HOW DOCTORAL STUDENTS AND GRADUATES SHARE KNOWLEDGE IN ACADEMIC VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING ANALYSIS

This study investigates the factors that influence the sharing behaviours of academic community members and examines academic community members’ willingness to share a mediating role. This study selects 224 individuals from Renmin University of China’s Economy Forum. It employs exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to design measurement models and investigate the data. A structural equation model is developed to explore the mechanism that influences knowledge-sharing behaviour in academic virtual communities. Altruistic behaviour and community atmosphere clearly have positive effects on the willingness to share. A community atmosphere has clear positive effects on sharing behaviour. The willingness to share has clearly positive effects on sharing behaviour. Compared with other professions, the impact of altruistic behaviour, community atmosphere and self-efficacy on willingness to share and the impact of willingness to share on sharing behaviour are more evident for economic management professionals.