Title: To share or not to share? Research-knowledge sharing in higher education institution: preliminary results

Authors: Nor Ashmiza Mahamed Ismail; Mark Xianzhong Xu; Michael Wood; Christine Welch

Addresses: Department of Strategy and Business Systems, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Portland Street, PO1 3DE, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK ' Department of Strategy and Business Systems, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Portland Street, PO1 3DE, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK ' Department of Strategy and Business Systems, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Portland Street, PO1 3DE, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK ' Department of Strategy and Business Systems, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Portland Street, PO1 3DE, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK

Abstract: The world has witnessed that knowledge has become a valuable resource and asset in a new economy, which demands people not only to create knowledge but also to attain, apply and share knowledge effectively. Knowledge sharing is viewed as a natural activity in higher education institutions (HEIs), especially in relation to its core activity, i.e., research. This study focuses on the nature of research-knowledge sharing in a university, exploring three aspects: 1) why sharing; 2) why not sharing; 3) what and when to share. Since there is a dearth of research examining knowledge sharing in academia, a qualitative approach has been employed in order to gain in-depth understanding and insights about the desired phenomenon. This study suggests that the way research-knowledge is shared does not follow a single standard pattern. The results generate original insights into the issues and have practical implications for university academics and leaders.

Keywords: explicit knowledge; tacit knowledge; knowledge sharing; research knowledge; higher education institutions; HEIs; universities; academia; university research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2013.054809

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2013 Vol.12 No.3/4, pp.169 - 188

Received: 02 Apr 2011
Accepted: 13 Feb 2012
Published online: 19 Dec 2013 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article