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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Dissertation•
29 Jan 2014
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a conceptual model and a set of guidance for improved awareness and understanding of the role of knowledge communication in effective project management of post-disaster reconstruction (PDR) projects.
Abstract: Disasters have become prevalent events, particularly in Indonesia which is considered to be a country that is particularly vulnerable to disasters. The fairly recent earthquakes in Indonesia (the 2004 Aceh earthquake, the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake and the 2009 West Sumatra earthquake), have caused loss to human life and also damage to houses, buildings and infrastructures. With regard to the disaster management cycle, reconstruction plays an important role as the key phase in mitigating future disasters. The importance and challenges associated with knowledge management in post-disaster reconstruction projects have received very little attention. The significance of the challenges is not matched by parallel research in the area. This research aims to develop a conceptual model and a set of guidance for improved awareness and understanding of the role of knowledge communication in effective project management of post-disaster reconstruction (PDR) projects. In addressing this aim, the research identifies challenges in PDR projects; investigates critical success factors related to PDR projects; and investigates knowledge communication implementation in PDR projects. The research also developed a model and a set of guidance. This research adopted a mixed methodological (quantitative and qualitative) approach. It also used questionnaire survey and semi structured interview to elicit the research data. A total 143 respondents comprising contractors, local governments, NGOs, and consultants, completed the questionnaire. The data elicited from the questionnaire was the basis for quantitative analysis using SPSS version 16 software package. Thirty-three (33) interview data obtained were analysed qualitatively using the NVivo version 9 software package. The study concludes, inter alia, that construction quality is the central issue in PDR projects. Achieving planned quality is perceived as the most challenging aspect in the PDR projects. Similarly, meeting the required quality is also considered as the most important criterion for project success. Contractors, consultants and local governments consider the ‘golden triangle’ (time, cost, and quality) as the main success criteria, whereas NGOs consider end users’ (disaster victims) satisfaction as the main success criterion. In the main, ‘conducting meetings’, ‘face-to-face interactions’ and ‘reports’ are considered as the main methods for communicating knowledge among project stakeholders. Limited time, limited ability, and different backgrounds of stakeholders are the main barriers in communicating knowledge. With regard to the role of knowledge communication, the research showed that knowledge communication offers significant contribution to improving the quality of work, to the spread of best practices, and a reduction of re-work. Although respondents acknowledged the importance of knowledge communication, the implementation, however, is still primarily limited to face-to-face project meetings. An analogical model, called the KERAN model, and guidance document have been developed in this research. The model represents the process of post-disaster reconstruction projects and the role of knowledge communication in projects. The model is accompanied by a guidance document that explains the implementation of knowledge communication in post-disaster reconstruction projects. The model and guidance document have been validated using a questionnaire that has been completed by project managers. The study recommends that project managers in Indonesia should develop their skills in project control, take full advantage of the benefits of project meetings, and improve their communication and social skills in order to improve knowledge communication on projects. Future work is needed on how to transfer disaster related knowledge to construction workers.
7 citations
Cites methods from "Knowledge sharing among public sect..."
...According to the research onion formulated by Saunders et al. (2007), the research choices consist of mono method, mixed method, and multi-method (Figure 3-1, page 51)....
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TL;DR: Analysis of knowledge sharing behaviours and practices of retail banking professionals in a Chinese big four bank offers contextually grounded insights into what types of managerial practices are relevant in eliciting successful knowledge sharing within organisations faced with an ageing workforce.
Abstract: Drawing on theories pertaining to knowledge sharing, ageing at work and human resource practices for ageing workers, this article explores knowledge sharing challenges arising from the interaction between an increasingly ageing workforce and younger employees.,Contextually, the authors focus on China, where the pace of demographic transformations offers a unique opportunity to investigate knowledge sharing practices in their socio-economic context. Empirically, the authors analyse knowledge sharing behaviours and practices of retail banking professionals in a Chinese big four bank.,The encouragement of knowledge sharing between younger and older workers should be incorporated into organisations' human resource strategies. The availability of development, maintenance, utilisation and accommodative human resource practices signals to older workers that they are valuable and are worth investing in.,The authors’ contribution to theory and practice is twofold: starting with the identification of perceived knowledge sharing challenges, the authors’ analysis offers important contextually grounded insights into what types of managerial practices are relevant in eliciting successful knowledge sharing within organisations faced with an ageing workforce.
7 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of job-related knowledge sharing on information availability and job satisfaction for information-receiving employees in the public sector and found that knowledge sharing is a highly social process in which support and relatedness play a significant role in success in addition to the diffusion of information itself.
Abstract: This study aims to examine the impact of job-related knowledge sharing on information availability and job satisfaction for information-receiving employees in the public sector. Following self-determination theory, the study suggests that job satisfaction is only partly affected by knowledge sharing itself, but particularly through the availability of job-related information enabling the information receiver to work effectively.,The hypotheses are tested with data from the US Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey from 2018. Additionally, results are replicated with earlier waves of the survey.,Results show the positive impact of job-related knowledge sharing on job satisfaction, whereby the availability of job-relevant information mediates this relationship partially.,This study confirms that managers should provide room for social interactions when introducing knowledge management practices.,The results emphasize that knowledge sharing is a highly social process in which support and relatedness play a significant role in success in addition to the diffusion of information itself.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined whether and to what extent knowledge-oriented leadership is associated with knowledge sharing in an organization as well as the dimensions of this leadership style, and found that KOL had a strong significant positive association with the extent of knowledge sharing.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine whether and to what extent knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) is associated with knowledge sharing (KS) in an organization as well as the dimensions of this leadership style,Opinion-based questionnaires were applied in the study A principal axis factor analysis was conducted to find the main factors in KOL (n=236) The relationship between KS and KOL was tested with Pearson’s correlation coefficient method,The findings support the importance of high-quality leader–member exchange for KS because KOL had a strong significant positive association with the extent of KS in the organization (n=96, r=0521) The principal axis factor suggested three factors, all of which were moderately significantly related to KS: the perceived support from the superior, enough time for KS and information flow from the superior,The research design in this study was cross-sectional Thus, the interpretations of the cause–effect relationship among the variables could not be determined Furthermore, the findings should be confirmed using a larger sample,The study indicates that if innovativeness and the use of human capital are important for an organization’s competitive ability, it is vital to train managers to be able to apply KOL,Few studies have addressed the relationship between leadership and KS Hence, this study contributes to a better understanding of the relation between KS and KOL style Additionally, KOL is probably a multidimensional construct, but little empirical work has been done to explore it
6 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