Success factors of inter-organizational knowledge sharing: a proposed framework

Purpose – The dynamism of new economy requires information professionals not only to create knowledge quickly but also to acquire and apply knowledge through knowledge sharing (KS). So, determining factors that may influence knowledge sharing within an organization or among organizations has become an important area of research. This paper aims to review determinant factors influencing inter- and intra-organizational knowledge sharing in order to offer a framework. Design/methodology/approach – The present paper proceeds in three phases. In the first phase, the published literature on knowledge sharing has been reviewed extensively with consideration of their empirical applications. Next, based on the understanding gained from the previous stage, a conceptual framework of successful factors for effective inter-organizational knowledge sharing has been proposed. In the third phase, the proposed framework has been developed and finalized towards its maturity. Findings – Based on the literature, the authors have developed a framework for understanding factors which influence inter-organizational knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing among organizations appears theoretically sound, but it is a difficult task due to some complexities. Research limitations/implications – This paper attempts to set a theoretical framework for inter-organizational knowledge sharing as a foundation to address the gap in current literature though it does not claim to be comprehensive. Originality/value – A few attempts have been made to investigate success factors for inter-organizational knowledge sharing empirically or even theoretically, but this is the first of its kind that provides a theoretical framework to arrange success factors for the knowledge sharing based on inter-organizational collaborations. It serves as a useful starting point for those interested in knowledge management (KM). So it can serve as a roadmap of significant knowledge sharing research for researchers, designers and managers considering their options for fostering KM.