Prueba de las Hipótesis

According to Lin (2007) and Kim and Lee (2013) knowledge sharing process refered to how an organization’s employees share their work-related experience, expertise, know-how, and contextual information with other colleagues. Broadly speaking, the extant literature shows that there are several types of knowledge sharing processes within an organization. Haas and Hansen (2007), for example, conceptualised knowledge sharing processes as knowledge direct contact between individuals, when one person advises another about how to complete a specific task (e.g., Hansen, 1999; Tsai, 2001; Reagans and McEvily, 2003; Cummings and Cross, 2003; Haas and Hansen, 2007), and knowledge obtain from written documents that may be available in paper or in electronic format (e.g., Hansen and Haas, 2001; Werr and Stjernberg, 2003; Haas and Hansen, 2007). Hendriks (1999) categorised KS processes into knowledge owners who have the knowledge and also called externalisation, and the knowledge receivers who receive the knowledge.

However other researchers such as Kim and Lee (2004; 2006); Bock et al. (2005) and Taminiau et al. (2009) distinguished between formal and informal Knowledge sharing process. Ardichili et al. (2003) suggested that KS consist of a supply of new knowledge and a demand for new knowledge. Such a view is supported by Reid (2003), who differentiated between knowledge seller and a knowledge buyer. Lin (2007) explained KS as the person carrying the knowledge (knowledge carrier) from the one asking for that knowledge (knowledge requester). Hsu et al. (2007) and Xue et al. (2010) supported this view by suggesting that KS processes as knowledge transmission (sending or presenting knowledge to a potential recipient). In addition, Gupta and Govindarajan (2000) defined KS processes as sourcing knowledge and absorbing knowledge. While, others such as Sandhu et al. (2011) and Chen and Hung (2010) explained KS processes as knowledge contributing and knowledge collecting.

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Moreover, several researchers also made a distinction between explicit knowledge sharing behaviour and tacit knowledge sharing behaviour (Chow and Chan, 2008; Wang and Wang, 2012; Hau et al., 2013; Chumg et al., 2014; Hu and Randel, 2014). Kankanhalli et al. (2005) and Wei et al. (2009), however, divided KS processes into knowledge seeking and knowledge contributors. Weiss (1999), for instance, divided KS processes into the connection of knowledge, which, consists of the knowledge seeker accessing a knowledge source and identifying the needed knowledge, and knowledge collection, which includes the accumulation, storage and recording of knowledge.

Furthermore, other authors such as Chen and Hung (2010) identified a three-dimension of knowledge sharing process that consists of knowledge contributing, collecting, and utilising. Wei et al. (2009) make a distinction between knowledge seeking and knowledge contribution. In line with such thinking, Ipe (2003) and Kuo and Young (2008), discussed knowledge sharing processes as involving both the transmission knowledge includes sending knowledge to the recipients, and the absorption of knowledge reflects the effectiveness of knowledge use. In contrast, Davenport and Prusak (2000) and Hussain et al. (2004) suggested the processes of knowledge sharing based upon a possession and acquisition of knowledge. Tong and Song (2011), on the other hand, illustrated differentiate between voluntary knowledge and solicited knowledge.

Drawing on the above discussions for different perspectives related to knowledge sharing processes, this study combines theses perspectives in labelling the two central processes of knowledge sharing (knowledge collecting or receiving, and knowledge disseminating or donating), following the previous studies (e.g., Van den Hooff and De Ridder, 2004; Van den Hooff and Hendrix, 2004; Lin, 2007; Kim et al., 2013, Kim and Lee, 2013; Akhavan and Hosseini, 2016).

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Knowledge collecting is defined as the process of consulting colleagues to encourage them to share their intellectual capital (Van den Hooff and De Ridder, 2004; Yesil and Dereli, 2013; Kim and Lee, 2013). That is, knowledge collecting occurs when individuals asking for advice from each other in order to gain intellectual capital (Kim and Lee, 2013; Kim et al., 2013). It also defined as the recipient of knowledge who must consult colleagues through observation, listening or practising so as to encourage them to share their intellectual capital (Hooff and Weenen 2004; De Vries et al., 2006). It implies that the person’s willingness to ask for, accept, and adopt new intellectual capital and know-how. It also refers to collective beliefs or behavioural routines related to the spread of learning among colleagues (Kim et al., 2013). Knowledge collecting consists of processes and mechanisms for gathering information and knowledge from internal and external sources (Lin, 2007). Knowledge collecting represents a key aspect of organisations’ success because the organisation with proficiency in gathering knowledge is more expected to be unique and rare (Lin, 2007). It is recognised that knowledge collecting takes place when individuals are willing to learn from others (De Vries et al., 2006; Kim and Lee, 2013).

On the other hand, knowledge donating is defined as the process of individuals communicating their personal intellectual capital to others (Van den Hooff and De Ridder, 2004; De Vries et al., 2006; Kim and Lee, 2013; Kim et al., 2013; Yesil and Dereli, 2013). This means that KD is the motivation of individuals to pass on their own intellectual capital to others (Kim et al., 2013; Kim and Lee, 2013). Additionally, knowledge donating refers to the owner of knowledge, and includes listening, talking and observing others, and providing them with information in order to help them develop their self-knowledge and solve job- related problems and improve work efficacy (Reid, 2003; Cummings, 2004; Lin, 2007). Knowledge donating aims to see individual knowledge become group and organisational knowledge over time (Lin, 2007). Thus, the organisation that creates an atmosphere that

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encourages organisational members to exchange their knowledge within the group is likely to develop new ideas and enhance organisational outcomes such performance (Hooff and Weenen 2004; Nonaka et al., 2006; Von Krogh et al., 2012; Hislop, 2013). These two processes of KS promote trust and mutual respect as well as facilitate the flow of people’s knowledge assets to be capitalised for performance development (Kamasak and Bulutlar, 2010). It is argued that knowledge donating and collecting are linked with organisational learning because learning from others can help generate ideas and enhance organisational performance (Senge, 2006; Seba et al., 2012; Kim and Lee, 2013).

It is clear that the processes of knowledge donating and knowledge collecting have attracted a significant amount of attention of scholars but perhaps not enough and not in all contexts. Therefore, in line with the objectives stated in Chapter 1 the researcher, however, finds the definition which is presented by Hooff and Weenen (2004) and Kim et al. (2013) to be the most helpful for this study. According to such researchers, KS can be defined as a two- dimensional process, with employees sharing and exchanging their tacit and explicit knowledge. Daily interaction creates new knowledge through the process of knowledge sharing, donation and collection.