A STUDY ON INDIVIDUAL FACTORS AFFECTING KNOWLEDGE SHARING BY KNOWLEDGE TYPE

Abstract

Knowledge sharing is an essential component of effective knowledge management. However, individuals’ knowledge does not transform easily into organizational knowledge even with the implementation of knowledge management program. Rather, individuals tend to hoard knowledge for various reasons. This article is to explore which individual factors influence the level of knowledge sharing intention and the preference to knowledge sharing mechanism. Although several factors have been identified to help create a high performing knowledge organization, including leadership, organizational culture and so on, the major objective of the research is to explore individuals’ factors that influence knowledge sharing intention and knowledge sharing mechanism across different knowledge types. This paper focused personality trait, ability, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation structure to explain knowledge sharing in organization. A total of 207 participants answered questionnaires. Results of this study find that expertise; subjective norm and self-efficacy have significant influence on knowledge sharing intention, and agreeableness, reciprocity, self-efficacy have significant influence on knowledge sharing mechanism. And also find that the individuals are more likely to choose formal interaction mechanism to share knowledge, such as training session, seminar, meetings, etc.