DETERMINANTS OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING BEHAVIOR IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION: CASE STUDY OF ASSOSA UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC STAFF, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Knowledge is the most important strategic resource in organizations, and its management is critical to organizational success. Knowledge sharing behavior is a social interaction culture, involving the exchange of employee knowledge, experiences and skills through organization. However there is no previous studies that asses the knowledge sharing behavior in Assosa University. Therefore the purpose of this study is to examine the knowledge sharing behavior and identify factors that affect knowledge sharing behavior among Assosa university academic staff. A cross-sectional study with both quantitative and qualitative approach was conducted among 6 Faculties of Assosa University. A total of 250 on duty respondents were taken as a whole population. The data were collected using close-ended questionnaire and to supplement the quantitative study semi-structured interviews were also conducted. The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe the study population and multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the presence and degree of association between dependent and independent variables. The study revealed that the association between commitment and knowledge sharing behavior is significant. The multiple regression analysis result shows that commitment has beta=.408; p-value= .000. The results prove that, there is a strong association between commitment and knowledge sharing behavior. Trust is the other significant variable which has (p-value .003 and the beta = .197). The results of this study show that there is a significant association between reward system and knowledge sharing behavior which reward system has beta=107, p=0.090. Technology (ICT) is associated with knowledge sharing behavior among the academic staff of Assosa University. Multiple regression analysis shows technology had beta= .156, p-value= .016, implying that there is a positive and significant association between technology and knowledge sharing behavior. From this study most of the respondents were aware of the importance of knowledge sharing but not most respondents were engaged on active knowledge sharing behavior, and the factors that were independent predictors of knowledge sharing behavior were commitment, trust, reward system andtechnology.