Knowledge sharing through inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems
| Published date | 13 February 2017 |
| Pages | 110-136 |
| Date | 13 February 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-05-2016-0019 |
| Author | Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi,Lorne Olfman |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Knowledge management,Knowledge management systems |
Knowledge sharing through
inter-organizational knowledge
sharing systems
Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi
Department of Information Systems Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, and
Lorne Olfman
Center for Information Systems and Technology,
Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California, USA
Abstract
Purpose –Inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems (IOKSS) are crucial for scientic, social and
economic development especially in knowledge-intensive sectors. Knowledge sharing processes and systems
will not only be challenged by individual and organizational factors but also by social, technical and political
inter-organizational factors. This paper aims to investigate the impact of knowledge worker, peer, IOKSS,
organization and sector factors on knowledge workers’ intention to share knowledge through IOKSS.
Knowledge workers are the key stakeholders that enable the survival of IOKSS.
Design/methodology/approach –Data were collected, through a questionnaire, from knowledge
workers in the education and the health sectors.
Findings –This study found that the human factors (related to knowledge workers and their peers) have
signicant direct impact on intention to share knowledge through IOKSS. Other factors, such as IOKSS
system, organization and sector factors showed indirect impacts on knowledge workers’ intention to share
knowledge through IOKSS. Such investigation can be very valuable for developing countries as technological
innovations such as IOKSS can be crucial for training and building human resources, and national knowledge
management.
Originality/value –Little is empirically known about the enablers of sharing knowledge in systems that
connect organizations in horizontal linkage in a specic sector or industry. The study also adds value to under
investigated region.
Keywords Knowledge sharing, Inter-organizational knowledge transfer, Knowledge workers,
Inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems, Inter-organizational systems
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Knowledge is a powerful resource that enables nations, organizations and individuals to
achieve several benets such as improved learning, innovation and decision-making. Any
organization, public or private, can benet from knowledge management (KM). A knowledge
management system (KMS) “is an integration of technologies and mechanisms that are
developed to support […] KM processes” (Becerra-Fernandez et al., 2004, p. 31).
Organizations engaged in collaborative inter-organizational business processes need to
share information and knowledge to increase their knowledge bases, innovation and
competitiveness (Tallman et al., 2004). An inter-organizational knowledge sharing systems
(IOKSS) is a type of KMS and is dened here as a system that enables seamless dissemination
The authors would like to greatly thank participating organizations in the health and education sectors
and their knowledge workers (medical doctors and school teachers).
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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VJIKMS
47,1
110
Received 8 May 2016
Revised 1 October 2016
Accepted 12 December 2016
VINEJournal of Information and
KnowledgeManagement Systems
Vol.47 No. 1, 2017
pp.110-136
©Emerald Publishing Limited
2059-5891
DOI 10.1108/VJIKMS-05-2016-0019
of individual and organizational knowledge (through repositories or networking) between
two or more organizations. This study aims to investigate the key success factors for the
development of “public good” IOKSSs among organizations at the same business level
(horizontally linked) in a specic nation. A “public good” IOKSS is one that is open to all rms
even if they did not contribute to the development of the system (Choudhury, 1997).
An IOKSS is one type of inter-organizational system (IOS). The concept of an IOS was
coined originally by Cash and Konsynski (1985) and dened as an automated information
system shared by two or more organizations and designed to link business processes (Bakos,
1991;Cash and Konsynski, 1985;Robey et al., 2008). An IOS can result in several operational,
strategic and social benets for the participating organizations (Barret and Konsynski, 1982;
Suomi, 1988;Robey et al., 2008), the government and society.
There is a persistent need for developing nations to take advantage of new technologies
for acquiring and disseminating knowledge. IOS integration is a key enabler for digital
government (Pardo and Tayi, 2007). Partnerships between public and private organizations
in specic sectors, especially service or knowledge-based sectors, are vital for the social and
economic development of any country and the welfare of society such as in the health and
education sectors. It enables knowledge workers to exchange up-to-date professional
knowledge in specic domains that add value to their operative and innovative performance,
and consequently provide better services. It fosters training and learning among knowledge
workers and lessens the knowledge gap among professionals. Moreover, such initiatives
provide support for the government’s developmental decision-making and planning.
Knowledge networks are needed to address a specic need or solve a particular problem and
to create systemic capacity to share knowledge and information within a domain (Dawes
et al., 2009). Crossing the boundary of an organization through IOKSS will further complicate
the knowledge sharing process. To build up stable and sustained inter-organizational
networks, including IOKSS, these obstacles must be overcome.
There are several theoretical non-empirical papers on the development of IOS such as
those of Barret and Konsynski (1982),Cash and Konsynski (1985),Suomi (1988),Bakos
(1991),Hong (2002),Boonstra and De Vries (2005) and Robey et al. (2008). However, most of
the prior papers reported empirical studies mainly focused on organizational adoption (Bala
and Venkatesh, 2007;Robey et al., 2008) but gave inadequate attention to the context of these
IOS (Kurnia and Johnston, 2000;Makipaa, 2006). Very few of the empirical studies have
assessed IOKSS adoption by knowledge workers, who are the end users, and therefore key
stakeholders for achieving the expected benets in a KM initiative. Researchers categorized
the development stages of IOS into opportunity identication, designing and building,
implementation and obtaining benets (Reich and Benbasat, 1990;Cavaye and Cragg, 1995).
In IOKSS development, recognizing knowledge workers’ attitudes toward the system and
their intention to use it is extremely important not only in the post-implementation stage but
also earlier within the opportunity identication stage of organizational adoption. In a
knowledge-based system, knowledge workers are the driving force of the system; such a
system can only survive through their commitment and use. Thus, recognizing knowledge
workers’ attitudes at a very early stage will enable the organization to make better decisions
and ensure end users’ commitment throughout the whole development process.
IOKSS can be deployed to connect organizations in vertical linkage, such as those in the
supply chain (suppliers, organizations, customers, etc.), or organizations in horizontal
linkage (those that operate in the same business level). Most prior empirical studies have
investigated IOS deployment in vertical linkage of organizations and customers (Reich and
Benbasat, 1990;Grover, 1993;Cavaye and Cragg, 1995;Ramamurthy et al., 2012) and
organizations and their suppliers (Bensaou, 1997;Rai et al., 2006;Kim et al., 2005/2006;
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Knowledge
sharing
systems
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