Configurational effects of organizational context factors on knowledge sharing in CoPS development

Purpose Knowledge sharing (KS) among employees is critical in the development of complex products and systems (CoPS). The purpose of this study is to explore the impact mechanisms of organizational context factors on two types of KS in CoPS development from a configurational perspective. Design/methodology/approach This study builds a research framework based on social exchange theory (SET) and transaction cost economies (TCE). Drawing upon both the characteristic and relevant literature, four critical organizational context factors are identified, naming trust (TR), organizational rewards (OR), transformational leadership (TL) and business process standardization (BPS). Based on the questionnaire data and the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the study explores the complex causal mechanisms of how the four factors work together to stimulate EKS and TKS among employees in CoPS development. Findings No single organizational context factor is a necessary condition for a high-level EKS or TKS, but the differential matching of factors jointly stimulates EKS and TKS of employees. Three pathways leading to a high-level EKS can be categorized into two configurations: that dominated by a combination of BPS and TR and that dominated by a combination of OR and BPS. Four pathways leading to a high-level EKS also can be categorized into two configurations: that dominated by a combination of TR and not high OR and that dominated by a combination of TL and TR. Thus, BPS plays a more general role in eliciting high EKS, while TR plays a more general role in eliciting high TKS. Originality/value The findings can contribute to advancing the research on KS by focusing on CoPS context and unveiling the configurational effect of organizational context factors on KS. Furthermore, it provides alternative management schemes for CoPS organizations to facilitate EKS and TKS among their employees flexibly.