Likelihood to Trust Sharing Knowledge in Multi-Cultural Consulting Companies

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship of personality dimensions with the likelihood that professionals will trust, sharing their knowledge in a large multi-cultural consulting company. Trust was defined from the literature and used to measure likelihood to trust sharing knowledge. Personality was also grounded in the literature and used to measure the five-factor model of personality dimensions. A survey was given to professional workers at a financial-management consulting company in South Africa (n=125). Descriptive statistics, alpha reliability verification, correlation, ANOVA (Analysis of Variance), and Fisher post-hoc group comparisons were applied. A statistically significant model was developed which indicated three personality dimensions were positively related to the likelihood to trust sharing knowledge in the multi-cultural consulting company.