Knowledge sharing in context: the influence of organizational commitment, communication climate and CMC use on knowledge sharing
Top Cited Papers
- 1 December 2004
- journal article
- Published by Emerald in Journal of Knowledge Management
- Vol. 8 (6), 117-130
- https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270410567675
Abstract
Determining which factors promote or impede the sharing of knowledge within groups and organizations constitutes an important area of research. This paper focuses on three such influences: “organizational commitment,” “organizational communication,” and the use of a specific instrument of communication – computer‐mediated communication (CMC). Two processes of knowledge sharing are distinguished: donating and collecting. A number of hypotheses are presented concerning the influence of commitment, climate and CMC on these processes. These hypotheses were tested in six case studies. The results suggest that commitment to the organization positively influences knowledge donating, and is in turn positively influenced by CMC use. Communication climate is found to be a key variable: a constructive communication climate was found to positively influence knowledge donating, knowledge collecting and affective commitment. Finally, a relationship was found that was not hypothesized: knowledge collecting influences knowledge donating in a positive sense – the more knowledge a person collects, the more he or she is willing to also donate knowledge to others. Based on these results, a number of theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and suggestions for further research are presented.Keywords
This publication has 46 references indexed in Scilit:
- Factors favoring knowledge management in work teamsJournal of Knowledge Management, 2003
- Communication and Commitment in Organizations: A Social Identity ApproachGroup Processes & Intergroup Relations, 2001
- Knowledge as Work: Conflicts in the Management of Knowledge WorkersTechnology Analysis & Strategic Management, 1999
- Social Capital, Intellectual Capital, and the Organizational AdvantageAcademy of Management Review, 1998
- Computer Communication and Organizational Commitment: Tracing the Relationship in a City GovernmentJournal of Applied Social Psychology, 1989
- Practical Issues in Structural ModelingSociological Methods & Research, 1987
- Employee-Organization Linkages: The Psychology of Commitment, Absenteeism, and Turnover.Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews, 1984
- INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AS A PREDICTOR OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENTHuman Communication Research, 1983
- Commitment and Social Organization: A Study of Commitment Mechanisms in Utopian CommunitiesAmerican Sociological Review, 1968
- The Social Psychology of OrganizationsThe American Journal of Psychology, 1967