IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/manlab/v40y2015i3-4p302-324.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Investigating Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing Intention of Salespeople

Author

Listed:
  • Sasmita Palo
  • Linu Charles

Abstract

This article examines the role of various economic, socio-psychological and sociological factors that influence a salesperson’s intention to share knowledge with other salespersons. The research framework is based on the original theory of reasoned action developed by Fishbein and Ajzen in 1975. Data were gathered through questionnaires involving 164 respondents across sectors. Measure validation and model testing were conducted using Partial Least Square (PLS) Graph Version 3.0. Results indicate that subjective norm (SN) followed by attitude towards knowledge sharing (KS) has the strongest influence on intention of salespeople to share knowledge. Among factors that affect attitude towards KS, perceived reputation enhancement has the strongest impact followed by other salient variables, such as perceived loss of knowledge power, organizational commitment and anticipated reciprocal benefits. This testifies that before engaging in KS, employees carefully weigh in the benefits and costs involved in the process. Negative and insignificant relationship is found between perceived organizational incentives and attitude towards KS. SN in context of KS is strongly influenced by factors, such as sense of self-worth followed by organizational climate.

Suggested Citation

  • Sasmita Palo & Linu Charles, 2015. "Investigating Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing Intention of Salespeople," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 40(3-4), pages 302-324, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:manlab:v:40:y:2015:i:3-4:p:302-324
    DOI: 10.1177/0258042X16650048
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0258042X16650048
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0258042X16650048?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. William H. Starbuck, 1992. "Learning By Knowledge‐Intensive Firms," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 713-740, November.
    2. Susan A. Brown & Alan R. Dennis & Diana Burley & Priscilla Arling, 2013. "Knowledge sharing and knowledge management system avoidance: The role of knowledge type and the social network in bypassing an organizational knowledge management system," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 64(10), pages 2013-2023, October.
    3. Merlo, Omar & Bell, Simon J. & Menguc, Bulent & Whitwell, Gregory J., 2006. "Social capital, customer service orientation and creativity in retail stores," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(12), pages 1214-1221, November.
    4. Chu Keong Lee & Suliman Al-Hawamdeh, 2002. "Factors Impacting Knowledge Sharing," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 1(01), pages 49-56.
    5. Shimp, Terence A & Kavas, Alican, 1984. "The Theory of Reasoned Action Applied to Coupon Usage," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 11(3), pages 795-809, December.
    6. Sharon Watson & Kelly Hewett, 2006. "A Multi‐Theoretical Model of Knowledge Transfer in Organizations: Determinants of Knowledge Contribution and Knowledge Reuse," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 141-173, March.
    7. Dennis F. Galletta & Raymond M. Henry & Scott McCoy & Peter Polak, 2006. "When the Wait Isn’t So Bad: The Interacting Effects of Website Delay, Familiarity, and Breadth," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 17(1), pages 20-37, March.
    8. Chieh-Peng Lin, 2007. "To Share or Not to Share: Modeling Tacit Knowledge Sharing, Its Mediators and Antecedents," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 70(4), pages 411-428, February.
    9. Ikujiro Nonaka, 1994. "A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(1), pages 14-37, February.
    10. Gee W. Bock & Young-Gul Kim, 2002. "Breaking the Myths of Rewards: An Exploratory Study of Attitudes about Knowledge Sharing," Information Resources Management Journal (IRMJ), IGI Global, vol. 15(2), pages 14-21, April.
    11. Jang-Hwan Lee & Young-Gul Kim & Min-Yong Kim, 2006. "Effects of Managerial Drivers and Climate Maturity on Knowledge-Management Performance: Empirical Validation," Information Resources Management Journal (IRMJ), IGI Global, vol. 19(3), pages 48-60, July.
    12. Lagerström, Katarina & Andersson, Maria, 2003. "Creating and sharing knowledge within a transnational team--the development of a global business system," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 84-95, May.
    13. Udo Zander & Bruce Kogut, 1995. "Knowledge and the Speed of the Transfer and Imitation of Organizational Capabilities: An Empirical Test," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 76-92, February.
    14. Orlikowski, Wanda J. (Wanda Janina), 1993. "CASE tools as organizational change : investigating incremental and radical changes in systems development," Working papers WP 3579-93., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    15. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    16. Barbara H. Wixom & Peter A. Todd, 2005. "A Theoretical Integration of User Satisfaction and Technology Acceptance," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 16(1), pages 85-102, March.
    17. Viswanath Venkatesh & Fred D. Davis, 2000. "A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(2), pages 186-204, February.
    18. David Constant & Sara Kiesler & Lee Sproull, 1994. "What's Mine Is Ours, or Is It? A Study of Attitudes about Information Sharing," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 5(4), pages 400-421, December.
    19. Morten T. Hansen, 2002. "Knowledge Networks: Explaining Effective Knowledge Sharing in Multiunit Companies," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(3), pages 232-248, June.
    20. David Constant & Lee Sproull & Sara Kiesler, 1996. "The Kindness of Strangers: The Usefulness of Electronic Weak Ties for Technical Advice," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(2), pages 119-135, April.
    21. Susan A. Brown & Alan R. Dennis & Diana Burley & Priscilla Arling, 2013. "Knowledge sharing and knowledge management system avoidance: The role of knowledge type and the social network in bypassing an organizational knowledge management system," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 64(10), pages 2013-2023, October.
    22. Oliver, Richard L & Bearden, William O, 1985. "Crossover Effects in the Theory of Reasoned Action: A Moderating Influence Attempt," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 12(3), pages 324-340, December.
    23. Enno Siemsen & Aleda V. Roth & Sridhar Balasubramanian & Gopesh Anand, 2009. "The Influence of Psychological Safety and Confidence in Knowledge on Employee Knowledge Sharing," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 11(3), pages 429-447, April.
    24. Linda Argote & Bill McEvily & Ray Reagans, 2003. "Managing Knowledge in Organizations: An Integrative Framework and Review of Emerging Themes," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 571-582, April.
    25. Anna Grandori & Bruce Kogut, 2002. "Dialogue on Organization and Knowledge," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(3), pages 224-231, June.
    26. Jeffrey H. Dyer & Kentaro Nobeoka, 2000. "Creating and managing a high‐performance knowledge‐sharing network: the Toyota case," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 345-367, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tzu-Hsin Liu & Yung-Chang Hsiao, 2019. "Fitting cooperative mode in inter-organizational strategic alliance: a perspective from innovative and financial performances," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 73-96, February.
    2. Van Dong Phung & Igor Hawryszkiewycz & Daniel Chandran & Binh Minh Ha, 2019. "Promoting Knowledge Sharing Amongst Academics: A Case Study from Vietnam," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(03), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Linda Argote & Ella Miron-Spektor, 2011. "Organizational Learning: From Experience to Knowledge," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1123-1137, October.
    4. Teo, Thompson S.H., 2012. "Knowledge management in client–vendor partnerships," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 451-458.
    5. Matzler, Kurt & Renzl, Birgit & Müller, Julia & Herting, Stephan & Mooradian, Todd A., 2008. "Personality traits and knowledge sharing," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 301-313, June.
    6. Jyoti Verma & Anamika Sinha, 2016. "Knowledge Sharing in Cross-Functional Teams and its Antecedents: Role of Mutual Trust as a Moderator," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(03), pages 1-22, September.
    7. Seckyoung Loretta Kim & Soojung Han & Seung Yeon Son & Seokhwa Yun, 2017. "Exchange ideology in supervisor-subordinate dyads, LMX, and knowledge sharing: A social exchange perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 147-172, March.
    8. Sheng, Margaret L. & Hartmann, Nathaniel N., 2019. "Impact of subsidiaries' cross-border knowledge tacitness shared and social capital on MNCs' explorative and exploitative innovation capability," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(4).
    9. Wang Juanru & Yang Jin, 2015. "An Empirical Study of Employees’ Tacit Knowledge Sharing Behavior," Journal of Systems Science and Information, De Gruyter, vol. 3(3), pages 264-278, June.
    10. Hau, Yong Sauk & Kim, Byoungsoo & Lee, Heeseok & Kim, Young-Gul, 2013. "The effects of individual motivations and social capital on employees’ tacit and explicit knowledge sharing intentions," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 356-366.
    11. Xiao-Bing Zhang & Che-Hung Lin & Kou-Chang Chung & Fu-Sheng Tsai & Rung-Tai Wu, 2019. "Knowledge Sharing and Co-Opetition: Turning Absorptive Capacity into Effectiveness in Consumer Electronics Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-13, August.
    12. M. Ann McFadyen & Matthew Semadeni & Albert A. Cannella, 2009. "Value of Strong Ties to Disconnected Others: Examining Knowledge Creation in Biomedicine," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 552-564, June.
    13. Aurora I. Maynez Guaderrama & Judith Cavazos Arroyo & Santiago Ibarreche Suarez & Jose Pablo Nuno de la Parra, 2012. "Trust, Commitment And Intention To Share: Influencing Variables To Transfer Knowledge Within Organizations?, Confianza, Compromiso E Intencion Para Compartir: ¿Variables Influyentes Para Transferir C," Revista Internacional Administracion & Finanzas, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 5(5), pages 21-40.
    14. Scaringella, Laurent & Burtschell, François, 2017. "The challenges of radical innovation in Iran: Knowledge transfer and absorptive capacity highlights — Evidence from a joint venture in the construction sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 151-169.
    15. Hyeon Gyu Jeon & Kun Chang Lee, 2020. "Emotional Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing Intentions in the Context of Competitive Knowledge Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-23, February.
    16. Alfiero, Simona & Battisti, Enrico & Ηadjielias, Elias, 2022. "Black box technology, usage-based insurance, and prediction of purchase behavior: Evidence from the auto insurance sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    17. Renzl, Birgit, 2008. "Trust in management and knowledge sharing: The mediating effects of fear and knowledge documentation," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 206-220, April.
    18. Yang, Byunghwa & Kim, Youngchan & Yoo, Changjo, 2013. "The integrated mobile advertising model: The effects of technology- and emotion-based evaluations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(9), pages 1345-1352.
    19. Haider, Sajjad & Mariotti, Francesca, 2016. "The orchestration of alliance portfolios: The role of alliance portfolio capability," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 127-141.
    20. Dinur, Adva & Hamilton III, Robert D. & Inkpen, Andrew C., 2009. "Critical context and international intrafirm best-practice transfers," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 432-446, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:manlab:v:40:y:2015:i:3-4:p:302-324. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.xlri.ac.in/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.