Behavioral Influences on Knowledge Sharing in Virtual Communities

By Prabhakar Venugopal Gantasala and Swapna Bhargavi Gantasala.

Published by Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal

Format	Price
Article: Print	$US10.00
Article: Electronic	$US5.00

Knowledge sharing intuitively we know fosters learning. This study however aims to assess the behavioral factors influencing knowledge sharing in a virtual learning community. The basis of this research is the literature available on Behavioral Change, Networking Capabilities and findings from studies on virtual learning communities. The authors use evidence from these studies to hypothesize and explore the influences of Networking Capabilities, learners’ Predisposition to Sharing Knowledge, learners’ beliefs of their capabilities in performing online knowledge sharing, and Norms relate to Willingness to Share Knowledge, that could result in observable knowledge sharing behavior in a learning community. Post graduate students in management who have enrolled in the virtual learning community are the respondents for this study. Attitude, Norms, Ability to use the Web and Networking Capabilities are shown to be good predictors of Willingness to Share Knowledge that could result in Behavior that supports Knowledge Sharing. Willingness to share knowledge is not significantly influences by the learners’ Ability to create Knowledge.

Keywords:	Predisposition to Share Knowledge, Ability to Create Knowledge, Knowledge Sharing, Virtual Learning Community, Networking

Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, Volume 2, Issue 1, pp.91-104. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 1.600MB).

Dr. Prabhakar Venugopal Gantasala

Professor, School of Business Management, New York Institute of Technology, Amman, Jordan

Currently working as Professor in the School of Business, New York Institute of Technology, Amman, Jordan, I have thirteen years experience of working with different Business Schools in teaching, research and consultancy. I have been conferred with the Prof.K.Venkat Reddy gold medal in MBA for the batch 1992-1994 by S.K. University. I have been awarded with Doctor of Philosophy in Management for my dissertation titled ‘Organizational Culture and Network Embeddedness’. I possess to my credit a bachelors degree in law with Labor legislations as specialization. I have published five articles in different Journals and presented my research work in Human Resource Management, Knowledge Management, and Organizational Culture in various International Conferences including one in the International Colloquium on Business and Management, Bangkok. Have also undertaken consultancy work for the Government of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Swapna Bhargavi Gantasala

Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, Aurora's Postgraduate College, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

I have six years of experience in teaching at various B-schools in the field of Marketing and Finance. I am currently pursuing my doctoral work in Service Quality in Retailing. I have to my credit various International Publications that include International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change and The Forum on Public Policy - A Journal of the Oxford Round Table. I have presented research papers at various International and National Conferences.