Organizational mechanisms and conditions of individuals for knowledge sharing in post-acquisition integration

The challenges of knowledge sharing after cross-border acquisitions are widely recognised. The study took a new view to the subject by applying a two-level framework provided by the knowledge governance approach. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of organizational mechanisms on the conditions of individuals for knowledge sharing in post-acquisition integration context. Qualitative research methods were used in this case study. Individual interviews were performed within an international firm after a recent cross-border acquisition. The results showed that integrators, the rotation of the personnel from the acquiring firm and visits and meetings enhance the conditions at the individual level for knowledge sharing after the acquisition. Respectively, strategic change, matrix structure and foreign HRM practices challenge the conditions at the individual level for knowledge sharing in the early post-acquisition integration phase. The findings are supported by the prior research on knowledge management in acquisitions. In particular, the study enlightens how organizational level actions influence the conditions of individuals for knowledge sharing. The study suggests that organizations should adjust organizational mechanisms to support the conditions of individuals, in order to promote knowledge sharing in the early phase of the integration.

Searchig the links between "knowledge governance mechanisms", "the individual conditions of knowledge sharing", and "individual's knowledge sharing behaviour".

The objective of this study was to understand how organizational knowledge governance mechanisms affect individual motivation, opportunity, and the ability to share knowledge (MOA framework), and further, how individual knowledge-sharing conditions affect actual knowledge sharing behaviour. The study followed the knowledge governance approach and a micro-foundations perspective to develop a theoretical model and hypotheses, which could explain the casual relationships between knowledge governance mechanisms, individual knowledge sharing conditions, and individual knowledge sharing behaviour. The quantitative research strategy and multivariate data analysis techniques (SEM) were used in the hypotheses testing with a survey dataset of 256 employees from eleven military schools of Finnish Defence Forces (FDF). The results showed that “performance-based feedback and rewards” affects employee’s “intrinsic motivation towards knowledge sharing”, that “lateral coordination” affects employee’s “knowledge self-efficacy”, and that ”training and development” is positively related to “time availability” for knowledge sharing but affects negatively employee’s knowledge self-efficacy. Individual motivation and knowledge self-efficacy towards knowledge sharing affected knowledge sharing behaviour when work-related knowledge was shared 1) between employees in a department and 2) between employees in different departments, however these factors did not play a crucial role in subordinate–superior knowledge sharing. The findings suggest that individual motivation, opportunity, and the ability towards knowledge sharing affects individual knowledge sharing behaviour differently in different knowledge sharing situations. Furthermore, knowledge governance mechanisms can be used to manage individual-level knowledge sharing conditions and individual knowledge sharing behaviour but their affect also vary in different knowledge sharing situations.

Hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamista edistävät yksilötekijät työyhteisössä

Pro gradu -tutkielman tavoitteena oli tutkia yksilöiden välistä hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamista edistäviä tekijöitä. Yksilötason olosuhteiden tunteminen on tarpeen, jotta organisaation toteuttamat toimenpiteet hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamisen tehostamiseksi ovat tarkoituksenmukaisesti kohdennettuja. Työn teoriaosuudessa keskityttiin tarkastelemaan hiljaisen tietämyksen olemusta sekä hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamista yksilöiden välillä. Tutkielman empiirisessä osuudessa edellä mainittuja tekijöitä tarkasteltiin käytännössä ja pyrittiin selvittämään miten yksilön motivaatioon, mahdollisuuksiin, kykyihin sekä kommunikaatioon liittyvät tekijät edistävät hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamista työyhteisössä. Tutkimuksen kohteena oli erityisesti työtehtävissä esiintyvä hiljainen tietämys ja sen jakamiseen liittyvät yksilötason tekijät. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin haastattelujen ja kyselylomakkeiden avulla. Tutkimuksen perusteella saatiin selkeä kuva siitä, millaiset motivaatioon, mahdollisuuksiin ja kykyihin liittyvät tekijät edistävät hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamista sekä millainen kommunikaatio tukee sitä. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittivat, että MOA-tekijät ovat merkittävästi vaikuttamassa yksilöiden väliseen hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamiseen. Tulokset tukivat pääosin aiempaa tutkimusta, mutta tuottivat samalla tieteellistä lisäarvoa tuomalla esiin yksityiskohtaisempia havaintoja eri tekijöiden vaikutuksesta hiljaisen tietämyksen jakamiseen. Erityisesti esiin nousivat yksilöiden väliset hyöty- ja etäisyysnäkökulmat.

Motivations behind clicking the share-button

The main objective of this study is to examine the motivations behind sharing information and other content in social media. The goal was also to research how social media has changed information sharing behavior online. The theoretical part of the study covers social media marketing, motivations and Rioux’s framework of Information-Acquiring–and-Sharing in Internet environments. Marketer’s abilities to influence information sharing is explained through the MOA-model. The empirical research was conducted by using deductive research methods to assess Rioux’s framework of IA&S behavior in social media. This study included interviews of 12 respondents. The data was collected and analyzed by using qualitative research methods. This study confirms Rioux’s findings. Everyday information needs motivate information acquiring behavior. The findings show that social and emotional needs for maintaining relationships and the need for participation are considered as the most important internal motivations of sharing information and other content on social media. External motivations include expectations of others, environmental norms, and opportunities to win money. Social media strengthens the motivation for sharing information by offering a platform for satisfying these needs. It has also increased information sharing online due to its ease of use.