International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Impact Factor (2012): 3.358 Volume 3 Issue 9, September 2014 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Factors Influencing Knowledge Sharing in Organizations: A Literature Review Ammar Dheyaa Noor 1 , Hayder Salah Hashim 2 , Norashikin Ali 3 1,2,3 University Tenaga Nasional, College of Graduate Studies, Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract: This article reports on the literature associated with knowledge sharing success. Studies reveal a number of factors, which influence the success of knowledge sharing among employees in organizations. The review highlights that the factors contributing to the success of knowledge sharing have been identified as organizational, individual and IT related factors. Based on the review, the conceptual model is proposed, which consists of three main constructs namely organizational factors (Organizational Support, Trust, Organizational Culture, Reward System, Organizational Structure), individual factors (Self-Efficiency, and Subjective Norm), and IT related factors (Information System, Technical Infrastructure, and Usage of Social Media). It is suggested that the empirical study be conducted using the proposed conceptual model. Keywords: Knowledge sharing, Factors, business organizations 1. Introduction The interest in knowledge management (KM) has increased in the last three decades. Knowledge has been recognized as a source of competitive advantage and a tool for superior organizational performance [1]. Based on the knowledge- based theory, organizations that values knowledge as a significant resource can achieve high productivity and reduce the operational cost [2]. One of the central activities of KM is knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing is a fundamental part in KM because it enables knowledge to be accessible and usable within and between chosen organizations. It is a means by which, organizational member can contribute to knowledge application, innovation, and ultimately the competitive advantage of the organization [3]. Internal sharing of knowledge enables organizations to utilize the organizational knowledge-based resources such as employees’ expertise for innovation, organizational learning, the development of new skills and capabilities, increased productivity, and maintaining a competitive advantage [4]. Because knowledge sharing is considered as a key enabler of KM, a number of studies have been conducted to identify the factors that can influence the success of knowledge sharing. Some factors are found to be attributed to cultural factors [5], [6], [7], [8]; while others viewed that successful knowledge sharing is influenced by top management and motivation [9], [10]. Further, many researchers claimed that knowledge sharing could be influenced by rewards and incentives [11], [12]. Recent trend attributes the knowledge sharing to the information technology (IT) and social media [13], [14] [15], [16]. Findings of researchers vary based on the nature of the organizations and the industry that the knowledge is being shared. However, despite the fact that the identified factors are numerous, none of the studies contribute to identifying those factors, which best contribute to knowledge sharing success. Consequently, organizations are struggling to find the best factor that can be adopted for their organizations. This paper contributes to knowledge sharing practice by providing a review of factors influencing knowledge sharing in several ways. First, we review and integrate the literature from several different disciplines investigating success factors from social and organizational perspectives. Second, we review success factors from IT implementation to support knowledge sharing. Categorizing these factors may assist organizations to adopt factors the way their KM are implemented. The paper consists of six sections. The first section presents the background and highlights the factors that influence knowledge sharing. In the second section, the paper presents review of the literature related to the factors that influence knowledge sharing. The third sections present the conceptual framework. This is followed by research methodology, which mainly based on secondary data. In the fifth section, the paper presents and discusses the findings of this study. In the sixth section, a conclusion of the research with directions for future work is given. 2. Literature Review 2.1Previous Studies of Knowledge Sharing Interest in knowledge sharing has its roots in within the technology transfer and innovation literature [17]. Currently, knowledge is considered important as oil and coal were in the industrial age [18]. Voelpel and Han [19] pointed out that the amount of knowledge that organizations acquired internally and externally can determine to large extent their viability and competitive advantage. In a comprehensive study conducted by [20] to identify the factors that influence knowledge sharing intention and behavior, they found that three individual factors (reciprocity, subjective norms, and behavioral control) and one organizational factor (trust) significantly influenced knowledge sharing intention. The knowledge sharing behavior is found to be influenced by two individual factors (reciprocity, and behavioral control) and three organizational factors (CEO support, IT system, and trust). Knowledge sharing has been a theme in the academic literature. Many studies have attempted to identify knowledge sharing, its definitions, and factors that influence knowledge sharing e.g. [21], [15]. Paper ID: SEP14397 1314