A Study of Knowledge Contribution through Electronic Knowledge Repositories among Sri Lankan IT Professionals

Abstract Knowledge sharing through Electronic Knowledge Repositories (EKR) can be successful, only if knowledge workers are willing to contribute their knowledge through EKR. This paper attempts to identify the significant cost and benefit factors that influence knowledge contribution through EKR among Sri Lankan IT professionals, in order to encourage Sri Lankan IT professionals to contribute knowledge through EKR.Knowledge contribution behaviour is examined by using a model which employs the social exchange theory (SET) to identify cost and benefit factors affecting EKR usage, and social capital theory (SCT) to account for the moderating influence of contextual factors. Ten hypotheses were formulated based on the theoretical framework. An Internet based online survey was used to collect data from 207 IT professionals. Multiple linear regression results reveal that the most significant factors that influence knowledge contribution are: loss of knowledge power, which is moderated by pro-sharing norms; contributor economic reward, which is moderated by identification; and image, which is moderated by pro-sharing norms. A study of the factors that influence knowledge contribution through EKR is vital to better understand the reasons for the reluctance of Sri Lankan IT professionals to contribute knowledge through EKR. By encouraging Sri Lankan IT professionals to contribute knowledge through EKR, Sri Lankan IT companies can retain and reuse valuable knowledge and thereby be more productive and efficient due to the effective use of knowledge.