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Abstract:
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Much of the knowledge management literature tends to assume a rather universalist
understanding of knowledge sharing. Yet, attitudes to knowledge sharing as well as actual
knowledge-sharing behaviour depend on conditions that vary across institutional and cultural
environments. This paper contributes to the knowledge-sharing literature by specifically
discussing the interplay between knowledge-sharing and national cultural factors in the context of
transition countries. The paper engages in a comparative examination of two major transition
societies, China and Russia, and contributes to understanding the complexity of differences
between transition economies. The paper is written as a set of theoretical arguments and
propositions that is designed to elucidate more nuanced ways of thinking about knowledge
sharing in China and Russia. We argue that in the case of China and Russia, vertical
individualism and particularist social relations facilitate knowledge sharing. We also maintain
that there are important differences between China and Russia in terms of motivation for
knowledge sharing and propose that the differences between the two countries in terms of origins
of collectivism and degree of collectivism impact on knowledge sharing in organisations in these
two countries. Research and management implications are also outlined.
Keywords: China, knowledge sharing, national culture, Russia |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
