Analysis of the Impact of Personal Psychological Knowledge Ownership on Knowledge Sharing Among Employees in Chinese Digital Creative Enterprises: a Moderated Mediating Variable

Abstract

Based on psychological ownership theory and social exchange theory, this paper analyzes the impact of personal knowledge psychological ownership on employee knowledge sharing in Chinese digital creative enterprises and examines the mediation effect of social alienation and the moderating role of organizational flexibility. Based on the analysis of 357 sample data, the results show that psychological ownership of personal knowledge significantly negatively impacts employee knowledge sharing, and social alienation is mediating between them. Organizational flexibility significantly reduces the positive impact of psychological ownership of personal knowledge on social alienation, and also plays a regulatory role in the relationship between psychological ownership of personal knowledge and employee knowledge sharing. With the improvement of resource flexibility and cultural flexibility, the intermediary role of social alienation between psychological ownership of personal knowledge and cultural and creative knowledge sharing is becoming smaller and smaller.

Exploring Motivations and Trust Mechanisms in Knowledge Sharing: The Moderating Role of Social Alienation

“…This suggests that SA leads to a decrease in employees' trust in their colleagues and the technology, subsequently diminishing the occurrence of knowledge sharing in the workplace. This finding aligns with prior literature, which has consistently highlighted the negative influence of employees' psychological issues such as SA on their knowledge-sharing behaviors [17]. Moreover, Zhang, G. et al [65] noted that employees' social abilities and motivations for harmony played pivotal roles in determining the level of social alienation they experienced.…”

“…Furthermore, the growing motivation to share knowledge and the motivation to use social media platforms also enhance the efficacy of social media in knowledge sharing [26]. As a result, digital creative enterprises are increasingly adopting social media technology as a means to reduce social alienation and to encourage employees to transition from personal knowledge ownership to the active practice of knowledge sharing [17]. Therefore, based on social exchange theory, people's willingness to share is influenced by different types of trust, motivation, resource support, and social psychology when using ESM.…”

“…Zhang, G. et al [65] posited that creative employees, who possess strong networking abilities, are more inclined to exhibit sharing behaviors in organizations, allowing them to effectively seek informative advice and emotional support, thereby mitigating the experience of social alienation. However, employees with a high degree of psychological ownership over their personal knowledge may be more susceptible to social alienation, which, in turn, hinders knowledge sharing [17].…”

“…While recent research has indicated that work alienation is often associated with factors such as physical distance in the work environment and educational levels [74], there is limited literature that has explored the influence of alienation on employees' trust and knowledgesharing behavior. Moreover, it is important to note that the recent research has only alluded to the negative impact of SA on KS and primarily regarded it as a mediating variable in the context of psychological ownership of personal knowledge and its relationship with KS [17].…”

“…Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of research addressing how specific psychological states affect the relationship between employee trust and knowledge-sharing behavior. Furthermore, there is a distinct value in discerning the antecedent motivations that contribute to trust building among co-workers, as this knowledge can foster the development and innovation within digital creative enterprises [17]. Previous studies have underscored the importance of comprehending the impact of trustworthiness on knowledge sharing among organization members, along with the contextual conditions that influence this relationship.…”