What Influences People to Start Sharing Knowledge and to Maintain This Relationship?

• In Event: 26.078 - Professional Development in the Context of Workplace Learning

Abstract

Knowledge sharing is important for multidisciplinary teams to achieve their goals and avoid mistakes. Longitudinal studies on this topic are rare. However, as changes in the interaction pattern influences the level of knowledge sharing, it is important to test what variables influences the creation and maintenance of knowledge sharing relationships. This is analyzed by looking at three types of effects: 1.) Network effects which look at specific features of the team’s interaction, 2.) relationships between individuals, and 3.) individual characteristics. A longitudinal study into 18 teams showed that certain effects influence the creation and maintenance of knowledge sharing relationships. This study thus shows that not every effect is equally valuable for establishing knowledge sharing contacts or maintaining them.

Authors

• Katerina Bohle Carbonell, Maastricht University

• Karen Könings

• Mien Segers, Maastricht University

• Jeroen J.G. Van Merrienboer, Maastricht University