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Explaining knowledge sharing in organizations through the dimensions of social capital

Department of Information Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Finland, gunilla.widen-wulff{at}abo.fi

Mariam Ginman

Department of Information Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Finland

The increasing complexity of organizations, together with the growing scale of information activities, puts new demands on business corporations. It is believed that investing in social values based on mutuality, trust and respect could yield long-term benefits such as corporate well-being and innovativeness. The benefits are believed to be based on better knowledge sharing, lower transaction costs due to a communicative spirit, and a greater coherence of action. However, the concept of social capital in the field of information behaviour in organizations is new and needs a more solid theoretical framework. The objective of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of how social and informative aspects are anchored to each other and to explore the mechanisms behind knowledge sharing. Possible measures and contexts for this kind of research are suggested.

Key Words: Knowledge management • Knowledge sharing • Social capital • Organizational culture • Virtual communities • Community networks • Social aspects

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