Factors Influencing Knowledge Sharing Behaviour: Developing a Theoretical Framework

In today's knowledge driven economy, creating a pro knowledge sharing environment and reinforcing actual knowledge sharing behavior is central to the success of any knowledge management (KM) initiative. Universities and Higher Education Institutes have an enormous scope to apply KM to acquire, use and leverage knowledge. This paper attempts to explore the factors that encourage or inhibit faculty knowledge sharing behaviour. The various factors influencing knowledge sharing have been categorized into individual, organizational and technological factors. Understanding of these motivators and barriers to knowledge sharing will help the top management of knowledge based organizations such as Universities and Higher Education Institutes to develop appropriate knowledge sharing strategies to instill knowledge sharing culture within the organization and foster the knowledge sharing behaviour of its faculty.