Knowledge sharing,work–family conflict and supervisor support: investigating a three-way effect

Despite the importance of knowledge sharing in competitive environments, there is a paucity of studies examining the relationship between employee knowledge sharing and work–family conflict. Drawing on insights from conservation of resources theory, this study investigated how employees may reduce their knowledge-sharing behaviors when they experience resources lost from work interference with family (WIF) or family interference with work (FIW). Furthermore, the role of supervisor support in the relationship among WIF, FIW and knowledge sharing was explored as a valuable resource. Using data collected from 159 employees in South Korea, we found support that WIF is negatively related to knowledge sharing. In addition, the role of supervisor support in the relationship among WIF, FIW and knowledge sharing was the strongest when WIF is low and FIW is high, thus supporting the hypothesized a three-way effect. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Why Complementary HRM Practices Impact Performance: The Case of Rewards,Job Design,and Work Climate in a Knowledge‐Sharing Context

The strategic HRM literature suggests that HRM influences employees in combinations of practices that “fit” each other rather than as stand‐alone practices; however, it pays little attention to the underlying individual‐level mechanisms. In contrast, the HRM literature on knowledge sharing examines the influence of single practices on individual‐level knowledge sharing, but fails to include the influence of combinations of practices. We link the idea of fit between practices to employee motivation for knowledge sharing by arguing that rewards may be ambiguous and difficult to interpret, but that such ambiguity may be reduced if rewards are combined with other aligned HRM practices, notably job design and work climate. Thus, fit is established through the ambiguity‐reducing effect of combining specific HRM practices. Accordingly, we test for complementarities among rewards, job design, and work climate in the form of a three‐way interaction among these variables with respect to their impact on knowledge‐sharing motivation. Our analysis of 1,523 employees in five knowledge‐intensive firms shows that employees who are exposed to knowledge‐sharing rewards experience higher levels of autonomous motivation to share when they are simultaneously exposed to a noncontrolling job design and work climate that support knowledge sharing. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Fostering knowledge sharing through people management practices

This paper focuses on the issue of knowledge sharing, one of the key mechanisms by which knowledge transfer can take place within organizations. The aim of the paper is to identify the people management practices that will be most effective in fostering knowledge sharing. We begin with a theoretical analysis of the socio-psychological aspects of knowledge-sharing behaviour in order to identify the variables that facilitate and encourage sharing. We also include a thorough review of the research to date on knowledge sharing and related behaviours. After identifying the factors expected to influence knowledge-sharing behaviour, we then proceed to detail the key people management practices that, according to theory and research, should be most effective in fostering knowledge sharing in organizations.     

The role of HRM and social capital configuration for knowledge sharing in post-M&A integration: a framework for future empirical investigation

The literature on human resource management (HRM) indicates that HRM plays an important role in merger and acquisition (M&A) integration success, but pays little attention to the mechanisms for knowledge sharing in post-M&A integration. Limited work has been carried out to provide understanding on how social capital and HRM practices influence intra-organizational knowledge sharing in M&A integration. This paper primarily focuses on the phenomenon of social capital and HRM practices – one of the primary means by which knowledge sharing can occur within firms. The main aim of this paper is to provide an alternative framework that introduces the literature on HRM and social capital to discuss how HRM practices and the various dimensions of social capital may enhance knowledge sharing in post-M&A integration. Drawing on the literature on social capital and HRM, we offer an alternative view on the issue of knowledge sharing in M&A integration by explaining how specific HRM practices that have an impact on employees’ knowledge, skills and abilities for participating in knowledge sharing activities may depend on relational, cognitive and structural social capital. We isolate a number of HRM practices and social capital variables that may enhance knowledge sharing in post-M&A integration, and develop a research model and propositions for future empirical investigation.     

职场负面八卦对员工知识共享行为的影响机制研究

基于情感事件理论和印象管理理论,构建了一个被调节的中介模型以考察职场负面八卦影响员工知识共享行为的中介机制及边界条件。运用SPSS 24.0和AMOS 22.0对404份问卷进行分析,实证检验职场负面八卦对员工知识共享行为的影响。研究结果表明:职场负面八卦与员工知识共享行为之间的关系为负相关;情绪衰竭在职场负面八卦和员工知识共享行为之间起到部分中介作用;面子观正向调节职场负面八卦与情绪衰竭之间的关系;面子观对情绪衰竭在职场负面八卦与员工知识共享行为间的中介作用具有调节作用。研究结论有助于理解职场负面八卦所带来的负面影响,可为管理者采取有效措施提升员工知识共享行为提供指导。     

人本导向与结果导向：组织文化对知识共享的影响研究

本研究根据现代企业特点,将组织文化分为“以人为本”和“结果导向”两个维度,探讨了组织文化对员工知识共享行为的影响,并引入员工的知识共享意愿作为中介变量。通过收集了385对上下级评价的配对数据,证明了以结果为导向的组织文化和以人为本的组织文化都可以促进员工的知识共享意愿,从而影响员工的知识共享行为。此外,文章还进一步探索了结果导向的组织文化和以人为本的组织文化共存的情况,据此将企业文化分成“兼得型”、“困境型”、“关系型”、“劳役刑”这四类,并分别讨论了每类企业文化对员工知识共享行为的影响作用,研究结果对企业的知识管理实践具有一定的参考意义。     

Perceived organizational support and knowledge sharing: employees’ self-construal matters

Abstract

HR professionals are expected to become more involved in knowledge management and facilitate knowledge sharing among employees in the knowledge economy. In this study, we investigated the relationship between perceived organizational support and knowledge sharing by taking account of employees’ interdependent and independent self-construal. Our hypotheses were examined using a 2-wave survey data-set from 145 teachers working at 4 Dutch vocational education and training schools. The results showed that perceived organizational support was positively related to knowledge sharing for employees either with a high interdependent self or with a low independent self. However, this positive relationship disappeared for employees either with a low interdependent self or with a high independent self. Overall, the moderating effect of self-construal revealed a new avenue towards a better understanding of the relationship between organizational support and employees’ knowledge sharing. It provided a tentative answer to the question of why organizational support does not often succeed in motivating employees to share their knowledge in the workplace.     

Human resource practices and individual knowledge-sharing behavior – an empirical study for Taiwanese R&D professionals

Knowledge sharing is of central importance for the research and development (R&D) process. Because the process is extremely complicated and an employee possesses expertise only in a specific area, knowledge will not be available to others until the owner makes the objects of the knowledge available. It is, therefore, valuable to investigate how R&D professionals share knowledge with one another. This study explores the relationship between human resource (HR) practices and individual knowledge sharing in Taiwan's high-tech industries. The cross-sectional dataset comes from a sample of 368 R&D professionals from nine different high-tech companies. The findings indicate that the factor representing the perceived self-efficacy of knowledge sharing plays a very important role in the integrated knowledge-sharing model we developed. R&D professionals who believe that sharing will influence their performance will be more willing to share knowledge, and thus an effective sharing of knowledge will be more likely to take place. The results also show that HR practices, incentive compensation plans, performance appraisal systems, and face-to-face communication foster knowledge sharing among R&D professionals through the mediation of perceived self-efficacy and the willingness of knowledge sharing.     

基于高校教育资源共享的大学知识联盟的管理机制构建

高校教育资源共享,是对高校教育资源进行优化配置和合理利用。大学知识共享是教育资源共享的重要方面,但大学现行的组织结构存在着许多问题,不利于知识共享,因此建立知识联盟,就可以有效实现大学与外部机构之间的知识共享。大学知识联盟管理机制构建的主要路径是:选择互补性的合作对象、创新知识联盟的管理机制、建立相互信任的关系、促进知识的学习与流动和加强联盟间交流与沟通。     

Relationship of internal institutions,knowledge sharing,and technological innovation in characteristic cultural enterprises: Evidence from China

The paper empirically studies the relationship between internal institutions, knowledge sharing, and technological innovation based on the data of investigating 163 China's characteristic culture enterprises by applying structural equation model. The study shows that the internal institution of characteristic cultural enterprises can significantly enhance the knowledge sharing of employees in characteristic cultural enterprises; the knowledge sharing of employees will significantly enhance the technical innovation level of characteristic cultural enterprises; the internal institution of characteristic cultural enterprises does not directly and significantly improve the technical innovation level, but indirectly through enhancing the knowledge sharing of enterprise employees.     

It Takes Three to Tango: Exploring the Interplay among Training Intensity,Job Autonomy,and Supervisor Support in Predicting Knowledge Sharing

This study explored whether the relationship between perceived training intensity and knowledge sharing is prone to combined moderating influences. We operationalized perceived training intensity as a challenge stressor, in accordance with the challenge‐hindrance framework of work stressors. The results of a study of 129 employees from three Norwegian service industries revealed a positive relationship between perceived training intensity and supervisor‐rated knowledge sharing for employees reporting high levels of perceived job autonomy and high levels of perceived supervisor support. In contrast, we found a negative relationship between perceived training intensity and supervisor‐rated knowledge sharing for employees reporting high levels of perceived job autonomy and low levels of perceived supervisor support. These findings suggest that supervisors are of vital importance in facilitating knowledge sharing among employees in settings where developmental challenges are prevalent and perceptions of job autonomy are high. Implications for future research and practice are also discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Determinants of individual engagement in knowledge sharing

Knowledge management systems try to elicit and support the flow of ideas and experiences among groups of employees (sometimes referred to as knowledge communities). Whereas numerous information and communication systems have been developed to support such knowledge exchanges, practical applications have found that technology alone cannot ensure that knowledge will indeed be volunteered and exchanged, and whereas researchers and consultants alike have argued that culture and other human variables constitute key success factors, it is not clear what specific variables are at play, nor what management practices can affect those variables. This exploratory research investigates some of the psychological, organizational and system-related variables that may determine individual engagement in intra-organizational knowledge sharing. Results from a survey of 372 employees from a large multinational show that self-efficacy, openness to experience, perceived support from colleagues and supervisors and, to a lesser extent, organizational commitment, job autonomy, perceptions about the availability and quality of knowledge management systems, and perceptions of rewards associated with sharing knowledge, significantly predicted self-reports of participation in knowledge exchange.     

National Cultural Influences on Knowledge Sharing: A Comparison of China and Russia

abstract    This paper presents a set of theoretical propositions regarding knowledge sharing in China and Russia. We argue that there are important national cultural similarities and differences between the two countries that result in certain similarities and differences in individual knowledge-sharing behaviour in Chinese and Russian organizations. We claim that vertical collectivism and particularistic social relations in China and Russia lead to intensive social relations among organizational members, which facilitate knowledge sharing between in-group members in organizations in both countries. We also maintain that differences in the essence of collectivism as well as in the extent of collectivism in the two cultural contexts lead to different intensities of knowledge sharing in Chinese and Russian organizations. Finally, we discuss theoretical and management implications of this research.     

The influence of HR practices upon knowledge brokering in professional organizations for service improvement: Addressing professional legitimacy and identity in health care

Drawing upon sociology of professions, our study extends insight into the specific HR practices that shape the microdynamics of knowledge-sharing behaviors among professionals. Empirically, we examine the influence of Human Resource (HR) practices on enactment of a knowledge-brokering role by doctors to drive service improvement in health care. Our study shows, first, HR practices influence professional identity, which is predicated on jurisdictional autonomy and client interest. Second, HR practices influence the legitimacy of any role and associated activities, with professionals valuing collegial leadership and evidence-based practice. Our study highlights it is employee perceptions of the effect of HR practices upon their legitimacy and identity that shape their attitudes and behavior toward knowledge sharing. Thus, different HR practices have different effects on knowledge sharing. Further, the same HR practice may be perceived differently even within the same cadre of professionals, depending upon their relative status and career interests.     

知识密集型企业内部知识共享模型研究

根据知识密集型企业内部知识的本体特征,分别从业务流程、人力资源培训、非正式学习三个维度对知识共享进行了研究,论述了企业在各个维度的知识共享实践活动及其障碍、过程、意义,最终提出了知识密集型企业内部知识共享模型。     

Promoting knowledge sharing in Tunisian KIFs through HRM Practices. The mediating role of human capital and learning climate

Abstract

Although human capital and learning climate have been considered in the SHRM Literature as two critical predictors of organizational success, little efforts have been made to examining their role in knowledge sharing. Our research aims at filling this gap. Using data from 203 knowledge workers in seven Tunisian KIFs, our study provides evidence, on a first level, for a direct link between the five HR practices and knowledge sharing. On a second level, we report a mediating role of human capital. In congruence with prior SHRM research, this result implies that the knowledge-based HR practices influence the value and uniqueness of the employees’ KSAOs, which in turn will improve their knowledge sharing behavior. On a third and final level, our results suggest that learning climate plays a mediation role as well. Such a result echoes recent research findings that confirmed the importance of learning climates in shaping employees’ behaviors toward achieving specific organizational objectives. Our findings provide important insights on the intermediary mechanisms between HRM practices and knowledge sharing behavior in KIFs and offer interesting research perspectives on the under-theorized role of human capital in a knowledge sharing context.     

Incentives for knowledge sharing: impact of organisational culture and information technology

This research presents and examines an analytical model of knowledge management in which organisational culture dynamically improves with knowledge-sharing and learning activities within organisations. We investigate the effects of organisational incentives and the level of information technology on the motivation of knowledge sharing. We derive a linear incentive reward structure for knowledge sharing under both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. In addition, we show how the organisational culture and the optimum linear sharing reward change with several crucial factors, and summarise three sets of methods (strong IT support, congruent organisational culture, and effective employee assessment) to complement the best linear incentive. Our research provides valuable insights for practitioners in terms of implementing knowledge-management initiatives.     

企业内默会知识共享激励机制构成要素研究

企业内默会知识的共享能够为知识运用、知识创新和企业竞争优势的形成奠定重要基础。但是,默会知识并不能自然地实现共享,只有在员工、制度和企业层面形成一定的知识共享驱动力,才能推动知识在企业内的扩散、转移和共享。这种驱动力的形成需要在企业内建立良好的激励机制,激励机制构成要素的完善程度直接影响员工间默会知识共享的驱动力和实际效果。默会知识共享的激励机制可以从企业文化、薪酬机制、知识管理、信息技术、创新等主要要素方面予以构建。     

Mechanisms for sharing knowledge in project-based organizations

Organizations need to effectively combine and utilize knowledge resources that are distributed amongst the employees and groups in the firm. This paper examines the use of knowledge-sharing mechanisms to leverage the learning, experience and expertise of employees accumulated across projects. I specify a framework that classifies the knowledge-sharing mechanisms used by project-based organizations. Prior research tends to examine only one dimension of knowledge-sharing mechanisms – personalization versus codification. Personalization mechanisms are often assumed to be more ad hoc and informal, and codification mechanisms are assumed to be formal and involve the use of electronic databases. In this paper, personalization versus codification and individualization versus institutionalization are highlighted as two distinct dimensions of knowledge-sharing mechanisms. Individualized knowledge-sharing mechanisms are informal and unstructured, while institutionalized knowledge-sharing mechanisms are formal and embedded in organizational routines and structure. A framework is presented to show how the two dimensions interact. Based on empirical case studies in two project-based organizations, the paper examines if there are suitable configurations of knowledge-sharing mechanisms for organizations with different characteristics. The study contributes to research by providing a more nuanced classification of knowledge-sharing mechanisms, and provides guidance to managers about the types of knowledge-sharing mechanisms that should be adopted based on the size, geographical dispersion and task nature of organizations.     

Understanding IT professionals’ knowledge sharing intention through KMS: a social exchange perspective

Knowledge sharing is the behavior of disseminating acquired knowledge to other members of an organization, and often presents major challenges, because some employees resist sharing their knowledge with others. In this paper, we investigate the knowledge sharing behavioral intention based on social exchange theory (SET). SET emphasizes non-material exchange, and people share their knowledge by weighing the potential benefits and risks of social relationships. The research presented in this study includes various constructs based on SET and social cognitive theory. This study examines the role of social exchange factors (perceived organizational support, organizational trust and reciprocal relationship expectancy) in explaining IT professionals’ knowledge sharing intentions through KMS. Based on a survey of 251 IT professionals in STSP, this study applies structural equation modeling to verify the research model. The results showed that trust, self-efficacy and reciprocal relationship expectancy are significantly associated with knowledge sharing through KMS.