knowledge drive employees to share knowledge with colleagues in the workplace. The authors also investigate what, if any, influence knowledge sharing has on performance at both individual and work unit levels.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 237 employees from eight banks in Kuwait. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe knowledge receiver’s openness to receive and openness to share knowledge influence the provider’s knowledge-sharing behavior. The latter positively affects the provider’s job performance and the work unit’s innovation performance. Furthermore, knowledge utilization strengthens knowledge sharing’s positive effect on work unit innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study are industry and country specific and, therefore, would likely not be applicable to other settings. Thus, similar future research targeting different industries and/or countries is warranted. As a cross-sectional study, this research can also benefit from subsequent longitudinal studies.Practical implicationsOrganizations should create a culture conducive to sharing knowledge. For example, managers should assure employees that knowledge shared with coworkers will be well received and utilized, remove barriers to new knowledge utilization and create awareness among employees that sharing knowledge benefits knowledge providers as well as knowledge providers.Originality/valueThe authors provide evidence of how the knowledge receiver’s openness to receive and to share knowledge affect the provider’s knowledge sharing. The authors also provide insights into how knowledge sharing drives job performance and innovation.

Marius Schneider/Vanessa Ferguson: Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa

The authors of ‘Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa’, Marius Schneider and Vanessa Ferguson, both look back on more than 20 years of practical experience in protecting and enforcing IP rights in Africa. In a 2015 article of the same name, they already concluded that the enforcement of intellectual property rights in Africa remained a complex issue, largely due to the lack of harmonization in anti-counterfeiting measures. While the two authors observed steady progress at that time, Schneider and Ferguson now see a significant acceleration in this advancement. On close to 1000 pages, this book marks nothing less than the ‘beginning of a knowledge-sharing process’, as is described in the Preface. Closing a gap in legal literature, this is the first work dedicated to providing a detailed overview of IP rights enforcement in all 54 countries of the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent. Written in plain language and...

Knowledge sharing in practice: a game-based methodology to increase farmers’ engagement in a common vision for a cheese PDO union

ABSTRACT Purpose: Knowledge Sharing (KS) is seen as a promising framework for renewing advisory systems in agriculture, but its practical application remains an important area of research. In particular, it is important to increase the motivation of farmers to participate in decision-making. Game-based support seems to be applicable to a long-term process of KS. Approach: The authors spent one year developing a methodology to help identify a common vision among multiple stakeholders in a PDO area. This area of cheese production (Fourme de Montbrison) faces important difficulties with sustainability issues and a very low degree of farmer participation. The methodology is based on game learning and incorporates three phases and six steps and is centred on two serious games. Findings: Results present an analysis of the farmers’ participation and the common vision for the future that the game-based methodology enabled us to identify. The games facilitated the farmers’ implication in collective decision-making and their continued engagement afterwards. Practical implications: the article discusses the advantages of the game-based methodology, such as involving local knowledge of farmers at all stages and encouraging their long-term engagement in collective decision-making. Theoretical implications: the article complements the existing scientific literature on KS by emphasizing the importance of long-term perspectives in a game-based learning approach. From a socio-constructivist perspective, it also highlights the potential of game-based learning to motivate farmers in collective decision-making. Originality/value: This support methodology could be a source of inspiration for extension actors facing similar development problems and the revitalization of their role as facilitators.

Motivation Differences behind Knowledge Sharing Behaviour among Instagram Food Bloggers in Bandung

Abstract. Since becoming a "pop culture" for the millennial generation in sharing information and knowledge, social media has been able to open opportunities for culinary industry players, especially restaurant owners and food bloggers, to collaborate using social media to achieve mutually beneficial goals. Food bloggers uniquely connect restaurants and consumers through culinary product reviews, categorised as knowledge sharing. However, the difference in the motivation behind the knowledge sharing process raises questions about the practice of knowledge sharing that is carried out because of monetary motivation and non-monetary motivation. Following that question, this study aims to understand the motivation behind knowledge sharing activity and sustainability carried out by food bloggers as knowledge contributors. Using the phenomenological approach and method, this research was conducted by arranging interviews with notable food blog account owners on Instagram to explore their experiences as a food blogger. The phenomenological analysis is used to reveal the essence of their experience related to motivation to become a food blogger that encourages them to share their knowledge on social media. The study conducted found that the shift from non-professionals to non-professional food bloggers was due to the trend of reviewing food and requests for cooperation from other Instagram users. On the go, no food blogger has purely monetary or non-monetary motivations. Both motivations emerge and have their respective impacts. Monetary motivation allows food bloggers to experience knowledge-sharing process and behaviour adjustments due to cooperation with restaurant owners. In contrast, non-monetary motivation enables food bloggers to carry out knowledge sharing processes and behaviours independently. Keywords: Knowledge sharing quality, monetary motivation, non-monetary motivation, food blogger, social media

The Impact of Knowledge Management Environment on Knowledge Management Effectiveness: Through Mediating Role of Knowledge Sharing Process in Branch Banking of Pakistan

South Asian Journal of Management Sciences (SAJMS) is a blind peer refereed journal published bi-annually by Iqra University. The journal recognizes growing involvement of regional issues in management sciences within the larger context of globalization and international arena.

Knowledge Sharing and Learning Process of Students

The present purpose study is to investigate students' knowledge about the attitude of their classmates and the factors that can motivate or inhibit them. Exchange the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce students in University of Jaffna. The main purpose of the study is to find out how students share the knowledge or information they have received. To reach that purpose the present study involved a quantitative approach by concerning the design of surveys as well as the population. FMC students from University of Jaffna at University of Jaffna. Researcher used specifically The SPSS software version 20.0 had used for the data analysis purposes. Based on this study main finding is that, technology availability and self-efficacy & trust are the major determinants of knowledge sharing behavior among students. And finally some recommendations are given by the author it also give more support and the direction to future work

Understanding knowledge sharing through the working practices

PurposeBuilding upon the practice-based framework, this paper aims to focus on working practices for understanding how knowledge is transferred among health-care professionals within hospitals.Design/methodology/approachUsing an ethnographic and interpretative approach, the authors conducted preliminary research based on a quali-quantitative methodology within one of the largest hospitals in Southern Italy.FindingsThis study allowed to achieve several results that could be significant and relevant within the health-care sector. First, this paper identified some of the main working practices and their associated activities in health care. Moreover, this paper identified the main organizational forms and/or tools enabling hospital personnel to share and learn the various types of knowledge for each of the prior identified practices.Practical implicationsHospital managers should develop strategies and policies that take into account the nature and typology of knowledge-sharing processes among health-care professionals in terms of practices.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to practice-based studies identifying identified some of the main working practices, as well as the main tools for sharing and learning of the various types of knowledge.

Knowledge sharing in ISD projects: role of task interdependence and social capital

PurposeExtant literature on design theory has little empirical evidence about how work characteristics affect team interaction processes. This paper examines the knowledge-sharing process in information systems development (ISD) projects.Design/methodology/approachTask interdependence from work design theory was used as an antecedent of knowledge sharing for collaboration for the empirical analysis. Data were collected from 203 ISD project teams in South Korea to examine team social capital and knowledge sharing among team members.FindingsThe results indicate that task interdependence has a statistically significant impact on the knowledge-sharing process. The mediating roles of social capital and knowledge sharing are critical. Additionally, the effects of social capital change over time as long-term projects have different mechanisms than short-term ones.Originality/valueThe paper introduces a novel perspective (i.e. the adoption of task interdependence from work design theory) and integrates it with the research constructs that play important roles in ISD projects: knowledge sharing and teams’ social capital. In an ISD project team, which represents knowledge-intensive collaboration and has heterogeneous team characteristics, task interdependence has a positive impact on the team as predicted by work design theory. It verifies the mediating effect of social capital, particularly the changing influence of social capital with time.

Utilization of Social Network Analysis (SNA) in Knowledge Sharing in College

Campus competition in Central Java creates superior and empowered human resources to make XYZ campus optimize the Knowledge Sharing process. In optimizing the Knowledge Sharing process on the XYZ campus through interaction and communication between students in the study program. This study aims to identify the Knowledge Sharing collaboration of students on the XYZ campus in three study programs with 100 respondents using the Social Network Analysis (SNA) method. The parameters used in this study include density, degree centrality, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality, and clicks (subgroups). Based on the analysis of the results obtained by the level of density level of 4.7% or weak ties because under 50%. Actor 98 has the highest degree of centrality with outdegree value 32 and indegree 7, while actor 65, which has the highest closeness centrality with inCloseness value 16,952 and outCloseness value 1,020. Actor 15 also has the highest centrality betweenness with an amount of Betweenness 2750,148 and nBetweenness 28,346. In this study, it can be concluded that there is collaboration in the Knowledge Sharing of students on the XYZ campus from each divided into three study programs, namely, informatics engineering, accounting computerization, and graphic design.

Fostering Frontline Employees’ Innovative Service Behavior: The Role of Workplace Friendship and Knowledge Sharing Process

Abstract Background and purpose: The hospitality industries need to create benevolent work environment and social activities that stimulate frontline service employees (FLEs) innovative behavior. Drawing on social capital theory, this study aims to examine the influence of workplace friendship on promoting FLEs’ innovative service behavior. This study also examines the mediating role of knowledge sharing process (knowledge collecting and knowledge donating) on the relationship between workplace friendship and FLEs’ innovative service behavior. Design/Methodology/Approach: For data collection, the convenience sampling method is applied to survey 163 frontline employees in 3- and 4-stars tourist hotels located in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The present study performed structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) software Smart-PLS v3.0 to test the hypotheses. Results: The result showed that workplace friendship has significant influence on FLEs’ innovative service behavior. Also, this study empirically found that workplace friendship influence FLEs’ innovative service behavior directly and indirectly trough knowledge collecting. Interestingly, knowledge donating has insignificant effect on FLEs innovative service behavior. Conclusion: We conclude that workplace friendship could create a favorable work environment that fostering FLEs innovative service behavior trough knowledge sharing process. Therefore, this research adds to the body of knowledge by pointing out the influence of workplace friendship and knowledge sharing process on FLEs innovative service behavior. This present study also provides the human resource practice regarding how to nurturing workplace friendship that stimulates FLEs innovative work behavior.

The Link Between Transformational Leadership and Knowledge Sharing: Mediating Role of Distributive, Procedural and Interactional Justice

Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study investigates the influences of transformational leadership (TL) and specific aspects of justice on employee knowledge sharing (KS) behaviours, namely, knowledge collecting (KC) and knowledge donating (KD). Structural equations modelling (SEM) is applied to examine the correlation among the latent factors using data collected from 365 participants at 85 large manufacturing and service firms. The findings indicated that distributive justice (DJ), procedural justice (PJ) and interactional justice (IJ) act as mediating roles in the relationship between TL and KS processes. Specifically, TL and DJ have more significant effects on KD, whereas PJ and IJ have more significant effects on KC. From a practical perspective, the study brings more deep understanding for directors/managers about the effective pathway to improve KC and KD. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis, which can be used to analyze relationships TL, aspects of justice and KS behaviours. The paper, therefore, significantly extends and refines theories of leadership and social exchange.

The Enjoyment of Knowledge Sharing: Impact of Altruism on Tacit Knowledge-Sharing Behavior.

Knowledge sharing between individuals is a key process for knowledge-intensive organizations to create value and gain a competitive edge. An individual is in the center of a complex set of factors, which are conducive to the knowledge-sharing process. The purpose of this empirical study is to explain the interaction mechanisms between personality and knowledge-sharing behavior and to examine the mediating effects of willingness to share knowledge and subjective norm. The theory of planned behavior, the social exchange theory, and the big five personality traits theory are combined to explain tacit knowledge-sharing behavior. A survey strategy and purposive sampling was applied, and the analysis was conducted on a sample of 288 employees from Croatia working on knowledge-intensive tasks for which high levels of tacit knowledge sharing are characteristic. A standard online questionnaire consisted of items evaluated on a 7-point Likert-scale, ranging from strongly agree (7) to strongly disagree (1). In the structural model, relationships between altruism, willingness, subjective norm, and tacit knowledge sharing were tested. Confirmatory factor analysis with maximum likelihood estimation was performed by using SEM software AMOS version 23. The findings of the study suggest that altruism has a direct impact on tacit knowledge sharing, reaffirming a relationship with knowledge sharing but distinguishing between sharing of different types of knowledge, assessing tacit knowledge sharing as a construct separate from general knowledge sharing. Our findings suggest that willingness to share is a predictive factor of knowledge sharing behavior between employees, having both direct impact on tacit knowledge sharing and being a mediator between the trait of altruism and tacit knowledge sharing. The mediation test also indicates that altruism has an indirect influence on tacit knowledge sharing when subjective norm was a mediator. The findings suggest that personality traits relying on social capital, such as altruism, have more influence on tacit knowledge sharing compared to personality traits that have accentuated intrinsic components. The study contributes to the better understanding of factors stimulating knowledge-sharing behaviors and provides recommendations based on empirical evidence, which may later be applied in the development of knowledge-sharing leadership styles, employee hiring, and auxiliary initiatives.

The influence of clustering on HR practices and intrapreneurial behavior

PurposeThis study aims to explore how the fact of belonging to clusters of dissimilar form or characteristics modify the application of human resource management (HRM) practices, as well as those knowledge-sharing processes that guide and encourage the intrapreneurial behavior of employees (IPB) in firms belonging to the cluster. The main thesis is that the application of HRM practices and some knowledge management processes are strongly conditioned by the form or characteristics of the cluster, all this in a knowledge-intensive context that requires a contingent application of such practices.Design/methodology/approachThe research strategy chosen was a qualitative case study, given that the insight the authors were seeking could only be obtained through a fine-grained analysis inside the firm where it is very difficult to decouple the phenomenon to be observed from the context where it takes place. Two cases were selected to analyze the phenomenon in-depth and compare their results; they were big and technologically advanced firms but belonging to clusters of different forms and characteristics.FindingsResults show that the influence of the cluster based on location is greater than the effects of the cluster formed by networks, where globalization and external ties play an important role. HRM practices and knowledge sharing processes that lead to intrapreneurial behavior are conditioned, only in part, by the characteristics of the cluster. Particularly, the geographical cluster encourages knowledge sharing with competitors and customers, mainly for technical training processes and because of belonging to a sectoral association. However, HRM practices, with the exception of training and compensation policies, are mainly conditioned by the company's culture and internal factors, rather than by belonging to a specific cluster.Practical implicationsFirms belonging to an organized cluster should encourage the development of practical training-oriented programs, not only on technical aspects but also on other skill and competence-based areas. In addition, training based on strategic issues both for top and middle managers could be an interesting initiative. Additionally, clustered firms should develop more knowledge-retention policies to limit the degree of rivalry in the sector, as it is very common for a firm to search for new and specialized talent in the rest of competing firms in the cluster.Social implicationsConsidering the economic impact of the geographical cluster, its effect on the employment and development of a region and taking into account the relevant and dynamic role of research institutions and associations, policymakers should support and facilitate the activity of those institutions, reinforcing the relevance of industrial districts or geographical clusters that are threatened by the pressures of globalization.Originality/valueThis study brings new insight into the effect of the form and characteristics of the cluster on HRM practices and knowledge sharing processes that lead to intrapreneurial behavior. The study may open the field for additional studies that, from a qualitative and quantitative perspective, analyze this topic in depth. The paper shows that IPB depends not only on the support of the institutions created in the cluster but also on the culture and competitive strategy of the company. Belonging to a geographical cluster can have an influence on firms’ behavior and can, through the trust generated among its members, facilitate knowledge-sharing processes and intrapreneurial behavior.

Transformational Leadership and Knowledge Sharing: Determinants of Firm’s Operational and Financial Performance

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of transformational leadership and knowledge-sharing processes on operational and financial performance in Chinese firms. The article applied structural equation modeling to inspect the influence of transformational leadership on knowledge sharing and their effects on organizational performance, based on the data collected from 263 respondents in 112 manufacturing and service companies in China. The findings show that knowledge collecting and knowledge donating mediate the correlation between transformational leadership and two specific aspects of organizational performance. In addition, transformational leadership has a greater influence on financial performance, whereas knowledge sharing is more significantly associated with operational performance. This article highlights the significance of practicing transformational leadership to stimulate individuals’ knowledge-sharing behaviors, which are important prerequisites for improving organizational performance. The article provides clearer understanding for scholars and practitioners about the new and effective pathway to promote firm’s operational and financial performance.

European Cities in the Energy Transition: A Preliminary Analysis of 27 Cities

Nowadays, there is a wide scientific consensus about the unsustainability of the current energy system and at the same time, social awareness about climate change and the IPCC’s goals is increasing in Europe. Amongst the different pathways towards them, one alternative is the radical transition to a democratic low-carbon energy system where the local scale has a key leading role. Under this scope, this research is framed within the mPOWER project, financed by the European Commission’s H2020 programme, which promotes collaboration among different European municipalities in order to boost the transition to a renewable-based participatory energy system. This paper presents the starting point of the mPOWER project, where the main energy features of 27 selected European municipalities are collected and analysed for the year 2016. An open public tender and selection process was carried out among European cities in order to choose the candidates to participate in mPOWER project. A view of this situation will be taken by the mPOWER project as a diagnostic baseline for the following steps: a peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing process among these European municipalities, and subsequently, among a more extensive group. The first finding of the paper is that, even if those municipalities are trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, they are highly dependent on fossil fuels, even in cases where renewable energies have significant presence. Second, their energy consumption is logarithmically related to the human development index and gross domestic product but not to the size of the cities and their climate characteristics. Finally, despite the work that these cities are making towards energy transition in general and within the mPOWER project in particular, the paper shows a high difficulty mapping their energy systems. The lack of accurate and unified data by the municipalities is a sign of disempowerment at a local and public level in the energy sphere and makes difficult any strategy to advance towards a bottom-up energy transition. Among other goals, the mPOWER project aims to reveal these kinds of difficulties and help local authorities in managing their transition paths.

Meta-analytical structural modelling of virtual communities: the case of professional and non-professional users

Currently, the factors that motivate knowledge-sharing process in a virtual community (VC) remain unclear. VCs exist in two different but similar scenarios. The first scenario involves professional virtual communities (PVCs) formed by professionals in similar areas looking to solve common problems. PVCs within a company often work to address similar problems in multiple plants and countries. The second scenario involves non-professional virtual communities (NPVCs). This study discusses some factors that affect knowledge sharing in virtual communities and compares the effects and behaviours between PVCs and NPVCs. We investigate these issues by quantitatively reviewing the available literature using meta-analytical structural equation modelling (MASEM) for both PVCs and NPVCs to evaluate the moderating effects of conventional professional knowledge-sharing methods. Although trust was established as a crucial element in both models, the factors associated with each model differed substantially. The absolute values of the correspondence of trust with self-efficacy and with knowledge sharing were lower for PVCs than for NPVCs. This research revealed the singularities of these different information systems applied to businesses.