Challenges of knowledge sharing within oil & gas sector

Abstract

Purpose: This paper intends to examine the challenges towards knowledge sharing within four sub sectors of Pakistan’s Oil & Gas industry, i.e. E&P Upstream, Field service providers, Midstream and Downstream. It is accomplished by conducting a focused quantitative research & subsequent statistical analysis on the perceptions of O&G professionals towards various challenges of knowledge sharing at organizational level. Research Design/Methodology/Approach: The research employed a questionnaire based quantitative study comprising of 27 closed ended questions for collecting insights of O&G professionals towards challenges of Knowledge sharing. Based upon 286 responses collected from all four subsectors of Pakistan’s O&G industry, correlation and regression analysis were applied to assess the various challenges towards the process of knowledge sharing. Findings: Good level of interpersonal trust among employees, Adequate communication, Knowledge as a power, Low organizational hierarchy, Efficacious rewards & recognition mechanisms and Existence of IT tools have a positive impact on the process of knowledge sharing. Research Limitations/Implications: Research was focused on the O&G sector of Pakistan, and thus it can’t be generalized to any other sector or country. Originality/Value: This study fulfills the insufficiency of research regarding challenges of KS within all sub sectors of Pakistan’s O&G sector. It lists down the key challenges of KS & thus provides an insight for enhancing the culture of KS at organizational level.