The relationship between intra-organisational trust and knowledge sharing: empirical evidence from the Czech Republic

Abstract

Knowledge sharing has a significant impact on the performance of organisations. Some researchers mentioned trust to be a key factor in knowledge sharing and its success. Can knowledge sharing be really facilitated by trust? And if yes, what kind of trust is important for that? This study examined the influence of trust on the intensity of knowledge sharing in organisations and tries to develop a model of the dimensions of trust. A quantitative approach to the research and an opinion-based questionnaire as a method of data gaining was used. The findings indicate that the extent of trust in the organisation has a significant positive effect on the extent of knowledge sharing in the organisation. Based on the previous studies, four dimensions of trusts were suggested. However, only three dimensions of trust (trust in co-workers, trust in the management of the organisation, and trust in the direct superior) predicted knowledge sharing.