Knowledge sharing among public sector employees: evidence from Malaysia
05 Apr 2011-International Journal of Public Sector Management (Emerald Group Publishing Limited)-Vol. 24, Iss: 3, pp 206-226
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey-based methodology employing a research questionnaire was used to elicit the views of public sector employees towards the importance of knowledge sharing (KS); identify the barriers to KS; and identify initiatives that may encourage KS.
Abstract: Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to: identify the views of public sector employees towards the importance of Knowledge Sharing (KS); identify the barriers to KS; and identify initiatives that may encourage KS.Design/methodology/approach – The design employed in this research was mainly descriptive in nature. A survey‐based methodology employing a research questionnaire was used to elicit the views of public sector employees towards KS. A total of 320 questionnaires were randomly distributed and 170 were successfully collected, giving a response rate of 60 percent.Findings – The results showed that the respondents were very positive in their views towards “importance of KS” and they also strongly felt that knowledge was a source of competitive advantage. However, they were of the view that the importance of knowledge sharing was not clearly communicated and many of them were not sure whether KS strategy existed in their department. The public sector employees also showed self‐serving biases when...
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TL;DR: In this paper, a cross-sectional survey study was conducted to examine the knowledge sharing behavior (KSB) of ethnically diverse public sector staff in perspective of well-known theory of planned behavior (TPB).
Abstract: Knowledge hoarding is an emerging issue among multiracial employees engaged in public sector higher educational institutes (HEIs) of Islamabad, Pakistan. By considering knowledge-sharing barriers, this study aims to examine the knowledge sharing behavior (KSB) of ethnically diverse public sector staff in perspective of well-known theory of planned behavior (TPB).,It is a cross-sectional survey study, and it has used a self-administered questionnaire for data collection. With proportionate stratified random sampling technique, 273 nonacademic employees associated in 15 public sector HEIs of Islamabad have recorded their responses. Structural equation modeling was employed for empirical hypotheses testing.,Results stated significant and positive effect of cultural diversity management, interpersonal trust and knowledge technology on KSB. Moreover, knowledge-sharing attitude (KSA) fully mediated the relationship between cultural diversity management and KSB and between interpersonal trust and KSB; whereas KSA partially mediated the relationship between knowledge technology and KSB. Moreover, proposed model has explained 45% variation in endogenous construct.,Current study contributes to the present literature by investigating the antecedents of knowledge-sharing behavior of multicultural nonacademic staff engaged in public sector HEIs of capital city of Pakistan. Enriching the top management thoughts about problems of diverse workforce, the researcher has explored a noticeable lack in elucidation of such connection. Moreover, formation of knowledge-sharing behavior specifically on ethnic-based diverse employees made a significant addition in existing literature.,The present research aids academic leadership in designing policies and strategies to enhance knowledge sharing among public sector employees and to create a supportive knowledge-sharing culture.,This study fills the empirical gap in literature by exploring the antecedents and their effect on KSB of nonacademic employees of Islamabad, Pakistan. Moreover, assessing the mediation effect of KSA between CDM and KSB on multicultural public sector employees is another novel inclusion in literature.
10 citations
TL;DR: The relationship between PM and KM is explored by analysing the literature at the intersection of those disciplines and presenting the empirical results of a case study of the Victorian Public Sector (VPS) in Australia.
Abstract: Projects are temporal organisation forms that are highly knowledge-intensive and play an important role in modern public (and private) sector organisations. The effective and efficient creation, dissemination, application and conservation of relevant knowledge are a critical success factor in the management of projects. Yet, project management (PM) and knowledge management (KM) are two distinct disciplines. This paper explores the relationship between PM and KM by analysing the literature at the intersection of those disciplines and presenting the empirical results of a case study of the Victorian Public Sector (VPS) in Australia. A series of 14 interviews were conducted to explore how ICT project managers manage project knowledge across the departments of the VPS. Findings show a strong preference among the participants for informal, face-to-face interactions and agile approaches to facilitate knowledge transfer and creation in ICT project environments.
10 citations
Cites background from "Knowledge sharing among public sect..."
...The academic community is becoming increasingly interested in the study of knowledge sharing (Boateng & Agyemang, 2014; Mansingh et al., 2014; Sandhu et al., 2011; Seba et al., 2012; Yao et al., 2007; Yusof et al., 2012)....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors provided a theoretical and empirical understanding of the positive influence of organizational culture on innovation and knowledge sharing in southern African universities, and found a significant relationship was found between organisational culture and innovation.
Abstract: Orientation: Continuous innovation and knowledge sharing have become the linchpin of contemporary organisations, especially universities. Universities thus need to create a conducive organisational culture to enable innovation and knowledge sharing. Research purpose: This study aimed to contribute empirically to an understanding of how an innovative university can be realised in a developing country context. Motivation for the study: As innovation and knowledge sharing remain a challenge for most southern African universities, this article provides a theoretical and empirical understanding of the positive influence of organisational culture on these variables. Research approach/design and method: The study followed a survey design. A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 277 university staff members. A total of 195 questionnaires were collected for data analysis, yielding a response rate of 70.39%. Data were interpreted using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modelling to analyse the relationship between the variables. Main findings: The results indicated that the university under investigation had a dominant rational or clan culture orientation. A significant relationship was found between organisational culture and innovation and organisational culture and knowledge sharing. Practical/managerial implications: The study proposes that innovation and knowledge sharing can best be realised within an adhocracy culture. Strategic priorities were proposed to the management of the university to enhance the pervasiveness of these variables. Contribution/value-add: The study provides empirical evidence of the positive effect of organisational culture on innovation and knowledge sharing, confirming that organisational culture is a predictor of both innovation and knowledge sharing.
10 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a revisao bibliografica, que entre os principais impeditivos a Gestao do Conhecimento no Servico Publico, tanto no Brasil como em outros paises, estao relacionados a problemas that confrontam com aspectos culturais como comportamento, relacoes interpessoais, comunicacao, resistencia.
Abstract: As instituicoes do Servico Publico, assim como seus servidores, sao fundamentais para o desenvolvimento de uma nacao. Desta forma, a Gestao do Conhecimento desempenha papel chave para a gestao eficaz do principal recurso dessas instituicoes, o conhecimento. No Servico Publico, sujeito a constantes mudancas politicas e assim gerando mudancas na conducao da gestao, gerir o conhecimento torna-se ainda mais importante. A reutilizacao, recuperacao e uso do conhecimento sao fundamentais para a evolucao e enquadramento nas modernas tecnicas de gestar desses entes. Desta forma, procurou-se verificar como a cultura organizacional caracteriza-se como desafio a implantacao da Gestao Conhecimento no âmbito do Servico Publico Federal Brasileiro, ja que se detectou por meio de revisao bibliografica, que entre os principais impeditivos a Gestao do Conhecimento no Servico Publico, tanto no Brasil como em outros paises, estao relacionados a problemas que confrontam com aspectos culturais como comportamento, relacoes interpessoais, comunicacao, resistencia. Nessa linha identificaram-se como alternativas para a resolucao dos problemas desta natureza, as que estao relacionadas a criacao de politicas para incentivo a Gestao do Conhecimento e a motivacao do grupo, assim como a aprendizagem coletiva, compartilhamento de conhecimentos, desenvolvimento de competencias, entre outros.
10 citations
Dissertation•
01 May 2014
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate the influence of both organisational and individual factors on knowledge sharing between academics in a departmental context and find that trust is the most important individual factor to influence knowledge sharing and culture as the most critical organisational factor.
Abstract: Managing knowledge has been a broadly successful strategy for many organisations during the last 30 years or so. Harnessing the power of both explicit and tacit knowledge enabled companies such as Apple and Chevron to gain competitive advantage over their competitors.
A key requirement for successful knowledge management is however that the individual should be prepared to share their tacit knowledge with others. Knowledge sharing factors in general have been subject to considerable research; however research on sharing knowledge in higher education is rare. This thesis seeks to the address the research gap by examining the factors that influence knowledge sharing between academic in UK universities.
The research contributes to the literature by investigating the influence of both organisational and individual factors on knowledge sharing between academics in a departmental context. The research approach has consisted of a two stage mixed methods process where a questionnaire survey of academics preceded a series of interviews.
Findings from questionnaires indicated that academics had a generally positive attitude and intention to share knowledge and believed that sharing would improve and extend relationships with colleagues. They were quite neutral about how they were led and had a generally higher level of affiliation to discipline than to institution, and also considered that departmental structure did not encourage sharing. Interview findings suggested that many academics were unhappy with the matrix structure and that there was a lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibilities within their departments. They singled out trust as the most important individual factor to influence knowledge sharing and culture as the most critical organisational factor.
10 citations
References
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TL;DR: The extent to which method biases influence behavioral research results is examined, potential sources of method biases are identified, the cognitive processes through which method bias influence responses to measures are discussed, the many different procedural and statistical techniques that can be used to control method biases is evaluated, and recommendations for how to select appropriate procedural and Statistical remedies are provided.
Abstract: Interest in the problem of method biases has a long history in the behavioral sciences. Despite this, a comprehensive summary of the potential sources of method biases and how to control for them does not exist. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the extent to which method biases influence behavioral research results, identify potential sources of method biases, discuss the cognitive processes through which method biases influence responses to measures, evaluate the many different procedural and statistical techniques that can be used to control method biases, and provide recommendations for how to select appropriate procedural and statistical remedies for different types of research settings.
52,531 citations
"Knowledge sharing among public sect..." refers methods in this paper
...To further reduce bias towards positive responses or answers which may result in common method error variance, we conducted factor analysis as suggested by Podsakoff et al. (2003)...
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the usefulness of analyzing firms from the resource side rather than from the product side, in analogy to entry barriers and growth-share matrices, the concepts of resource position barrier and resource-product matrices are suggested.
Abstract: Summary The paper explores the usefulness of analysing firms from the resource side rather than from the product side. In analogy to entry barriers and growth-share matrices, the concepts of resource position barrier and resource-product matrices are suggested. These tools are then used to highlight the new strategic options which naturally emerge from the resource perspective.
18,677 citations
"Knowledge sharing among public sect..." refers background in this paper
...According to the resource based view, firms can maintain and achieve sustainable competitive advantage and earn superior profits if it owns and controls its tangible and intangible assets ( Wernerfelt, 1984...
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a paradigm for managing the dynamic aspects of organizational knowledge creating processes, arguing that organizational knowledge is created through a continuous dialogue between tacit and explicit knowledge.
Abstract: This paper proposes a paradigm for managing the dynamic aspects of organizational knowledge creating processes. Its central theme is that organizational knowledge is created through a continuous dialogue between tacit and explicit knowledge. The nature of this dialogue is examined and four patterns of interaction involving tacit and explicit knowledge are identified. It is argued that while new knowledge is developed by individuals, organizations play a critical role in articulating and amplifying that knowledge. A theoretical framework is developed which provides an analytical perspective on the constituent dimensions of knowledge creation. This framework is then applied in two operational models for facilitating the dynamic creation of appropriate organizational knowledge.
17,196 citations
"Knowledge sharing among public sect..." refers background in this paper
...One of the most important theories in the field of KM was however developed by Nonaka (1994)...
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Book•
01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: The Japanese companies, masters of manufacturing, have also been leaders in the creation, management, and use of knowledge-especially the tacit and often subjective insights, intuitions, and ideas of employees as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Japanese companies, masters of manufacturing, have also been leaders in the creation, management, and use of knowledge-especially the tacit and often subjective insights, intuitions, and ideas of employees.
16,886 citations
TL;DR: Senge's Fifth Discipline is a set of principles for building a "learning organization" as discussed by the authors, where people expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nutured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are contually learning together.
Abstract: Peter Senge, founder and director of the Society for Organisational Learning and senior lecturer at MIT, has found the means of creating a 'learning organisation'. In The Fifth Discipline, he draws the blueprints for an organisation where people expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nutured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are contually learning together. The Fifth Discipline fuses these features together into a coherent body of theory and practice, making the whole of an organisation more effective than the sum of its parts. Mastering the disciplines will: *Reignite the spark of learning, driven by people focused on what truly matters to them. *Bridge teamwork into macro-creativity. *Free you from confining assumptions and mind-sets. *Teach you to see the forest and the trees. *End the struggle between work and family time. The Fifth Discipline is a remarkable book that draws on science, spiritual values, psychology, the cutting edge of management thought and Senge's work with leading companies which employ Fifth Discipline methods. Reading it provides a searching personal experience and a dramatic professional shift of mind. This edition contains more than 100 pages of new material about how companies are actually using and benefiting from Fifth Discipline practices, as well as a new foreword from Peter Senge about his work with the Fifth Discipline over the last 15 years.
16,386 citations