Knowledge sharing and firm innovation capability in Croatian ICT companies

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically distinguish the influence of the individual factors (enjoyment in helping others and knowledge self-efficacy), organizational factors (top management support and organizational rewards) and technology factors (information and communication technology use) on knowledge-sharing processes. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a survey of 196 employees from large ICT companies in Croatia, and structural equation modeling was used to investigate the research model. Findings Results of the empirical research indicate that enjoyment in helping others as an individual factor, top management support as an organizational factor, and ICT use as a technology factor significantly influence knowledge-sharing processes. The results also suggest that the willingness of employee to donate and collect knowledge enables the firm to improve innovation capability. No influence of the individual factor knowledge self-efficacy on the employee knowledge-sharing behavior was found within this research. Research limitations/implications Subjectivity of respondents, Likert scale – perception, and future research can include higher number of population and examine how personal traits (such as age, level of education, and working experience) and organizational characteristics (such as firm size) may moderate the relationships between knowledge enablers and processes. Practical implications From a practical perspective, the relationships among knowledge-sharing enablers, processes, and firm innovation capability may provide a guide regarding how firms can promote knowledge-sharing cultures to sustain their innovation performance. Originality/value This study identifies several factors essential to successful knowledge sharing, and discusses the implications of these factors for developing organizational strategies that encourage and foster knowledge sharing.

Knowledge sharing and innovative work behavior: The case of Vietnam

“…(iv) Management support is positively correlated with knowledge donation and collection. Many authors in the world also agree with this observation such as Han and Anantatmula (2007), Kanaan et al (2013), Sliat and Alnsour (2013), Al-Qadhi et al (2015), Binsawad et al (2017), Podrug et al (2017), even Lin (2007) also concluded that management support affects two central processes of knowledge sharing: knowledge donation and collection. Al-Qadhi et al (2015) affirmed that managers should support employees in all aspects.…”

“…(ii) Enjoyment in helping others is positively correlated with knowledge donation and collection. Many authors also agree with this observation (Kanaan & Gharibeh, 2013;Sliat & Alnsour, 2013;Binsawad et al, 2017;Phung et al, 2017;Podrug et al, 2017). In addition, Lin (2007) also concluded enjoyment in helping others affect both the processes of knowledge donation and collection.…”

Building Competitive Advantage for Vietnamese Firms: The Roles of Knowledge Sharing and Innovation

“…Prior researches highlight KS as an important precursor of innovation capability (Jantunen, 2005;Lin, 2007;Podrug et al, 2017;Le & Lei, 2019). Specifically, Jantunen (2005) asserted that KS among employees may help firms to have superior innovation capability because firms can only perform effectively manage knowledge if employees are willing to sharing their knowledge with the others.…”

“…Their empirical researches indicated that KS is the important factor affected both firms' innovation speed and innovation quality. Podrug et al (2017) pointed out that the willingness of employee to donate and collect knowledge significantly contributes to improving innovation capability for organization. Recently, Le and Lei (2019) stressed that KS positively affect firm's innovation capabilities in term of product and process innovation.…”

Why and when knowledge hiding in the workplace is harmful: a review of the literature and directions for future research in the Chinese context

“…), employee job performance (Kim and Yun ), team creativity (Men et al. ) and firm innovative capability (Podrug, Filipović and Kovač ). Given the salient benefits of knowledge, organisations have been encouraged to invest in knowledge management practices to facilitate knowledge sharing (e.g.…”