Knowledge Sharing and Service Innovation in Academic Libraries

Abstract

Innovation is becoming a survival strategy for academic libraries, which strive to preserve their relevance and contribution. Knowledge sharing (KS) is believed to be an important factor in creating innovative capabilities and improving innovation. Yet, only scant empirical research has investigated the possible effect of KS on service innovation (SEI). This study adopted a research model to analyze the effect of KS on SEI as well as the mediating effects of information technology innovation (ITI) and management innovation (MIN) on the relationship between KS and SEI. The results are derived using a data set from two large academic libraries in Egypt. Although KS has a significant total effect on SEI, its role in augmenting SEI is only secondary since it depends mainly on the mediating roles of ITI and MIN. These results are interesting because they deviate from the assumptions and results of many previous studies on KS and SEI.