What matters for knowledge sharing in collectivistic cultures? Empirical evidence from China

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to identify key factors that facilitate knowledge sharing in collectivistic cultures and further help better understand knowledge management in the international context. Design/methodology/approach – Using a survey method, this study collected data from over 200 managerial employees in knowledge management-based project teams from China. Regression analysis was then conducted to analyze the impact of individual differences and environmental factors on the willingness to share knowledge among team members to identify key factors for successful knowledge retention in the constantly changing organizational environment in a collectivistic context. Findings – The results show that incentives are very important in individual’s decision to share knowledge in project teams even in a collectivistic culture like China and both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated individuals tend to share more knowledge with their team members. Individuals with high altruism are also found more likely to share knowledge with others. Moreover, a trusting environment and explicit knowledge will facilitate knowledge sharing for better retention. Research limitations/implications – More studies should be conducted in other collectivistic cultures to explore cultural barriers in knowledge management in the international context and comparative studies using samples from different cultural backgrounds are also encouraged to help extend the theories on knowledge management. Originality/value – While it is well-known that knowledge sharing is essential for organization to maintain competitive advantage, relatively few studies have examined knowledge sharing in collectivistic cultures, and even fewer have done so in China. This study adds values to the literature by identifying key factors for knowledge sharing in China, and thus helps refine the knowledge management theories and provides insights for multinationals on knowledge management in the Chinese market.

Inovação por exploração e explotação do conhecimento: um estudo empírico do setor automobilístico

“…Prod., São Carlos, v. 25, n. 1, p. 1-15, 2018 ( Analoui et al, 2012;Politis, 2001), learning culture (Donate & Guadamillas, 2011;Ma et al, 2014), autonomy (Lee & Choi, 2003;Ho et al, 2014) and IT systems (Bansler & Havn, 2004;Xue et al, 2011).…”

“…Collaborative culture, in turn, proposes that the interests of the group and collective good take precedence over individual interests (Zheng et al, 2010). As a result, it is natural to assume that in environments where culture is collaborative, individuals are more willing to share their knowledge with the other team members, intensifying the flow of knowledge (Ma et al, 2014;Li, 2010). This discussion gives way to the third set of hypotheses:…”

Knowledge sharing in the automotive sector: a comparative study of chinese and brazilian firms

“…While collectivism facilitates trust and knowledge-sharing with "in group" members, there is usually skepticism towards "outsiders". Therefore, China remains a challenging setting for encouraging knowledge sharing amongst the workforce (Chen et al, 2010;Huang et al, 2008;Jolly, 2002;Ma et al, 2014;McAdam et al, 2012;Tong & Mitra, 2009). First, the strong emphasis on particularistic and intense social relationships (Weir & Hutchings, 2005) among Chinese workers may hinder the knowledge sharing processes.…”

Exploring Knowledge Sharing in a Professional Network: A Central Eurasian Case

“…This could create a feedback loop such that knowledge sharing increases network involvement, thereby increasing further knowledge sharing. Additionally, while the present study examined the quality and quantity of knowledge sharing in general, managers may benefit from future studies that focus on explicit and tacit forms of knowledge sharing (see, e.g., Ma et al, 2014). …”

“…Although previous research has identified several key antecedents to knowledge sharing such as trust, management support, and organizational values (Connelly & Kelloway, 2003;Kankanhalli, Tan & Wei, 2005;Michailova & Minbaeva, 2012), much remains to be explored. Indeed, Ma, Huang, Wu, Dong, and Qi (2014) noted that knowledge sharing frameworks largely have their origins in Western cultures and that their application in different cultural contexts needs to be examined. Using a recently-formed regional network of corporate, civic, and nonprofit leaders in Central Eurasia as the basis for the research, this paper discusses a study that was designed to address an important question that has been understudied in past research.…”