Impact of organizational culture and computer self-efficacy on knowledge sharing

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact mechanism of organizational culture (OC) on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) user’s explicit and tacit knowledge-sharing behavior in the context of enterprise systems usage.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from social cognitive theory, the authors developed a comprehensive model that integrates OC, computer self-efficacy and employees’ knowledge-sharing behaviors. In total, 343 valid questionnaires were collected from ERP users of 115 firms and structural equation modeling technique was used to test the model.

Findings

Empirical results suggest that hierarchical culture that focusses on efficacy and uniformity is positively related with employees’ explicit knowledge sharing; group culture that focusses on trust and belonging is positively related with employees’ tacit knowledge sharing, and their relationship is fully mediated by employees’ computer self-efficacy. In addition, computer self-efficacy also partially mediates the relationship between rational culture and employees’ knowledge sharing.

Practical implications

This study provides guidelines for top managers to enhance employees’ computer self-efficacy and facilitate employees’ knowledge-sharing behavior by developing appropriate type of OC.

Originality/value

This study unpacks the mediating mechanism between OC and knowledge sharing, and contributes to the academic research of knowledge management in the context of enterprise systems assimilation.

Citation

Shao, Z., Wang, T. and Feng, Y. (2015), "Impact of organizational culture and computer self-efficacy on knowledge sharing", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 115 No. 4, pp. 590-611. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-12-2014-0377