Knowledge sharing motivational factors of using an intra‐organizational social media platform

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to discuss the motivational factors affecting the knowledge sharing through an intra‐organizational social media platform and to answer the following research questions: “What motivates employees to share their knowledge through an intra‐organizational social media platform?”; “What impedes them sharing knowledge this way?”; and “Do these factors differ from those motivational factors regarding knowledge sharing in general?”.Design/methodology/approachThe paper approaches the issue from both theoretical and empirical viewpoints. The motivational factors regarding knowledge sharing in general are summed up from literature. The social media platform perspective to the issue is studied by conducting a survey in two companies.FindingsThe results reveal that the motivation to share knowledge through an intra‐organizational social media platform is the desire to help the organization reach its goals and helping colleagues, while financial rewards and advancing one's career were seen as least motivating. The key issues enabling the success of using a collaborative intra‐organizational social media platform in knowledge sharing are in line with the general knowledge sharing motivational factors, although supplemented with some additional features: reciprocity in knowledge sharing, making every‐day work easier and faster and ease of use are the key factors that make or break the success.Originality/valueThe empirical study reveals what motivates and impedes the employees of the companies to share knowledge via an intra‐organizational social media platform. The results are discussed in the light of those from earlier research about general knowledge sharing motivational factors.

Employees’ participation in electronic networks of practice within a corporate group: perceived benefits and costs

“…This perceived cost refers to a knowledge sharing barrier, in which participants mentally assess contribution efforts: if the mental effort and time outweigh the overall benefit, they refuse to participate in an ENoP system. This finding is consistent with Vuori and Okkonen's (2012) study in which they found effort to be an important individual cost of participation in intra-organizational social media.…”

“…Although the ENoP's platform is a simple platform and networks' experts have skills to use technical features, time is a significant cost of participation. This finding is consistent with Vuori and Okkonen (2012) study, who found that users of organizational social media indicate that time is a significant barrier to sharing knowledge. Further, the effort for knowledge contributing through ENoPs is identified as an individual perceived cost of knowledge sharing-individual mental and physical efforts to acquire, create, document and share knowledge through ENoPs (Sun et al 2014).…”

“…Although all participants in ENoPs have the opportunity to use monetary rewards and job promotions, few respondents have mentioned this kind of rewards as significant incentive for knowledge sharing. This finding is consistent with Vuori and Okkonen's (2012) study, in which they show that financial bonus and career development programs have least priority for knowledge contribution. Social interaction as a social need of employees is only indicated by a few articles.…”

“…On the other hand, another type of altruistic behaviour is related to organizational commitment. This finding indicates participants' willingness to contribute to organizational success and support to reach strategic goals (Vuori and Okkonen 2012). This dimension is mentioned in KM studies to indicate participants' commitment to organizational values (King and Marks 2008).…”

“…Social interaction as a social need of employees is only indicated by a few articles. This benefit refers to a participant's need to strength their social ties with others within an organization (Vuori and Okkonen 2012). People use ENoPs to maintain social interactions with domain experts and improve their social network by contributing in the KM process.…”