Ipe Revisited: Validating a Multidimensional Model of Individual Knowledge Sharing Influences.

This paper elucidates the spectra of influences that impact the intra-organisational tacit and explicit knowledge sharing behaviour of the middle line. It addresses a deficiency in research that affords an eclectic approach across both knowledge types simultaneously and at an individual level of analysis. Ipe (2003) develops a conceptual model of knowledge sharing between individuals, opining that behaviour is influenced by Motivation to Share, the Nature of Knowledge, Opportunity to Share and most significantly, Culture. A critical analysis is presented to surface limitations and concludes the framework to be overly reductionist. This provides the catalyst for revision: a pluralistic consideration of the elements which impact volition and capacity to share. Adopting a multi-disciplinary perspective, significant augmentations to the original factors are proposed and the Nature of the Individual and Organisational Velocity are introduced as key impacting elements on knowledge sharing, the latter in a moderating capacity. The Nature of the Individual embraces the influence of human characteristics such as personality traits and demographics. Organisation Velocity is an original conceptualisation of the continual, episodic and ambiguous change which reflects the reality of many post-industrial settings. It is expressed as the tension between centrifugal and centripetal forces acting on the five other influence factors. Exploratory validation of the resultant Multidimensional Model of Individual Knowledge Sharing Influences is achieved through a robust, empirical study elucidating the sharing behaviour of middle management in four leading UK Communication Sector operators. All six factors are shown to impact individual knowledge sharing practice, with Organisational Velocity acting in a moderating and primarily centrifugal capacity on Motivation to Share, Opportunities to Share and the Nature of the Individual. It is demonstrated that a panoptic, interdisciplinary perspective combining human, social, technological and contextual factors must be considered to understand behaviour and optimise knowledge management interventions. A particular element may not be evaluated in isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]