Determinants of knowledge sharing in a public sector organization

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that affect knowledge sharing in a public sector organization. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on quantitative research. The data were gathered through questionnaires and analyzed using multiple regression. Findings - Community-related considerations, normative considerations and personal benefits were three motivators found to have a unique contribution to the variance in knowledge sharing. The following enablers had a significant main effect on knowledge sharing: social interaction, rewards, and organizational support. Two barriers, degree of courage and degree of empathy, which measured organizational climate, were found to have a significant main effect on knowledge sharing. The interaction of normative consideration with social interaction, personal benefit with organizational support, and normative considerations with degree of courage, had a moderating effect on the relationship between motivating factors and knowledge sharing. Research limitations/implications - The study was conducted in a single public sector organization, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other settings. Another limitation is that attitudes toward knowledge sharing, and knowledge-sharing behaviors, vary across cultures. Finally self-reported data are subject to response bias. Practical implications - Identifying factors that influence knowledge sharing could help practitioners create a knowledge-sharing culture that is needed to support knowledge sharing and knowledge management within public sector organizations. Originality/value - This empirical study will contribute to the theoretical knowledge on knowledge sharing in the public sector, which has been neglected in knowledge-sharing research.