Why should i share? Examining the motivational factors of knowledge sharing in manufacturing firms

Abstract

Knowledge management practices are context specific. Different cultural background and organizational types may create different knowledge management applications. Thus this study investigates the factors effecting knowledge donating and knowledge collecting behaviours. A survey was conducted on 255 white colored workers employed in manufacturing firms in Adana, Turkey. The results suggested the differentiated relationships among the constructs, declaring different mechanisms for knowledge donating and knowledge collecting behaviour. Organizational trust found to be the only significant factor affecting both knowledge donating and collecting behaviour. Conscientiousness as a personality dimension and knowledge sharing fear found to be positively related to knowledge donating behaviour. Knowledge collecting was found to be positively associated with decentralisation and negatively with formalisation. This study declares interest in type and sector of the firms, in order to deeply understand the mechanisms of knowledge sharing behaviour. © 2016 Peter Lang GmbH. All rights reserved.