IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jknowl/v12y2021i3d10.1007_s13132-020-00665-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Factors and Barriers to Tacit Knowledge Sharing in Non-Profit Organizations – a Case Study of Volunteer Firefighters in Portugal

Author

Listed:
  • Márcio José Sol Pereira Oliveira

    (Instituto Politécnico de Leiria)

  • Paulo Pinheiro

    (Universidade da Beira Interior)

Abstract

Studies in Knowledge Management, targeting non-profit organizations (NPOs) are scarce, as opposed to what is happening in the private and public sectors. To study this, we opted for a case study of organizations such as the Portuguese Fire Brigades (FBs), unique in their action and identity and accompanies the need increasingly recognized by society, in enabling these organizations of competencies for the best possible performance in the face of tragic events that have occurred in recent years in Portugal, particularly with regard to large fires. The present study focuses on the sharing of tacit knowledge in NPOs in Portugal. Taking as a case study, the FBs present as objectives, the assessment of the most relevant factors and the most prevalent barriers to this sharing. A careful reading of the literature on tacit knowledge sharing allowed the identification of possible indicators and barriers to sharing this knowledge. The data obtained through questionnaires applied to the firefighters were subjected to two exploratory factorial analyses in order to diagnose the tacit knowledge sharing factors and the types of barriers to this sharing. Thus, 3 factors have been identified that are conducive to the sharing of tacit knowledge within these organizations: organizational culture, individual characteristics, and organizational structure. Four types of barriers with higher prevalence were also identified: personal, communicational, technological, and resource barriers or infrastructures. As limitations to the study, it is important to mention that the present research focuses exclusively on the sharing of tacit knowledge, not considering other forms of knowledge, and that if it is a case study, even with heterogeneous organizations, it cannot be replicated for different realities.

Suggested Citation

  • Márcio José Sol Pereira Oliveira & Paulo Pinheiro, 2021. "Factors and Barriers to Tacit Knowledge Sharing in Non-Profit Organizations – a Case Study of Volunteer Firefighters in Portugal," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(3), pages 1294-1313, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:12:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s13132-020-00665-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s13132-020-00665-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13132-020-00665-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13132-020-00665-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mohajan, Haradhan, 2016. "Sharing of Tacit Knowledge in Organizations: A Review," MPRA Paper 82958, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Jun 2016.
    2. Graham, Ann B. & Pizzo, Vincent G., 1996. "A question of balance: Case studies in strategic knowledge management," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 338-346, August.
    3. Claire McInerney, 2002. "Knowledge management and the dynamic nature of knowledge," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 53(12), pages 1009-1018, October.
    4. Ikujiro Nonaka, 1994. "A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(1), pages 14-37, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Soraia Cruz & Marisa Roriz Ferreira & Ana Borges & Beatriz Casais, 2023. "Barriers to volunteering in the field of intellectual disability: a cluster analysis," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 20(2), pages 341-366, June.
    2. Farhanah Fitria MUSTARI & Achmad GHAZALI, 2022. "Exploring Tacit Knowledge Sharing Enhancer Factors in Non- Profit Organizations Paper," Management and Economics Review, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 7(1), pages 67-78, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mohajan, Haradhan, 2016. "Sharing of Tacit Knowledge in Organizations: A Review," MPRA Paper 82958, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Jun 2016.
    2. Yang Cai & Youming Song & Xia Xiao & Wendian Shi, 2020. "The Effect of Social Capital on Tacit Knowledge-Sharing Intention: The Mediating Role of Employee Vigor," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(3), pages 21582440209, July.
    3. Pertusa-Ortega, Eva M. & Zaragoza-Sáez, Patrocinio & Claver-Cortés, Enrique, 2010. "Can formalization, complexity, and centralization influence knowledge performance?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 310-320, March.
    4. Zihanxin Li & Ting Wan & Jing Lan, 2022. "Substitution or Complementarity: Influence of Industry–University–Research-Institute Cooperation Governance Mechanism on Knowledge Transfer—An Empirical Analysis from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-24, June.
    5. Haradhan Kumar Mohajan, 2016. "Knowledge is an Essential Element at Present World," International Journal of Publication and Social Studies, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 1(1), pages 31-53.
    6. Mohajan, Haradhan & Islam, Shahidul & Shome, Falguni, 2017. "Knowledge Sharing Enhances Knowledge Management Environment and Efficiency," MPRA Paper 83042, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 16 Jul 2017.
    7. Barão, Alexandre & de Vasconcelos, José Braga & Rocha, Álvaro & Pereira, Ruben, 2017. "A knowledge management approach to capture organizational learning networks," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 735-740.
    8. Haradhan Kumar Mohajan, 2017. "Knowledge is an Essential Element at Present World," International Journal of Publication and Social Studies, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 1(1), pages 31-53, June.
    9. Sara Alonzo, 2022. "Organizational Values and Knowledge Sharing in Public Institution: Economic-Public Sector in Guatemala," Digital Transformation: The Harmonic Convergence of People, Culture, Process, and Technology in the New Normal,, ToKnowPress.
    10. Lu, Jinfeng & Dimov, Dimo, 2023. "A system dynamics modelling of entrepreneurship and growth within firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 38(3).
    11. Olunifesi Adekunle Suraj, 2016. "Managing Telecommunications for Development: An Analysis of Intellectual Capital in Nigerian Telecommunication Industry," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(01), pages 1-30, March.
    12. Soufiane Mezzourh & Walid A Nakara, 2009. "Governance and innovation : A Knowledge-based approach [La gouvernance de l'innovation : une approche par la connaissance]," Post-Print halshs-01955966, HAL.
    13. M. Max Evans & Ilja Frissen & Anthony K. P. Wensley, 2018. "Organisational Information and Knowledge Sharing: Uncovering Mediating Effects of Perceived Trustworthiness Using the PROCESS Approach," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 17(01), pages 1-29, March.
    14. Duniesky Feitó Madrigal & Alejandro Mungaray Lagarda & Michelle Texis Flores, 2016. "Factors associated with learning management in Mexican micro-entrepreneurs," Estudios Gerenciales, Universidad Icesi, vol. 32(141), pages 381-386, December.
    15. Yildiz, H. Emre & Murtic, Adis & Zander, Udo, 2024. "Re-conceptualizing absorptive capacity: The importance of teams as a meso-level context," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    16. Gaviria-Marin, Magaly & Merigó, José M. & Baier-Fuentes, Hugo, 2019. "Knowledge management: A global examination based on bibliometric analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 194-220.
    17. Christoph P. Kiefer & Pablo Del Río González & Javier Carrillo‐Hermosilla, 2019. "Drivers and barriers of eco‐innovation types for sustainable transitions: A quantitative perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 155-172, January.
    18. Iwona Dudek & Jean-Yves Blaise, 2017. "What Comes before a Digital Output? Eliciting and Documenting Cultural Heritage Research Processes," Post-Print halshs-01673865, HAL.
    19. Ahammad, Mohammad Faisal & Tarba, Shlomo Yedidia & Liu, Yipeng & Glaister, Keith W., 2016. "Knowledge transfer and cross-border acquisition performance: The impact of cultural distance and employee retention," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 66-75.
    20. Liuan Wang & Lu (Lucy) Yan & Tongxin Zhou & Xitong Guo & Gregory R. Heim, 2020. "Understanding Physicians’ Online-Offline Behavior Dynamics: An Empirical Study," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(2), pages 537-555, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:12:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s13132-020-00665-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.