Knowledge sharing mechanisms and techniques in project teams: Literature review, classification, and current trends

A systematic and comprehensive review and investigation of intelligent IoT-based healthcare systems in rural societies and governments

Healthcare needs in rural areas differ significantly from those in urban areas. Addressing the healthcare challenges in rural communities is of paramount importance, as these regions often lack access to adequate healthcare facilities. Moreover, technological advancements, particularly in the realm of the Internet of Things (IoT), have brought about significant changes in the healthcare industry. IoT involves connecting real-world objects to digital devices, opening up various possibilities for improving healthcare delivery. One promising application of IoT is its use in monitoring the spread of diseases in remote villages through interconnected sensors and devices. Surprisingly, there has been a noticeable absence of comprehensive research on this topic. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to conduct a thorough and systematic review of intelligent IoT-based healthcare systems in rural communities and their governance. The analysis covers research papers published until December 2022 to provide valuable insights for future researchers. The selected articles have been categorized into three main groups: monitoring, intelligent services, and body sensor networks. The findings indicate that IoT research has garnered significant attention within the healthcare community. Furthermore, the results illustrate the potential benefits of IoT for governments, especially in rural areas, in improving public health and strengthening economic ties. It is worth noting that establishing a robust security infrastructure is essential for implementing IoT effectively, given its innovative operational principles. In summary, this review enhances scholars' understanding of the current state of IoT research in rural healthcare settings while highlighting areas that warrant further investigation. Additionally, it keeps healthcare professionals informed about the latest advancements and applications of IoT in rural healthcare.

Are cohesive and mindful employees in India more likely to hoard knowledge? The mediating effect of meaning-making through work

Purpose

Knowledge sharing is increasingly important in today’s information age and extant literature considers knowledge hoarding as an undesirable form of knowledge-withholding behavior. As knowledge hoarding is a generic, nonintentional behavior, specific attitudes and organizational processes are unlikely to curb it. Hence, the study postulates that reflection, awareness and group identification are necessary to combat innate tendencies toward knowledge hoarding. To test these hypotheses, this study aims to explore the role of mindfulness and relational systems in reducing employees’ knowledge hoarding by increasing their meaning-making through work.

Design/methodology/approach

The study results are based on a cross-sectional survey of 203 employees in India working for different organizations. Standardized scales were used for capturing data, and partial least squares structural equation modeling was used for analysis.

Findings

Mindfulness and team cohesion were positively related to an increase in meaning-making through work. Supervisor support improved perceptions of team cohesion. However, contrary to expectations, team cohesion and meaning-making through work were positively, rather than negatively, related to knowledge hoarding.

Research limitations/implications

The cross-sectional nature of the study prevents strong inference of causal relationships. Future studies may use a longitudinal design to test the relationships.

Practical implications

It highlights the role of meditation sessions and supervisory support in improving employees’ perceptions of meaning-making through work. It exhorts managers to systematically assess the impact and societal perceptions regarding knowledge hoarding rather than automatically assume a negative attitude.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the impact of mindfulness, team cohesiveness and meaning-making through work on employees’ knowledge hoarding behaviors. The study results suggest that knowledge hoarding may be perceived positively in certain cultures. It highlights the inconsistencies in the conceptualization and operationalization of knowledge hoarding and suggests the need for better construct delineation and empirical studies related to knowledge hoarding.

Impact of multiple commitments on the performance of open innovation projects: the mediating role of trusted and vigilant knowledge interaction

Purpose

Based on commitment system theory and commitment-trust theory, this study aims to reveal the effects of participating teams’ multiple commitments (i.e. synergistic commitments and conflicting commitments) on the performance of open innovation projects through the mediating role of trusted knowledge interaction and vigilant knowledge interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary survey data collected from 242 respondents of 47 open innovation projects in the manufacturing industry was used to test eight hypotheses. Correlations between multiple commitments, knowledge interaction and the performance of open innovation projects were investigated.

Findings

The findings reveal that synergistic commitments improve the performance of open innovation projects through enhancing trusted knowledge interaction. Synergistic commitments reduce the level of vigilant knowledge interaction, and the performance of open innovation projects follows an inverted U-shaped relationship with vigilant knowledge interaction. Conflicting commitments negatively moderate the effect of synergistic commitments on trusted knowledge interaction and vigilant knowledge interaction.

Originality/value

The authors extend commitment system theory and commitment-trust theory to open innovation project field. The findings bridge the gaps in isolated and static focus in previous commitment literatures and innovation management literatures, and provide practical guidance for how to better manage the dynamic combination of multiple commitments and knowledge interaction among participating teams in open innovation projects.

Knowledge “hiding and seeking” during the pandemic: who really wins in the new normal?

Purpose

The recent COVID-19 pandemic caused a severe economic downturn. Employees working in these organisations face employment uncertainty. The pandemic disrupted their daily routines, and it added a layer of complexity to the already resource-constrained environment. During these times, employees would conserve their resources to maintain competitiveness, one of which is knowledge hiding. While economic activities are resuming, the appearance of new variants could mean the transition towards endemicity could be put on hold. Hence, there is a need to rethink the behaviour of employees as they would have elevated levels of anxiety towards resuming daily work activities. Therefore, this study aims to address the question of understanding employees’ perspectives toward knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, social learning theory and the social exchange theory (SET), a conceptual framework involving ethical leadership was developed to examine if knowledge hiding or knowledge sharing behaviour is a resource for employees during these times. The partial least squares method of structural equation modelling was used to analyse results from 271 white-collar employees from Singapore.

Findings

The results show that ethical leadership encourages knowledge sharing but does not reduce knowledge hiding. At the same time, knowledge hiding, not knowledge sharing, improves one’s perception of work performance. Additionally, psychological safety is the key construct that reduces knowledge hiding and encourages sharing behaviour.

Originality/value

Overall, this study extends the theories, demonstrating that, first and foremost, knowledge hiding is a form of resource that provides employees with an added advantage in work performance during the endemic. At the same time, we provide a new perspective that ethical leaders’ demonstration of integrity, honesty and altruism alone is insufficient to encourage knowledge sharing or reduce knowledge hiding. It must lead to a psychologically safe environment.

Impact of qualified gatekeepers on team absorptive capacity: the mediating role of knowledge combination capability

Purpose

This study aims to examine direct effects of qualified team gatekeepers on absorptive capacity (AC), and the mediating roles of combinative capabilities – knowledge integration capability (KIC) and interteam coordination.

Design/methodology/approach

A social networking analysis was used to analyze a unique data set collected from all members of 32 Japanese research and development (R&D) teams to identify key individuals who perform daily gatekeeping functions. This study analyzed the data through partial least squares structural equation modeling with higher-order latent variables. Finally, cross-validation tests were used with holdout samples to test the model’s predictive validity.

Findings

Qualified gatekeepers directly contribute to teams’ realized AC but not to their potential AC. Furthermore, qualified gatekeepers can improve their teams’ capability to absorb and exploit external knowledge by facilitating their capability to consolidate knowledge, that is, its KIC and interteam coordination.

Originality/value

Unlike prior research that asks top managers to identify team gatekeepers, this study used social network analysis to identify these vital individuals. This study provides a new framework indicating how qualified gatekeepers impact the AC of R&D teams through the examination of both the direct and indirect paths of gatekeeping abilities, two combinative capabilities as mediators and team AC.

A Systematic Survey on Energy-Efficient Techniques in Sustainable Cloud Computing

Global warming is one of the most compelling environmental threats today, as the rise in energy consumption and CO2 emission caused a dreadful impact on our environment. The data centers, computing devices, network equipment, etc., consume vast amounts of energy that the thermal power plants mainly generate. Primarily fossil fuels like coal and oils are used for energy generation in these power plants that induce various environmental problems such as global warming ozone layer depletion, which can even become the cause of premature deaths of living beings. The recent research trend has shifted towards optimizing energy consumption and green fields since the world recognized the importance of these concepts. This paper aims to conduct a complete systematic mapping analysis on the impact of high energy consumption in cloud data centers and its effect on the environment. To answer the research questions identified in this paper, one hundred nineteen primary studies published until February 2022 were considered and further categorized. Some new developments in green cloud computing and the taxonomy of various energy efficiency techniques used in data centers have also been discussed. It includes techniques like VM Virtualization and Consolidation, Power-aware, Bio-inspired methods, Thermal-management techniques, and an effort to evaluate the cloud data center’s role in reducing energy consumption and CO2 footprints. Most of the researchers proposed software level techniques as with these techniques, massive infrastructures are not required as compared with hardware techniques, and it is less prone to failure and faults. Also, we disclose some dominant problems and provide suggestions for future enhancements in green computing.

Status Competition and Implicit Coordination: Based on the Role of Knowledge Sharing and Psychological Safety

Implicit coordination is an important research topic in the field of social cognition. Previous studies have studied implicit coordination behavior from the perspective of team mental model but ignored the internal mechanism of individual status competition motivation on implicit coordination behavior. Based on the differences of status competition motivation, the individual status competition motivation is divided into prestige-type and dominant-type. With knowledge sharing as the mediating variable and psychological safety as the moderating variable, this research constructed a process model of the influence of status competition motivation on implicit coordination behavior. The empirical study was carried out with a sample of 367 employees of 44 enterprises. The research results show the following findings: (1) Status competition has a differentiated impact on implicit coordination. Prestige-type status competition has a significant positive impact on implicit coordination behavior, while dominant-type status competition has a significant negative impact on implicit coordination behavior. (2) Knowledge sharing plays a mediating role between status competition (prestige-type status competition and dominant-type status competition) and implicit coordination. (3) Psychological safety positively moderates the relationship between prestige-type status competition, dominant-type status competition, and knowledge sharing. The research results provide a new perspective for the field of implicit coordination; reveal the mechanism of status competition motivation in implicit coordination, which is of great significance to the practice of enterprise team management and human resource management.

Artificial Intelligence Capability and Organizational Creativity: The Role of Knowledge Sharing and Organizational Cohesion

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought many opportunities and challenges to organization. Some studies have shown that AI can improve organizational creativity. However, the existing research lacks an effective transformation path. This paper makes an innovative approach from the perspective of knowledge sharing, establishes an integration model of artificial intelligence capability, knowledge sharing and organizational creativity. Based on 189 questionnaire data, we use multi-level regression analysis and bootstrap method to analyze the influence mechanism. The results show that artificial intelligence has a positive effect on knowledge sharing, knowledge sharing has a positive effect on organizational creativity, knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between artificial intelligence and organizational creativity, and organizational cohesion has a positive moderating effect on the relationship between artificial intelligence and knowledge sharing. The results supplement the existing research on the relationship between artificial intelligence capability and organizational creativity, expand the theoretical boundary and application space from the perspective of knowledge sharing at the organizational level, and provide reference for organizations to improve creativity.

Knowledge sharing in project work: the dynamic interplay of knowledge domains and skills

Purpose

This study aims to illuminate the currently poorly understood inflow of knowledge originating from project managers across the value chain of construction projects. The primary purpose is to identify the domains of knowledge that project managers’ need to share in their management activities, the skills they need to develop in their sharing practices and how these relate to each other across different phases of a construction project.

Design/methodology/approach

Knowledge domains, skills and the relationships between them were identified following an inductive methodology, a combination of grounded theory and case study, and through the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 21 project managers and participants within a single construction project.

Findings

The outcome is a novel framework that theorizes the dynamic interplay between knowledge domains and the skills that facilitate knowledge sharing (KS) for successful project work throughout the construction project.

Originality/value

The combined effects of task heterogeneity, knowledge interdependencies and temporariness require paying increased attention to how knowledge domains and KS skills impact project performance. This paper addresses gaps in developing an integrative understanding of the nature of the domains of knowledge that need to be shared in a project context, the key skills contributing to KS and more importantly, how they evolve and are interpreted and reinterpreted throughout the project and assist KS practice in projects.

Institutional isomorphism in collaborative, cross-cultural, project-based development work: an inquiry into the knowledge sharing behaviour of volunteers

Purpose

Using an institutionalist lens, this study aims to identify factors that influence the knowledge sharing behaviour of volunteers engaged in collaborative, cross-cultural and project-focussed development work.

Design/methodology/approach

Following an inductive research design, the authors conducted a thematic analysis of interviews with volunteers to explore the practicalities of knowledge sharing in the context of development aid projects and to examine contributing factors, such as personality, motivations, experience and variations in team members’ understanding of the nature and objective of projects.

Findings

Through exploring the experiences of volunteers working on cross-cultural development aid programmes, the authors identify and discuss the ways in which the preparation of volunteers and the structuring of project work is shaped by managerialist modes of thinking, with an emphasis on the creation of an environment that is conducive to sustainable knowledge sharing practices for all stakeholders involved.

Originality/value

The examination of volunteer development work tendency towards institutional isomorphism is a novel contribution intersecting the areas of knowledge sharing in the project, volunteer-led and culturally diverse environments.

From “personal” to “interpersonal”: a multilevel approach to uncovering the relationship between job satisfaction and knowledge sharing among IT professionals

Purpose

This study aims to examine how job satisfaction (JS) affects two types of knowledge sharing (KS), in-role KS and extra-role KS. It also investigates the mediating effect of knowledge sharing self-efficacy (KSSE) and the moderating effect of team collaborative culture (TCC) between JS and two types of KS.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies attribution theory to develop a cross-level model and validate it through paired data collected from 322 information technology professionals nested within 80 teams. Hierarchical linear modeling is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

JS positively influences in-role and extra-role KS via KSSE and TCC positively moderates the relationship between JS and extra-role KS.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to investigate the mechanism underlying the influence of JS on two types of KS. It also identifies the mediating and moderating effects of this mechanism.

Human resource management practices in creating a committed workforce for fostering knowledge transfer: a theoretical framework

Purpose

This paper aims to review existing literature on the role of human resource management (HRM) practices in nurturing employee’s organisational commitment (OC), which subsequently promoting knowledge transfer (KT) within an organisation and propose a conceptual framework for future empirical research.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive review of existing literature was undertaken in an attempt to build the conceptual model for KT.

Findings

The proposed conceptual framework illustrates the role of OC as a focal mediating mechanism in fostering KT. This paper identifies “high commitment” HRM (HCHRM) (e.g. staffing, job design, training and development, performance appraisal and reward system) as the factors influencing the development of OC, which subsequently affecting KT (i.e. knowledge sharing and application). Also, this paper integrates the potential moderating roles of leader-member exchange (LMX) between HCHRM practices-OC, as well as information and communication technology support in the OC-KT linkage into the proposed framework.

Research limitations/implications

This paper presents a comprehensive view of fostering KT. However, the major limitation of this paper is that it remains at a conceptual level. Further empirical investigations would be helpful to test propositions, hence validating the proposed conceptual framework.

Practical implications

The proposed conceptual framework could serve as practical guidance for managers and/or practitioners in developing policies that will facilitate KT in business organisations.

Originality/value

While KT is often viewed as a single phenomenon, this paper considers the KT into two components (i.e, sharing and application) in accordance with the practice-based perspective on knowledge and behavioural approach to KT. In addition, the adoption of the general workplace commitment model in conceptualising KT could further validate its applicability in knowledge management research. Also, the integration of LMX as a moderator in the proposed framework could contribute to the scant research on LMX-related moderation models upon validation.

The “interactive” performance measurement system and team performance – Towards optimal organizational utility

Purpose

This study aims to highlight the significance of Performance Measurement System (PMS) as an “interactive” system that adapts to the organization's peculiar operational setup, thereby delivering optimal employee performance management benefits. Using Schatzki's (2002) “site of the social” theoretical conceptualization, it aims to empirically investigate the influence PMS's such strategic adaptation could have on employees' team performance through its mediating effect on improving organizational learning and knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

In pursuit of the set objective, we conducted a survey of 200 employees in public accounting firms located in the two major Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Surabaya. The survey yielded 89 responses of which 87 were deemed fit for empirical analyses. The statistical analyses of the data were performed using SmartPLS.

Findings

The statistical analyses using SmartPLS found evidence that the strategic use of the PMS positively influences team performance, both directly and indirectly, through its role in enhancing organizational learning; however, its role in enhancing knowledge sharing did not demonstrate leveraging team performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study conclusions are based on a relatively small data sample and the context of a developing economy, and, hence, need to be replicated with caution.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the management accounting theory and practice and emphasizes the strategic use of PMS to help improve organizational performance. Its novel “site” and context directs researchers' and practitioners' attention to the “interactive”, rather than passive and standalone, use of PMS to influence team performance and instigates a new debate on the management tool's optimal use.

Leader Humility and Knowledge Sharing Intention: A Serial Mediation Model

Purpose

This paper examines the influence of leader humility on knowledge sharing intention. Drawing on social exchange theory (SET), we test the direct and indirect mechanisms to explain the influence leader humility has on knowledge sharing intention.

Design/Methodology/Approach

A two-wave, time-lagged field study was conducted. We surveyed 252 professional employees from Australia.

Findings

Results show a significant direct, positive association between leader humility and knowledge sharing intention. While leader humility had a direct, positive association with affective trust in supervisor and work engagement, it did not directly impact on organizational citizenship behaviors directed toward the individual (OCB-I). There were three SET-related, serial mediators in the relationship between leader humility and knowledge sharing intention. These were affective trust, work engagement, and OCB-I.

Research Limitations/Implications

Future studies should collect multi-source data such as peers' or supervisors' ratings of the focal respondents' work engagement, OCB-I, and knowledge sharing behaviors to augment single-source data. Future studies could adopt an affect theory of social exchange to further explore the relationships tested in this study.

Originality/Value

This study contributes to the affect SET and knowledge management literature on how leadership behaviors impact the intention to share knowledge. Our study highlights the preference of the willingness to share knowledge with their co-workers is mediated by affective trust in their immediate supervisors, work engagement, and OCB-I that are equally important as treating their subordinates with humility.

Towards the innovative university: What is the role of organisational culture and knowledge sharing?

Orientation: Continuous innovation and knowledge sharing have become the linchpin of contemporary organisations, especially universities. Universities thus need to create a conducive organisational culture to enable innovation and knowledge sharing.Research purpose: This study aimed to contribute empirically to an understanding of how an innovative university can be realised in a developing country context.Motivation for the study: As innovation and knowledge sharing remain a challenge for most southern African universities, this article provides a theoretical and empirical understanding of the positive influence of organisational culture on these variables.Research approach/design and method: The study followed a survey design. A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 277 university staff members. A total of 195 questionnaires were collected for data analysis, yielding a response rate of 70.39%. Data were interpreted using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modelling to analyse the relationship between the variables.Main findings: The results indicated that the university under investigation had a dominant rational or clan culture orientation. A significant relationship was found between organisational culture and innovation and organisational culture and knowledge sharing.Practical/managerial implications: The study proposes that innovation and knowledge sharing can best be realised within an adhocracy culture. Strategic priorities were proposed to the management of the university to enhance the pervasiveness of these variables.Contribution/value-add: The study provides empirical evidence of the positive effect of organisational culture on innovation and knowledge sharing, confirming that organisational culture is a predictor of both innovation and knowledge sharing.

A Model for Measuring the Impact of Organisational Factors on the Effectiveness of the Knowledge Sharing System

Knowledge Sharing (KS), as a serious part of promoting the organization’s success, is a process of swapping knowledge among families, people, and organizations. Therefore, this paper tries to study the impact of organisational factors on the effectiveness of the KS, via four important variables. We presented a project plan that contains four research hypotheses, with the effectiveness of the KS as a dependent construct. Data were collected by questionnaires. The size of the sample for structural equations has come to be 247 via the utilization of the sample measurement procedure. A case study was carried out in 247 employees of the East Azerbaijan Customs organizations in Iran include: Customs of Tabriz, Nurduz, Jolfa, Sahlan, and Maragheh. In our investigation, Smart PLS 2.0 has been utilised for the measurement assess. Besides, the structural equation modelling (SEM) procedure has been utilised for testing the validity and reliability of the supplied model’s measurement. The results showed that organisational culture is the most important factor in the effectiveness of KS. Furthermore, information technology (IT) acceptance, attitude towards KS, organisational climate, and attitude to KS play an important role in the effectiveness of the KS. As a general result, organization managers must implement KS in their organizations to improve organisational performance, reduce costs, enhance organisational innovation, and reduce repetitive work, through which international trade facilitates and helps the country’s economy. Also, the managers may arrange rules for the efficiency of rewards; moreover, they should maintain an open and conducive environment for new ideas and criticism. Managers of organizations should make the culture of teamwork pervasive through actions such as education of teamwork and identification benefits of working in teams. In this way, they can improve the attitude of staff to KS and information and reach behaviours accompanied by KS.

Influencing Mechanism of Job Satisfaction on Safety Behavior of New Generation of Construction Workers Based on Chinese Context: The Mediating Roles of Work Engagement and Safety Knowledge Sharing

China's construction industry developed rapidly and safety production has become a vital issue. Improving the safety behavior of construction workers is an important measure to effectively decrease construction safety accidents. At present, a New Generation of Construction Workers (NGCWs) born after 1980 has gradually become the main force of construction companies in China and the special group characteristics coming from the intergenerational difference may make them behave differently in safety-related activities, therefore, it is very important to study how to promote their safety behavior. This paper aimed to explore the influencing mechanism of job satisfaction on the safety behavior of NGCWs and examine the mediating role of safety knowledge sharing and work engagement. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling analysis were applied to test the theoretical model. Empirical research results indicated that job satisfaction can effectively promote safety behavior through safety knowledge sharing and work engagement. Safety knowledge sharing plays a complete mediating role between job satisfaction and safety compliance behavior, as well as between job satisfaction and safety participation behavior. Moreover, work engagement plays a complete mediating role between job satisfaction and safety participation behavior, which can provide valuable management references for China's construction companies to strengthen their safety behavior.

A socio-technical system approach to knowledge creation and team performance: evidence from China

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to extend the existing literature on knowledge management, which generally focuses on knowledge sharing. The model of this article explains how knowledge creation and team performance can be increased through the integration of social and technological factors

Design/methodology/approach

To empirically test the model, multi-wave and multi-source data were collected from 80 teams whose members use social media as a tool for communication and interaction.

Findings

The analysis results provide insights into some interesting findings. The results show transactive memory system (TMS) as an important factor that can significantly contribute to knowledge creation in teams. Especially, the TMS strengthens the significant positive effect of enterprise social media (ESM) and insignificant positive effect of knowledge complementarity on knowledge creation. Furthermore, knowledge creation is found to be a significant predictor of team performance

Originality/value

Much of the knowledge management literature focuses on the ways to increase the quantity of accessible knowledge to organization members. Such knowledge management studies are more relevant to knowledge exchange among individual employees, teams and organizations. However, this study takes a nuanced approach to explore how knowledge creation can be increased in teams by implementing a knowledge integration mechanism. A general model of knowledge creation is proposed, but the strength of this model lies in the moderating effect of TMS which strengthens the effect of knowledge complementarity and ESM on knowledge creation in teams which eventually increases team performance.

Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing in Virtual Teams

The development and use of information and communications technology (ICT) are growing at a rapid speed across the world. ICT has been the cause for new types of work arrangements, such as virtual organizations, virtual teams, teleworking, etc. Virtual teams provide organizations with competitive advantage by enabling them to hire talented people across the world and eliminating the need for physical availability in the office. However, one major issue hindering the productivity of the virtual team is knowledge sharing. The lack of proper knowledge sharing between team members may cause organizations to fail with regards to the implementation of successful strategies. The research into understanding knowledge sharing in virtual teams (VT) in the Middle East is lacking. While such studies have been done in the United States and Europe, the Middle East has been overlooked. In this study, the authors assume that there are some specific behavioral aspects of VT in the Middle East that create the need for specific scientific solutions. Accordingly, this study was conducted in the Middle East in order to gain scientific knowledge on the region’s specificity. The objective of this article is to create a model for the evaluation of the effect on knowledge sharing in virtual teams in the Middle East. For analysis, the selection of companies includes United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based companies in the IT industry whose businesses engage in VT. The results show that the following factors have a direct effect on knowledge sharing in VT: Culture, motivation, conflict, ICT, trust, and leadership. Conversely, the results do not demonstrate that language has any impact on knowledge sharing. The methodology used is as follows: Literature review, survey methods, and structural equation modeling.

Context matters: enablers and barriers to knowledge sharing in Australian public sector ICT projects

Purpose

This paper aims to extend the theory relating to knowledge sharing barriers and enablers in the public sector information and communication technology (ICT) project context.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study method was used whereby project managers from each of the seven departments of the Victorian Public Sector in Australia were interviewed about their knowledge sharing practice. A semi-structured interview instrument based on Riege’s (2005) barrier framework was used to explore the barriers to knowledge sharing that they experienced as part of their work.

Findings

The study found that many of Riege’s (2005) barriers did not apply in the public sector ICT project environment, demonstrating that context matters. In addition, five enablers were identified, resulting in a new model of enablers and barriers to knowledge sharing in public sector ICT projects.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses on a single case, the Victorian Public Sector, and consequently the results are not generalisable. Future research should explore the applicability of the model in other public sector ICT project contexts.

Practical implications

The study highlights the relationship between knowledge sharing and the project manager and the role it plays in project delivery. The model presented provides a starting point for public sector practitioners to develop their knowledge sharing practice, potentially enhancing project outcomes in the process.

Originality/value

This study examines barriers to knowledge sharing in an under-researched context, that of the public sector ICT project environment. It builds on current theory and provides insights for practitioners in the public sector.

Impact of work values and knowledge sharing on creative performance

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find the influence of employees’ work values on their creative performance and test the role of knowledge sharing among them.

Design/methodology/approach

This work surveyed 387 employees in six companies across three cities to test the research hypothesis model.

Findings

The findings reveal that comfort and security (comfort) work values have a significant negative impact on the creative performance, whereas competence and growth (competence) work values and status and independence (status) work values have a significant positive impact on creative performance. Knowledge sharing plays a mediating role between work values and creative performance.

Originality/value

This study reveals the influence mechanism of work values on creative performance from a new perspective and confirms the differing effects of different types of work values on creative performance.

A review of two psychological models in knowledge sharing: current trends and future agenda

Purpose

Two psychological models, the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) are the most common theories used to understand knowledge sharing behaviour. However, the empirical results are inconclusive on whether TRA and TPB can provide reasonable prediction of knowledge sharing attitude, intention and behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to conduct a review of these models in knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reviews 63 papers to provide a comprehensive picture of these models in knowledge sharing.

Findings

Two main trends of modification were shown in the studies examining these models. Research gaps were identified as a guideline for future researchers to investigate potential moderators and examine these models from the participants’ perspective.

Originality/value

The model serves as a roadmap for future researchers and managers considering their strategy to enhance knowledge sharing.

OKC-enabled online knowledge integration: role of group heterogeneity and group interaction process

Purpose

Online knowledge integration has been an important concern of the online knowledge community as it can lead to various positive outcomes of online knowledge coproduction. This paper identifies online knowledge integration factors by considering group heterogeneity and group interaction process.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the categorization-elaboration model (CEM) and interactive team cognition (ITC) theory, a research model that reflects the antecedent's factors and mediating factors of online knowledge integration was developed and empirically examined based on data collected from 2,339,836 data extracted from Wikipedia.

Findings

Group interaction process plays an essential mediator role in online knowledge integration. Group knowledge heterogeneity negatively influences online knowledge integration and group experience heterogeneity positively, and they both positively promote online knowledge integration through group interaction process with different paths.

Research limitations

Our research concerns the OKC context in one setting (Wikipedia). We expect that the results will generalize to other OKC platforms.

Practical implications

The findings of the study could assist the online knowledge community's organizers to understand the motivational mechanisms of online knowledge integration. Group interaction process could be regarded as the key role to promote group wisdom and maintain group independence.

Social implications

We advance the understanding of the online knowledge integration and gain a richer understanding of the importance of group interaction independence for online knowledge integration based on the agreement of group wisdom. It suggested keeping group interaction independence is an important aspect for highly online knowledge integration among heterogeneity groups.

Originality/value

This study extends CEM and ITC theory to the domain of knowledge integration context and finds the mechanism between group heterogeneity and online knowledge integration by introducing the group interaction process.

Fostering the development of Oman’s knowledge economy pillars through ICT

Purpose

Information and communications technology (ICT) is the driving force and key enabler of a knowledge economy. The purpose of this study is to identify the critical ICT indicators that foster the development of the knowledge economy and its main pillars (education, innovation and economic and institutional regimes) in Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a qualitative approach and conducted four Delphi studies on four groups of experts (ICT experts, educators, innovation experts and economists) in Oman.

Findings

The results indicated that the most commonly top-listed ICT indicators of a boost in the country’s knowledge economy are related to the national level (total research and development expenditure on ICT, ICT patents as a percentage of national total and ICT as an overall priority for the government), firm level (the proportion of businesses using the internet, the proportion of businesses using computers and the proportion of businesses with a Web presence), and inhabitant level (mobile phone subscribers per 100 inhabitants, internet subscribers per 100 inhabitants and personal computers per 100 inhabitants).

Originality/value

ICT is the driving pillar of a knowledge economy. The literature indicated that most of the ICTs for development studies are conducted in developed countries; hence, there is a great need for investigations in the context of less developed economies such as Oman. This study can provide insights for the country on how to develop and exploit ICT to boost the development of the overall knowledge economy and its pillars and to provide guidance for exploiting ICT to gain economic value. Oman’s vision for 2020 and 2040 aims at economic diversification; the knowledge economy is a critical aspect of the country’s economic diversification. In addition, the literature indicated that the relationship between ICT and development is still not clear; hence, this study provided some insights into the context of knowledge economy development.

Extraction of knowledge from open government data

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish a new conceptual iterative framework for extracting knowledge from open government data (OGD). OGD is becoming a major source for knowledge and innovation to generate economic value, if properly used. However, currently there are no standards or frameworks for applying knowledge continuum tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) to improve elicit knowledge extraction from OGD in a consistent manner.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a comprehensive review of literature on both OGD and knowledge management (KM) frameworks. It provides insights into the extraction of knowledge from OGD by using a vast array of phased KM TTPs into the OGD lifecycle phases.

Findings

The paper proposes a knowledge iterative value network (KIVN) as a new conceptual model that applies the principles of KM on OGD. KIVN operates through applying KM TTPs to transfer and transform discrete data into valuable knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

This model covers the most important knowledge elicitation steps; however, users who are interested in using KIVN phases may need to slightly customize it based on their environment and OGD policy and procedure.

Practical implications

After its validation, the model allows facilitating systemic manipulation of OGD for both data-consuming industries and data-producing governments to establish new business models and governance schemes to better make use of OGD.

Originality/value

This paper offers new perspectives on eliciting knowledge from OGD and discussing crucial, but overlooked area of the OGD arena, namely, knowledge extraction through KM principles.

Does Market Orientation Mediate between Knowledge Management Orientation and Business Performance?

The objective of the study is to test the relationship between knowledge management orientation (KMO) and business performance (BP). KMO is a higher-order construct consisting of three second-order constructs: learning orientation (LO), knowledge sharing orientation (KSO), and information technology orientation (ITO). The paper explores the mediating role of market orientation (MO) in the relationship between KMO and BP. In this firm-level study, the personal survey was administered to key informants in 400 listed firms (from manufacturing and service sector) from North Indian States and Union Territories [including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and National Capital Region (NCR)]. Two respondents each from these 400 firms were approached. The study found that KMO positively affects BP. MO does not mediate the relationship between KMO and BP. Rather, KMO fully mediates the relationship between MO and BP. The study provides evidence in support of KMO as a mediator between MO and BP. KMO of the firm provides a dynamic capability for realizing the benefits of a firm’s MO. The study contributes to the knowledge management literature by empirically validating the KMO, MO and BP constructs.

A moderated mediation model of workplace ostracism and task performance

Purpose

Ostracism within organizations may pose communication challenges and reduce opportunities for interactions, potentially affecting coworker knowledge sharing and subsequent performance outcomes. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether knowledge sharing mediates the association between workplace ostracism and employees’ task performance, and whether the mediating effect is moderated by task interdependence.

Design/methodology/approach

Matched data were collected from a two-wave survey among 210 employees and their direct supervisors who work in two Chinese enterprises.

Findings

Results indicate that workplace ostracism is negatively associated with task performance and that knowledge sharing mediates this relation. Further, task interdependence exacerbated the main effect of workplace ostracism and the indirect effect of knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

This paper offers an alternative perspective (i.e. pragmatic impacts of workplace ostracism) to understand how workplace ostracism undermines employees’ task performance. Moreover, the findings emphasize that contextual factors may strengthen the detrimental effects of workplace ostracism in the practical domain.

Knowledge-sharing and collaborative behaviour: An empirical study on a Portuguese higher education institution

Collaboration has been considered a way to address the challenges of the 21st century, fostering the necessary innovation, growth and productivity for all parties involved. Several studies reveal that collaboration can be strongly influenced by knowledge sharing. The literature suggests that this topic is quite relevant and that there is an evident lack of empirical studies that properly investigate the relationship between knowledge-sharing and collaborative behaviour in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). In this context, the purpose of this work is to examine whether knowledge-sharing intention has a positive relationship with collaborative behaviour among professors and researchers in a public Portuguese HEI, taking into account other constructs that can have effect on the knowledge-sharing intention. In order to reach this objective, a conceptual research model was developed based on the theory of reasoned action. The empirical study was conducted based on a questionnaire, and the data analysis was performed using partial least squares. The results indicate that intrinsic motivation and networking are the factors that positively affect the attitude towards knowledge sharing. Nevertheless, it is concluded that trust is the variable that more strongly affects the knowledge-sharing intention. Finally, the study identified that knowledge-sharing intention has a positive influence in collaborative behaviour. It is considered that this study can contribute to support institutions’ management in defining strategies and developing actions in order to promote an organisational culture based on knowledge management that significantly leads to knowledge-sharing and collaboration relationships.

Knowledge sharing and organizational change: Practice interactions in Australian local government

The sharing of knowledge in organizations is deemed critical to achieving environmental and economic sustainability outcomes. This study applies a practice theoretical approach to investigating knowledge sharing in a team in local government created to break down the boundaries which have led to siloed practices. Findings indicate a range of activities, including influencing and resisting, and these differ from findings in other studies. Analysis of organizational discourses, physical arrangements and social spaces of organizations demonstrated the existence of two distinct practices: knowledge sharing and organizational change. Sharing knowledge of the organization and its ways of working were found to be as important as sharing subject knowledge and expertise.

Motivating Knowledge Sharing Among Undergraduate Medical Students of the University of Lahore, Pakistan

Objectives: This study aimed at exploring the factors that motivated and hindered the medical students to share their knowledge with each other. Method: A survey questionnaire was used to collect the data from 260 medical students selected by proportionate stratified simple random sampling technique from University College of Medicine of The University of Lahore, Pakistan. Results: A total of 252 (96.9%) questionnaires were received from respondents. Of the seven purposes for knowledge sharing (KS) (if grades/exams do matter), two obtained a maximum mean score of 3.88; while one got 4.02 if grades/exams do not matter. Four of the eight motivational factors got top mean scores of 3.59 to 3.88. Of the 11 barriers, “People only share with those who share with them” obtained a highest mean score (3.81). Conclusions: Major findings showed that medical students discussed exam-related matters and enhanced their own understanding by KS. Class participation and group discussion stimulated them to share knowledge with their peers. They considered give-and-take a big barrier of KS. The overall opinions of female students scored higher than males.

Exploring the Effects of Team Collaborative Norms and Team Identification on the Quality of Individuals' Knowledge Contribution in Teams

Organizations use teams to generate novelty and useful ideas; thus, studying knowledge sharing in a team setting is important. It is essential to understand what and which factors drive the team members' high-quality knowledge contribution in a team meeting. Drawing on theories of social exchange and social capital, this paper proposes and empirically tests how an individual's cost-benefit factors and team contextual factors interact in increasing the quality of knowledge contribution in an expanded group support system meeting; additionally, a laboratory experiment with 146 participants across 30 teams was conducted to test out the proposed research model. According to the results, team collaborative norms, team identification, and enjoyment in helping others are critical predictors of the quality of individuals' knowledge contributions in a team setting environment. Team collaborative norms and identification are also critical moderators of the quality of individuals' knowledge contributions. Specifically, when weak team collaborative norms exist, loss of knowledge power inhibits contributions of useful knowledge, and the reciprocity benefit motivates contributions of useful knowledge. Further, when weak team identification exists, codification effort inhibits contributions of useful knowledge, and economic reward motivates contributions of useful knowledge. These findings have significant implications for future research and practice.