To share knowledge or not: Dependence on knowledge-sharing satisfaction

Knowledge sharing behavior does not occur naturally and easily. In this study, I hypothesized that knowledge workers would be more likely to share knowledge if they were satisfied with knowledge-sharing behavior. This positive attitude was labeled knowledge-sharing satisfaction (KSS). Drawing upon social exchange theory and motivation theory, I examined the relationship between KSS and knowledge-sharing behavior. Using survey data from participants employed in research and development departments at knowledge-intensive high-technology companies in Taiwan, I demonstrated that satisfaction of the need for a friendly sharing environment and satisfaction of intrinsic and altruistic motivation are positively related to knowledge-sharing behavior. These findings contribute to researchers’ understanding of the antecedents of employee knowledge-sharing behavior.