Community’s knowledge need and knowledge sharing in Wikipedia
Journal of Knowledge Management
ISSN: 1367-3270
Article publication date: 23 February 2018
Issue publication date: 18 May 2018
Abstract
Purpose
In practice, showing the community’s need for knowledge (e.g. listing requests for new articles) is used to drive knowledge sharing in Wikipedia. Yet, theoretical understanding of how it influences one’s knowledge sharing is still lacking. The aim of this study is to develop a model of the influence and show that one takes others’ utility into account (utility interdependence).
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model was tested with data collected in a survey of 323 Wikipedia users.
Findings
Others’ knowledge need affects one’s perceived forgone benefit of free riding (i.e. a cost of knowledge sharing) and, thereby, increases the intention to share knowledge.
Originality/value
This study contributes to research by identifying utility interdependence in knowledge sharing. For practice, the findings provide empirical support for the general belief that showing others’ knowledge need is useful for promoting sharing.
Keywords
Citation
Pee, L.G. (2018), "Community’s knowledge need and knowledge sharing in Wikipedia", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 912-930. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-09-2017-0412
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited