TYPOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING INTENTION IN MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES: CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH WITH LATENT CLASS ANALYSIS
Open Access
- Author:
- Chae, Chungil
- Graduate Program:
- Workforce Education and Development
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- April 26, 2018
- Committee Members:
- David Lynn Passmore, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Kyle Peck, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Wesley Edward Donahue, Committee Member
Edgar P. Yoder, Committee Member
Seong Won Yoon, Outside Member - Keywords:
- Knowledge Sharing
Latent Class Analysis
International Comparative Education - Abstract:
- The workplace has evolved into a more knowledge-intensive environment. Reflecting this workplace trend, articles in the workplace literature point to knowledge-sharing as a key driving factor in organizational success, leading organizations toward the ability to gain a competitive edge. However, organizations still struggle to facilitate knowledge-sharing. Moreover, our understanding of knowledge-sharing behavior is somewhat limited to a variable-oriented framework. Therefore, it is important to extend our understanding of knowledge-sharing by classifying those engaged in it according to preference and identifying the characteristics of a homogenous group pattern. This study aimed to reveal hidden grouping preference patterns that represent knowledge-sharing intention and psychological factors closely related to knowledge- sharing, such as commitment and work engagement. In order to answering the research questions, Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used. Latent class analysis provides a statistical procedure for a classification. Since the purpose of this study is revealing hidden grouping structure of knowledge sharing, LCA is a proper methodology for investigating the research questions. As a finding, five distinguishable classes that showed similar response patterns were identified: (a) Bystanders, (b) Engagement- and commitment-oriented knowledge sharers, (c) Ordinary group, (d) Relationship-oriented knowledge sharers, and (e) Ideal knowledge sharers. In this study, each country's dominant class was identified. The existence of country-specific dominant classes indicates that different cultural factors influence the organizational knowledge- sharing culture. Many organizations strive to facilitate knowledge-sharing by providing resources and systems. However, this is not effective if organizations and managers fail to recognize that knowledge-sharing is a dynamic cognitive and behavioral interaction with social, iii cultural, and psychological dimensions. This study’s results suggest that organizations should look carefully at the hidden structure of knowledge-sharing.