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Knowledge Sharing in Public Sector Organizations: The Effect of Organizational Characteristics on Interdepartmental Knowledge Sharing

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  • A. WILLEM
  • M. BUELENS

Abstract

Public sector organizations are mainly knowledge-intensive organizations and to exploit their knowledge, effective knowledge sharing among the different departments is required. We focus on specific characteristics of public sector organizations that increase or limit interdepartmental knowledge sharing. Three types of organization-specific coordination mechanisms directly influence knowledge sharing between units. Organizations are also characterized by members’ social identification and trust, which in the absence of power games are assumed to create a knowledge sharing context. Data are presented from a questionnaire survey in the public sector. The sample consists of 359 cooperations between departments in more than 90 different public sector organizations. Structural equation modelling reveals the importance of lateral coordination and trust. The combination of power games and informal networking seems to be remarkably beneficial for knowledge sharing. Furthermore, compared with other public sector organizations, government institutions have organizational characteristics that are less beneficial for knowledge sharing.

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  • A. Willem & M. Buelens, 2005. "Knowledge Sharing in Public Sector Organizations: The Effect of Organizational Characteristics on Interdepartmental Knowledge Sharing," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 05/344, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    • Handle: RePEc:rug:rugwps:05/344
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    5. Willem, Annick, 2010. "Trust in whole networks in the public and nonprofit sector: The impact of public sector characteristics," Working Papers 2010/13, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    6. Chuanshen Qin & Bo Fan, 2016. "Factors that influence information sharing, collaboration, and coordination across administrative agencies at a Chinese university," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 637-664, August.
    7. Navin Kumar Saxena & Satyasiba Das, 2022. "Competitive Pressure and the Moderating Role of the Knowledge Network on Internationalization Intent of Indian State-owned Enterprises," IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, , vol. 11(1), pages 47-61, January.
    8. Douglas Edward Abrahamson & Jane Goodman-Delahunty, 2014. "Impediments to Information and Knowledge Sharing Within Policing," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(1), pages 21582440135, January.
    9. Nataša Pomazalová, 2011. "Knowledge, flawlessness and failures in processing of public procurement documents at the state administration," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 59(7), pages 275-282.
    10. Jaeyong Lee & Myung H. Jin & Geunpil Ryu, 2021. "Motivated to Share? Using the Person–Environment Fit Theory to Explain the Link between Public Service Motivation and Knowledge Sharing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, June.
    11. Fischer, Caroline, 2018. "Beraten statt archivieren. Wie öffentlich Beschäftigte ihr Wissen am Arbeitsplatz teilen," OSF Preprints gx6d3, Center for Open Science.
    12. Ceyda Maden, 2012. "Transforming Public Organizations into Learning Organizations: A Conceptual Model," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 71-84, March.
    13. Ragasa, Catherine & Babu, Suresh & Abdullahi, Aliyu Sabi & Abubakar, Baba Yusuf, 2010. "Strengthening innovation capacity of Nigerian agricultural research organizations:," IFPRI discussion papers 01050, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    14. Jawad Karamat & Tong Shurong & Naveed Ahmad & Abdul Waheed & Shahbaz Khan, 2018. "Barriers to Knowledge Management in the Health Sector of Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-22, November.
    15. Ibrahim S. Abdullah, 2017. "Influences of Knowledge Sharing on Individual Performance in Saudi Organisations," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(02), pages 1-15, June.
    16. Simon Colnar & Vlado Dimovski & David Bogataj, 2019. "Knowledge Management and the Sustainable Development of Social Work," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-20, November.
    17. Jyoti Verma & Anamika Sinha, 2016. "Knowledge Sharing in Cross-Functional Teams and its Antecedents: Role of Mutual Trust as a Moderator," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(03), pages 1-22, September.
    18. Fischer, Caroline & Döring, Matthias, 2021. "Thank You for Sharing! How knowledge sharing and information availability affect public employees' job satisfaction," SocArXiv nvfsr, Center for Open Science.
    19. Sebastian Ion Ceptureanu & Eduard Gabriel Ceptureanu & Marieta Olaru & Doina I. Popescu, 2018. "An Exploratory Study on Knowledge Management Process Barriers in the Oil Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-15, July.
    20. Jiaqi Liu & Zhenping Zhang & Jiayin Qi & Hong Wu & Manyi Chen, 2019. "Understanding the Impact of Opinion Leaders’ Characteristics on Online Group Knowledge-Sharing Engagement from In-Group and Out-Group Perspectives: Evidence from a Chinese Online Knowledge-Sharing Com," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-28, August.
    21. Fischer, Caroline, 2018. "Motivated to Share Your Knowledge? Development of a scale to measure knowledge sharing motives of public employees," OSF Preprints r5xba, Center for Open Science.
    22. Rocco Agrifoglio & Concetta Metallo & Primiano Nauta, 2021. "Understanding Knowledge Management in Public Organizations through the Organizational Knowing Perspective: a Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 137-156, March.
    23. McRae, Glenn & Vallett, Carol & Jewiss, Jennifer, 2018. "Vermont Agency of Transportation Employee Retention and Knowledge Management Study," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt2v5096wc, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.

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    Keywords

    coordination mechanisms; knowledge sharing; organization structure; public sector organizations;
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