Knowledge Sharing and Work Performance: A Network Perspective

Based on a network perspective, in this study we argue that employees can improve their work performance if they occupy central network positions within a company where they can take advantage of knowledge made available by colleagues. We reasoned that the likelihood of knowledge sharing would be increased when employees were perceived to be trustworthy. Participants were 170 employees from 4 companies in Taiwan, and it was found that in-degree and in-closeness centralities within a knowledge-sharing network had significant and positive effects on work performance, and that employees with higher levels of perceived trust were more likely than others to experience an in-degree centrality of knowledge sharing. Our results indicate that the network perspective is a promising approach to the research issue of knowledge sharing.