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Impact of tie strength on knowledge sharing: Focusing on the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty

유대강도가 지식공유에 미치는 영향: 환경불확실성의 조절효과를 중심으로

  • Jang, Hyunju (School of Business, Sungkyunkwan University) ;
  • Ryu, Sungmin (School of Business, Sunkyunkwan University)
  • 장현주 (성균관대학교 경영대학원) ;
  • 류성민 (성균관대학교 경영대학)
  • Received : 2021.11.29
  • Accepted : 2022.02.20
  • Published : 2022.02.28

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how tie strength in business networks affects successful knowledge sharing, as well as the impact of environmental uncertainty on the relationship between knowledge sharing and tie strength. We gathered data through a questionnaire-based survey of 310 employees affiliated with a high-technology industry in Korea. The results highlighted the positive influence of strong ties on tacit knowledge sharing and weak ties on explicit knowledge sharing. Additionally, in this study, we determine that strong ties are strengthened to share tacit knowledge with exchange parties when environmental uncertainty is high, whereas weak ties may remain unaffected by environmental uncertainty. This study contributes to the literature on tie strength and knowledge sharing by applying social capital theory to a high-technology industry. The findings suggest that firms must take advantage of strong and weak ties to facilitate knowledge sharing to enhance competency, create novel knowledge, and obtain a competitive advantage.

본 연구의 목적은 비즈니스 네트워크의 유대강도가 지식 공유에 미치는 영향과 환경 불확실성이 유대 강도와 지식 공유에 미치는 영향관계를 조사하는 것이다. 국내 첨단산업 종사자 310명의 설문조사 결과를 바탕으로 통계적 분석 및 제안된 가설들을 검증했다. 분석결과, 강한 유대는 암묵적 지식 공유에 영향을 미치고 약한 유대는 명시적 지식공유에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났고, 환경 불확실성이 높을 때 강한 유대는 암묵적 지식 공유를 강화하는 경향이 있는 반면 약한 유대는 환경 불확실성의 영향을 받지 않는 것으로 확인할 수 있었다. 본 연구는 사회적 자본이론을 첨단산업에 적용하여 유대강도 및 지식공유를 연구함으로써, 기존의 기업간 유대 및 지식공유 연구를 뒷받침한다. 이 연구 결과는 기업의 역량, 새로운 지식 창출, 경쟁 우위확보를 위한 중요 요인인 지식 공유를 촉진하기 위해 유대강도를 전략적으로 활용해야 함을 시사한다.

Keywords

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