Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Measure of Knowledge Sharing Behavior: Scale Development and Validation

  • Chapter
The Essentials of Knowledge Management

Part of the book series: OR Essentials Series ((ORESS))

Abstract

The concept of knowledge sharing is getting more and more attention in the research and practice of knowledge management. It is necessary to develop relevant performance assessment and reward systems to encourage people’s knowledge sharing behaviors (KSBs). Till now, little effort has been put into developing a valid and reliable measure of KSB. The primary purpose of this study is to develop a new measure of KSB with desirable psychometric properties — a well-developed KSB scale with a sufficient level of reliability and validity. This main objective was achieved by using the following procedures: (1) specify domain of construct, (2) generate scale items, (3) purify scale, and (4) validate scale. The new KSB scale developed in this study is a 4-dimensional, 28-item, 5-response choice frequency scale. The scale includes written contributions, organizational communications, personal interactions, and communities of practice dimensions. The results provided evidence of the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the KSB scale.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anderson JC and Gerbing DW (1988) Structural equation modeling in practice: a review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin 103(3), 411–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartol KM and Srivastava A (2002) Encouraging knowledge sharing: the role of organizational reward systems. Journal of Leadership and Organization Studies 9(1), 64–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bock GW and Kim Y (2002) Breaking the myths of rewards: an exploratory study of attitudes about knowledge sharing. Information Resources Management Journal 15(2), 14–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bollen K and Lennox R (1991) Conventional wisdom on measurement: a structural equation perspective. Psychological Bulletin 110(2), 305–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabrera A and Cabrera E (2002) Knowledge-sharing dilemmas. Organization Studies 23(5), 687–710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow CW, Deng JF and Ho JL (2000) The openness of knowledge sharing within organizations: a comparative study of the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Journal of Management Accounting Research 12, 65–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Churchill G (1979) A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs. Journal of Marketing Research 16(1), 64–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings JN (2001) Work group and knowledge sharing in a global organization. Academy of Management Proceedings OB, D1–D6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Currie G and Kerrin M (2003) Human resource management and knowledge management: enhancing knowledge sharing in a pharmaceutical company. International Journal of Human Resource Management 14(6), 1027–1045.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamantopoulos A (1999) Export performance measurement: reflective vs formative indicators. International Marketing Review 16(6), 444–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamantopoulos A and Winklhofer HM (2001) Index construction with formative indicators: an alternative to scale development. Journal of Marketing Research 38(2), 269–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dougherty V (1999) Knowledge is about people, not databases. Industrial and Commercial Training 31(7), 262–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erhardt N (2003) Enablers and Barriers for Individuals’ Willingness and Ability to Share Knowledge: An Exploratory Study. Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fornell C and Larcker DF (1981) Evaluating structural equation models with unob-servable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research 18(1), 39–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gurteen D (1999) Creating a knowledge sharing culture. Retrieved 15 May 2004, from http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/0/FD35AF9606901C42802567C70068CBF5/.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen MT, Nohria N and Tierney T (1999) What’s your strategy for managing knowledge? Harvard Business Review 77(2), 106–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvard (1997) A Note on Knowledge Management. Harvard Business School.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hatcher L (1994) A Step-by-Step Approach to Using SAS for Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinkin TR (1995) A review of scale development practices in the study of organizations. Journal of Management 21(5), 967–988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hislop D (2003) Linking human resource management and knowledge management via commitment: a review and research agenda. Employee Relations 25(2), 182–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huysman M and de Wit D (2002) Knowledge Sharing in Practice. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, the Netherlands.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ipe M (2003) The Praxis of Knowledge Sharing in Organizations: A Case Study. University of Minnesota.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarvis CB, MacKenzie SB and Podsakoff PM (2003) A critical review of construct indicators and measurement model misspecification in marketing and consumer research. Journal of Consumer Research 30(2), 199–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamdar D, Nosworthy GJ, Chia HB and Chay YW (2004) Giving up the ‘secret of fire’: The Impact of Incentives and Self-monitoring on Knowledge Sharing. Indian School of Business Working Paper.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaser PA and Miles RE (2001) Knowledge activists: the cultivation of motivation and trust properties of knowledge sharing relationships. Academy of Management Proceedings ODC, D1–D6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kubo I, Saka A and Pam SL (2001) Behind the scenes of knowledge sharing in a Japanese bank. Human Resource Development International 4(4), 465–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee J (2001) The impact of knowledge sharing, organizational capability and partnership quality on IS outsourcing success. Information & Management 38(5), 323–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liebowitz J (2002) Facilitating innovation through knowledge sharing: a look at the U.S. Naval surface warfare center-carderock division. Journal of Computer Information Systems 42(5), 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin H and Lee G (2004) Perceptions of senior managers toward knowledge-sharing behavior. Management Decision 42(1), 108–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacCallum RC and Browne MW (1993) The use of causal indicators in covariance structure models: some practical issues. Psychological Bulletin 114(3), 533–541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacNeil CM (2003) Line managers: facilitators of knowledge sharing in teams. Employee Relations 25(3), 294–307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michailova S and Husted K (2003) Knowledge-sharing hostility in Russian firms. California Management Review 45(3), 59–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moon HK and Park MS (2002) Effective reward systems for knowledge sharing. Knowledge Management Review 4(6), 22–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Motowidlo SJ (2000) Some basic issues related to contextual performance and organizational citizenship behavior in human resource management. Human Resource Management Review 10(1), 115–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nunnally JC (1978) Psychometric Theory 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oh H (2000) Corporate knowledge management and new challenges for HRD Paper presented at the Academy of Human Resource Development Conference, Raleigh-Durham, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Organ DW (1988) Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Good Soldier Syndrome. Lexington Books, Lexington, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff PM (2003) How to ‘break down’ a Theoretical Construct and its Measures. Indiana University, Bloomington.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn JB (1992) Intelligent Enterprise: A Knowledge and Service Based Paradigm for Industry. The Free Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryu S, Ho SH and Han I (2003) Knowledge sharing behavior of physicians in hospitals. Expert Systems with Applications 25(1), 113–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwab DP (1980) Construct validity in organizational behavior. In Research in Organizational Behavior (Staw BM and Cummings LL, Eds), Vol. 2, pp 3–43, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith CA, Organ DW and Near JP (1983) Organizational citizenship behavior: its nature and antecedents. Journal of Applied Psychology 68(4), 653–663.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith HA and McKeen JD (2003) Instilling a knowledge-sharing culture. Retrieved 20 April 2004, from http://www.business.queensu.ca/kbe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spector PE (1992) Summated Rating Scale Construction. Sage Publications, Newbury Park, CA.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Szulanski G (1996) Exploring internal stickness: impediments to the transfer of best practice within the firm. Strategic Management Journal 17(Winter Special Issue), 27–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zarraga C and Bonache J (2003) Assessing the team environment for knowledge sharing: an empirical analysis. International Journal of Human Resource Management 14(7), 1227–1245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Deerfield, IL, USA

    Jialin Yi

Authors
  1. Jialin Yi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aston Business School, Aston University, UK

    John S. Edwards (Professor of Knowledge Management) (Professor of Knowledge Management)

Copyright information

© 2015 Jialin Yi

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Yi, J. (2015). A Measure of Knowledge Sharing Behavior: Scale Development and Validation. In: Edwards, J.S. (eds) The Essentials of Knowledge Management. OR Essentials Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137552105_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation