Knowledge‐sharing patterns of undergraduate students in Singapore

Abstract

Purpose – The objective of this study is to investigate the knowledge-sharing behavior of undergraduate students in Singapore and to cover areas such as the purpose of sharing knowledge, communication channels preferred for sharing, and factors that inhibit or motivate knowledge sharing among students. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was used for collecting data and 180 students from three public universities in Singapore participated in the study. Findings – It was found that, generally, students displayed a positive attitude towards knowledge sharing and were appreciative of its importance in peer learning. However, it was interesting to note that the respondents were less inclined to share knowledge for academic activities that were graded. The study also revealed that competition among students to outperform their fellow students and lack of depth in peer relationship were the two main factors that inhibited knowledge sharing. Practical implications – The paper argues that fresh approaches to learning are desirable to make it less competitive, which is likely to encourage active knowledge sharing among students. Originality/value – A majority of the studies on knowledge sharing have been conducted in an organizational context. Only limited work has been done on the knowledge-sharing behavior of students. As a majority of the university students are expected to join the workforce after graduation, it is desirable their knowledge-sharing behavior should be thoroughly investigated.