Knowledge governance mechanisms and repatriate's knowledge sharing: the mediating roles of motivation and opportunity

• Published in: Journal of knowledge management 2013-01, Vol.17 (5), p.677-694
• Main Authors: Huang, Ming-Chang, Chiu, Ya-Ping, Lu, Ting-Chun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior; Competitive advantage; Complement; Echoes; Empirical analysis; Employees; Expatriates; Foreign subsidiaries; Human resource management; Information & knowledge management; Knowledge management; Knowledge sharing; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Modelling; Motivation; Perceptions; Repatriation; Social exchange theory; Social networks; Studies
• ISSN: 1367-3270; 1758-7484
• DOI: 10.1108/JKM-01-2013-0048

Purpose – Several studies have explored the relationships among the multiple dimensions of knowledge governance mechanisms (KGMs) and knowledge sharing. However, knowledge governance issues and knowledge transfer processes remain under-researched. The empirical results of the relationships among KGMs, motivations to share knowledge and knowledge sharing behavior remain inconsistent. This paper aims at re-examining the mediating effects of knowledge sharing motivations and knowledge sharing opportunities on the relationship between KGMs and knowledge sharing behavior of repatriates at multinational corporations. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from 140 repatriates from 66 multinational companies that operated in five different geographic locations. Structural equation modelling was used to assess the research model. Findings – The empirical results indicate the mediating roles of knowledge sharing motivation and opportunity in the relationship between KGMs and the knowledge sharing behavior of repatriates. Two sets of KGMs – formal and informal mechanisms – have significant influence on knowledge sharing motivation and opportunity. Research limitations/implications – This investigation focuses on the functions of KGMs that facilitate the knowledge sharing behavior of repatriates. The contextual effects of task-level, firm-level, and external environmental characteristics on knowledge sharing may need further studies to substantiate. Originality/value – This study argues that even when employees are encouraged and rewarded by extrinsic and intrinsic motivations to share knowledge, effective knowledge sharing would not necessarily be guaranteed. This paper offers a conceptual framework where knowledge sharing motivations and opportunities simultaneously play the mediating roles in a successful knowledge sharing. The framework associates KGMs with knowledge sharing behavior and echoes the growing acknowledgement of the need for additional research on micro-foundations of knowledge sharing to complement the macro research.