Knowledge-sharing hostility and governance mechanisms: an empirical test

• Published in: Journal of knowledge management Vol. 16; no. 5; pp. 754 - 773
• Main Authors: Husted, Kenneth, Michailova, Snejina, Minbaeva, Dana B, Pedersen, Torben
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kempston Emerald Group Publishing Limited 01.01.2012
• Subjects: Attitudes; Behavior; Cooperation; Dealing; Denmark; Empirical analysis; Employees; Errors; Hoardings; Hostility; Intersections; Knowledge management; Knowledge sharing; Organizations; Social interaction; Strengthening; Studies; Knowledge-sharing behaviour; Governance mechanisms; Denmark; Individual behaviour; Knowledge-sharing hostility; Knowledge transfer
• DOI: 10.1108/13673271211262790
• ISSN: 1367-3270

Purpose - This paper aims at further developing and empirically examining the concept of knowledge-sharing hostility. It seeks to analyze reasons for hoarding knowledge, reasons for rejecting external knowledge, and attitudes towards mistakes, as well as the influence of these factors on actual knowledge-sharing behavior. The paper aims to examine how two specific knowledge-governance mechanisms - commitment-based and transaction-based mechanisms - affect knowledge sharingDesign methodology approach - The authors test the hypotheses on a sample of 1,639 respondents in 15 organizations in Denmark.Findings - The authors find that the use of transaction-based mechanisms promotes knowledge-sharing hostility by strengthening individuals' reasons for hoarding and rejecting knowledge, and by negatively affecting individuals' attitudes towards sharing knowledge about mistakes. In contrast, the use of commitment-based mechanisms diminishes knowledge-sharing hostility among individuals.Originality value - The contribution of the paper is two-fold. First, it responds to the clear need to examine individual characteristics related to withholding knowledge in organizations. Second, by delineating specific organizational governance mechanisms that are critical for dealing with knowledge-sharing hostility, the research responds to the call for research aimed at explaining and detailing problems that lie in the intersection of organization and knowledge processes.