Title: Developing a theoretical model on knowledge sharing behaviour in e-communities: integrating the economics, social psychology and social ecology perspectives

Authors: Szu-Yuan Sun; Meng-Hsiang Hsu; Chang-Yao Wu

Addresses: Department of Information Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Rd, Yanchao, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan ' Department of Information Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Rd, Yanchao, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan ' Institute of Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Rd, Yanchao, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan

Abstract: Virtual community was designed to organise different communities and getting people involved in creating and sharing knowledge. It was also called e-information exchange system. Bock et al. argued that the research perspectives of knowledge sharing should be classified into economics, social psychology and sociology perspectives. We present a conceptual framework based on economic, social psychology and social ecology perspective and propose a set of propositions for knowledge sharing in virtual community. Finally, we introduce punctuated equilibrium as third theoretical perspective to understand whether the factors affecting knowledge sharing may change with time.

Keywords: agency theory; social capital; social exchange theory; punctuated equilibrium; virtual communities; web based communities; online communities; internet; world wide web; EIES; electronic information; exchange systems; e-information; knowledge sharing; e-communities; electronic communities; economics; social psychology; social ecology; knowledge creation; research perspectives; sociology; business; systems research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2012.044021

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2012 Vol.6 No.1, pp.18 - 35

Published online: 14 Nov 2014 *

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