A link between knowledge sharing and managers’ characteristics

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether and to what extent knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) is associated with knowledge sharing (KS) in an organization as well as the dimensions of this leadership style. Design/methodology/approach Opinion-based questionnaires were applied in the study. A principal axis factor analysis was conducted to find the main factors in KOL (n=236). The relationship between KS and KOL was tested with Pearson’s correlation coefficient method. Findings The findings support the importance of high-quality leader–member exchange for KS because KOL had a strong significant positive association with the extent of KS in the organization (n=96, r=0.521). The principal axis factor suggested three factors, all of which were moderately significantly related to KS: the perceived support from the superior, enough time for KS and information flow from the superior. Research limitations/implications The research design in this study was cross-sectional. Thus, the interpretations of the cause–effect relationship among the variables could not be determined. Furthermore, the findings should be confirmed using a larger sample. Practical implications The study indicates that if innovativeness and the use of human capital are important for an organization’s competitive ability, it is vital to train managers to be able to apply KOL. Originality/value Few studies have addressed the relationship between leadership and KS. Hence, this study contributes to a better understanding of the relation between KS and KOL style. Additionally, KOL is probably a multidimensional construct, but little empirical work has been done to explore it.