Perceptions of knowledge sharing among small family firm leaders: a structural equation model

Small family firms have many unique relational qualities with implications for how knowledge is passed between individuals. Extant literature posits leadership approach as important in explaining differences in knowledge-sharing climate from one firm to another. This study investigates how leadership approaches interact with family influence to inform perceptions of knowledge sharing. We utilize survey data (n = 110) from owner-managers of knowledge-intensive small family firms in Scotland. Our findings present a choice in leadership intention, contrasting organization-focused participation against family-influenced guidance. Insight is offered on the implications of this leadership choice at both organizational and familial level

Why People Are Willing to Share More Knowledge than Required

Knowledge sharing is critical for modern organizations. Besides in-role knowledge sharing, there exists knowledge sharing beyond one’s role, which is called extra-role knowledge sharing. This study investigates the antecedents of the extra-role knowledge sharing from the perspective of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Previous studies on OCB and works on knowledge sharing were reviewed to develop a model explaining the factors behind extra- role knowledge sharing. Willingness to help that is hypothesized to be influenced by procedural justice, job satisfaction, and employee personality (extraversion and agreeableness) is believed to influence extra- role knowledge sharing. Empirical data confirmed most of the hypotheses of this study

Geography of Scientific Knowledge: A Proximity Approach

The geography of scientific knowledge is defined as the replication process of locally produced knowledge claims. Proximity in social, cognitive, and physical dimensions promotes the sharing of tacit knowledge. Thus, given the complementarity between tacit and codified knowledge, proximity supports the replication of codified knowledge claims. Distinguishing between controversial and uncontroversial contexts, one can understand the sociology of science as explaining the behaviour of scientists from their proximity to other scientists, and the sociology of scientific knowledge as describing the processes that constitute the proximity between scientists.replication, knowledge claim, proximity, mobility, controversy, incentives, sociology of science, economics of science, geography of science, sociology of scientific knowledge

IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE SHARING BEHAVIOUR WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS: TOWARDS A MODEL

Knowledge management is the process of capturing, storing, sharing and using organizational knowledge with the aim of improving organizational performance. A necessary precursor for successful knowledge management initiatives is knowledge exchange between employees. This exchange is voluntary and highly dependent on an individual’s willingness to share his/her knowledge. It thus becomes important to identify the factors motivating employees to share their knowledge. This research in progress draws on Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory (1990) to propose a model explaining knowledge sharing behavior

Sharing corporate tax knowledge with external advisers

Tax knowledge is critical for companies to comply with tax laws and engage in tax planning and avoidance. Firms rely on external advisers in handling tax issues, however, sharing corporate tax knowledge with external advisers entails both opportunities and risks. We identify four relational factors that are associated with the decision of corporate taxpayers to share knowledge with external tax advisers. Survey data from 221 corporate taxpayers reveals a novel distinction between operational and strategic knowledge sharing. The operational dimension has a functional nature, whereas the strategic dimension has a more intentional character. Accessibility to, and a positive experience with, external advisers enables operational knowledge sharing. When firms perceive specific tax benefits in relation to sharing knowledge, they are more inclined to engage in operational knowledge sharing with external advisers but less prone to strategic knowledge sharing. Instead, strategic knowledge sharing is enhanced when firms have access to, and value the knowledge of their advisers, although this latter factor plays no significant role in explaining operational knowledge sharing. A positive experience with advisers also associates with strategic knowledge sharing. We link our results to other research and discuss implications for regulators considering, or requiring, firm disclosures of corporate tax strategy

Using Reputation System to Motivate Knowledge Contribution Behavior in Online Community

In this study, we present a theoretical model of motivations explaining the relationship between reputation system and knowledge contribution in online communities. Knowledge contribution is modeled as a response to varied motivations (base on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs). These motivations are proposed to be influenced by the availability of reputation systems. We test this model in an experiment. Given the importance of global knowledge sharing in today’s world, we expect our findings will be useful to inform the design of online knowledge-sharing communities

Understanding suppliers\u27 participation in business-to-government (B2G) electronic auction markets in the thai context

This paper investigates online knowledge sharing behaviour in Baidu Knows, a platform sponsored by the largest search engine company Baidu in China. We developed a spider engine to collect data from over 2 million questions posted at Baidu Knows. The data collected allows us to profile registered members, to answer questions such as who are the main driving force of those online communities and their attributes, and who are the free-riders seldom posting and answering questions. We also test several hypotheses in explaining the motivations of knowledge sharing, and the quality of such knowledge sharing. Our results indicate that there is a large proportion of users who seldom answer questions, but always ask questions. Although their behaviour seems selfish at the surface, they are actually the key factors driving the growth of online knowledge sharing communitie

Determinants of knowledge-sharing networks in primary care

Background. Around the world, health reforms are increasingly fostering collaboration and integration among primary care physicians with the aim of facilitating knowledge sharing and evidence-informed decision making. Although extant research on this topic is abundant, the evidence and results regarding social and organizational factors affecting the formation of knowledge-sharing networks in this setting are inconclusive. Purposes. The aim of this article is to explore multiple theoretical mechanisms explaining the formation of knowledge-sharing networks among primary care physicians across relevant clinical areas. Methodology/Approach. The data are collected from two local health authorities (LHAs) in the Italian National Health Service that are responsible for delivering primary care in two Italian regions. Exponential random graph models are used to test the hypotheses. Findings. Our findings indicate that knowledge-sharing networks are highly correlated across clinical areas. In addition, knowledge-sharing networks are highly reciprocal and clustered. We also observe that formal models adopted to foster collaboration have remarkably different effects on the formation of knowledge networks, depending upon the diverse knowledge management approaches adopted in the surveyed LHAs. Practice Implications. Primary care organizations need to develop and implement knowledge management practices in order to help physicians in identifying knowledge domain experts as well as to support connections through formal groupings and incentives

Knowledge networks in the Dutch aviation industry: the proximity paradox

The importance of geographical proximity for interaction and knowledge sharing has been discussed extensively in economic geography in recent years. There is increasing consensus that it is just one out of many types of proximities that might be relevant. We argue that proximity may be a crucial driver for agents to connect and exchange knowledge, but too much proximity between these agents on any of the dimensions might harm their innovative performance at the same time. In a study on knowledge networks in the Dutch aviation industry, we test this so-called proximity paradox empirically. We find evidence that the proximity paradox holds to some degree. Our study clearly shows that cognitive, social and geographical proximity are crucial for explaining the knowledge network of the Dutch aviation industry. But while it takes cognitive, social and geographical proximity to exchange knowledge, we found evidence that proximity lowers firms's innovative performance, but only in the cognitive dimension.proximity, paradox, social network analysis, knowledge networks, aviation

Factors affecting SME owner-managers\u27 willingness to share knowledge online in rural local business networks

This article integrates typically separate SME research on e-commerce, business networking, and knowledge management into a model explaining factors influencing the willingness of SME owner-managers to share knowledge online in business networks in rural districts. This is important because e-commerce can assist owner-managers, often dispersed in rural districts, to share knowledge between face-to-face networking events. The main factors associated with willingness to share knowledge online were their willingness to share knowledge face-to-face and their intensity of Internet use. Entrepreneurial factors such as owner-managers\u27 expectations of rapid growth, trading outside the district, and seeking information about customers/competitors were indirectly associated with online sharing via intensity of Internet use only. The model suggests network coordinators could encourage online knowledge sharing by assisting owner-managers to see the business value of e-commerce and by ensuring that networking events are suitable for owner-managers, whether or not they have entrepreneurial goals, to facilitate face-to-face knowledge sharing