The Link Between Emotional Intelligence and Knowledge Sharing Behavior. Why Should High-Tech Firms in Asia Care?

In the era of digital transformation, firms are increasingly embracing open innovation, leveraging internal and external knowledge to enhance their competitive advantages. Emotional intelligence, defined as the ability to manage emotions and to use that understanding to guide behavior, is essential for fostering effective work relationships and facilitating knowledge sharing. This chapter is an excerpt from a recent doctoral dissertation that illustrates the significant group differences of demographic variables on the relationships between emotional intelligence, work relationships, and open innovation in high-tech firms in emerging markets. It presents 10 principal findings derived from a survey of 379 employees in the telecommunications industry. The findings reveal that the individual employees under thirty exhibit higher knowledge sharing, owing to their emotional intelligence and strong work relationships with colleagues. Moreover, entry-level individuals substantially enhance knowledge sharing due to their collaborative nature. Furthermore, individuals with 2 to 5 years of experience are capable of sharing knowledge externally, hence enhancing innovation. The findings highlight the significance of emotional intelligence in facilitating both internal and external knowledge sharing, hence improving organizational innovativeness. Thus, the findings are advantageous for business leaders and practitioners, as they ought to use emotional intelligence assessments in recruitment, develop mentorship programs, and encourage interorganizational collaboration.