Mediation Effects of Subjective Norms on the Relationship between Career Advancement and Job Characteristics and Knowledge Sharing Behavior among the Tanzanian Healthcare Professionals
Abstract
This paper intends to examine the mediating effects of subjective norms on the relationship between career advancement and job characteristics and knowledge sharing behavior. Based on the social exchange theory, we establish a research model which contains job and organizational factors. We distributed 650 questionnaires, but only 439 questionnaires were returned and usable. The hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The study examines knowledge sharing behavior and its determinants. The results reveal that career advancement, job characteristics and subjective norms are positively and significantly related to knowledge sharing behavior. The findings depict that subjective norms have a partial positive and significant mediating effect on knowledge sharing behavior. This paper intends to identify knowledge sharing behavior and its determinants in Tanzanian healthcare institutions and among healthcare professionals. This is because there are only a few such studies in the context of Tanzania; therefore, this study offers a theoretical foundation for future studies and practical implications for administrators and practitioners.
Keywords
DOI: 10.22146/gamaijb.23740
References
Ajzen, I. 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50 (2): 179–211. http://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T.
Akhavan, P., A. Rahimi, and G. Mehralian. 2013. Developing a model for knowledge sharing in research centers. VINE: The Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems 43 (3): 357–393. http://doi.org/10.1108/VINE-06-2012-0020.
Aktharsha, S. U., D. S. Ali, and H. Anisa. 2012. Knowledge sharing behaviour in hospitals. The Journal of Contemporary Management Research 6 (2): 33–51.
Aktharsha, S. U., and H. Anisa. 2012. Knowledge sharing: Nursing ambience. Journal of Indian Management 9 (2): 13–26.
Altawallbeh, M., F. Soon, W. Thiam, and S. Alshourah. 2015. Mediating role of attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control in the relationships between their respective salient beliefs and behavioural intention to adopt e-learning among instructors in Jordanian universities. Journal of Education and Practice 6 (11): 152–160.
Amayah, A. T. 2013. Determinants of knowledge sharing in a public sector organization. Journal of Knowledge Management 17 (3): 454–471. http://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-11-2012-0369
Araújo, E., and A. Maeda. 2013. How to Recruit and Retain Health Workers in Rural and Remote Areas in Developing Countries: A Guidance Note (No. 78506). Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Aselage, J., and R. Eisenberger. 2003. Perceived organizational support and psychological contracts: A theoretical integration. Journal of Organizational Behavior 24 (SPEC. ISS.): 491–509. http://doi.org/10.1002/job.211
Bamberg, S., I. Ajzen, and P. Schmidt. 2003. Choice of travel mode in the theory of planned behavior: The roles of past behavior, habit, and reasoned action. Basic and Applied Social Psychology 25 (3): 175–187. http://doi.org/10.1207/S15324834BASP2503_01
Baskaran, S. 2018. Mediation effect of knowledge management enablers on the relationship between organizational characteristics and entrepreneurial orientation. Gadjah Mada International Journal of Business 20 (1): (January-April): 1-32. https://doi.org/10.22146/gamaijb.23323
Bijttebier, P., D. Delva, S. Vanoost, H. Bobbaers, P. Lauwers, and H. Vertommen. 2000. Reliability and validity of the critical care family needs inventory in a Dutch-speaking Belgian sample. Heart and Lung: Journal of Acute and Critical Care 29 (4): 278–286. http://doi.org/10.1067/mhl.2000.107918
Blau, P. 1964. Exchange and Power in Social Life. New York: Wiley and Sons.
Bock, G.-W., A. Kankanhalli, and S. Sharma. 2006. Are norms enough? The role of collaborative norms in promoting organizational knowledge seeking. European Journal of Information Systems 15 (4): 357–367. http://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.ejis.3000630
Bock, G.-W., J-N. Lee, R. W. Zmud, and Y-G. Kim. 2005. Behavioral intention formation in knowledge sharing: Examining the role of extrinsic motivators, social-psychological forces, and organizational climate. MIS Quarterly 29 (1): 87–111.
Cabrera, Á., W. C. Collins, and J. F. Salgado. 2006. Determinants of individual engagement in knowledge sharing. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 17 (2): 245–264. http://doi.org/10.1080/09585190500404614
Cabrera, E. F., and A. Cabrera. 2005. Fostering knowledge sharing through people management practices. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 16 (5): 720–735. http://doi.org/10.1080/09585190500083020
Chen, S., S. Chang, H. Lin, and C. Chen. 2008. Post-SARS knowledge sharing and professional commitment in the nursing profession. Journal of Clinical Nursing18 (5): 1738–1745. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02488.
Chiang, H., T-S. Han, and J-S. Chuang. 2011. The relationship between high-commitment HRM and knowledge-sharing behavior and its mediators. International Journal of Manpower 32 (5/6): 604–622. http://doi.org/10.1108/01437721111158224
Eisenberger, R., and R. Huntington. 1986. Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology. http://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.75.1.51.
Fishbein, M., and I. Ajzen. 1975. Belief, attitude, intention and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Contemporary Sociology 6 (2): 244–245.
Fornell, C., and D. F. Larcker. 1981. Evaluating structural models with unobservable variable and measurement. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling 53 (9): 1689–1699. http://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004
Foss, N. J., K. Husted, and S. Michailova, S. 2010. Governing knowledge sharing in organizations: levels of analysis, governance mechanisms, and research directions. Jounal of Management Studies 47 (3): 455–82. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00870.x
Foss, N. J., D. B. Minbaeva, T. Pedersen, and M. Reinholt. 2009. Encouraging knowledge sharing among employees: How job design matters. Human Resource Management 48 (6): 871–893. http://doi.org/10.1002/hrm
Gold, A. H., A. Malhotra, and A. H. Segars. 2001. Knowledge management: an organizational capabilities perspectives. Journal of Management Information Systems 18 (1): 185–214. http://doi.org/10.1002/ceat.201000522
Hackman, J. R., and G. R. Oldham. 1974. The job diagnostic survey: An instrument for the diagnosis of jobs and the evaluation of job redesign projects. JSAC Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology 4 (148): 1–14.
Hair, J. F., W. Black, B. J. Babin, R. E. Anderson, and R. L. Tatham. 2006. Multivariate Data Analysis. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Hair, J. F. J., G. T. M. Hult, C. Ringle, and M. Sarstedt. 2014. A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). London: SAGE Publications Ltd. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2013.01.002
Hair, J. F., C. M. Ringle, and M. Sarstedt. 2011. PLS-SEM: Indeed a Silver Bullet. The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice 19 (2): 139–152. http://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679190202
Hair, J. F., C. M. Ringle, and M. Sarstedt. 2013. Partial least squares structural equation modeling: Rigorous applications, better results and higher acceptance. Long Range Planning 46 (1–2): 1–12. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2013.01.001
Hair, J., G. T. M. Hult, C. M. Ringle, and M. Sarstedt. 2014. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling ( PLS-SEM ). London EC1Y 1: SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd.
Hansen, S., and M. Avital. 2005. Contributing your “ wisdom” or showing your cards: A quantitative inquiry of knowledge sharing behavior. In Eleventh Americas Conference on Information Systems (pp. 1813–1817).
Hassandoust, F., R. Logeswaran, and M. F. Kazerouni. 2011. Behavioral factors influencing virtual knowledge sharing: Theory of reasoned action. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education 3 (2): 116–134. http://doi.org/10.1108/17581181111198665
Henseler, J., C. M. Ringle, and R. R. Sinkovics. 2009. The use of partial least squares path modeling in international marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 29 (3): 318–319. http://doi.org/10.1016/0167-8116(92)90003-4
Huang, M.-C., Y-P. Chiu, and T-C. Lu. 2013. Knowledge governance mechanisms and repatriate’s knowledge sharing: The mediating roles of motivation and opportunity. Journal of Knowledge Management17 (5): 677–694. http://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-01-2013-0048
Jeon, S., Y-G. Kim, and J. Koh. 2011. An integrative model for knowledge sharing in communities-of-practice. Journal of Knowledge Management 15 (2): 251–269. http://doi.org/10.1108/13673271111119682
Juma, A., A. G. Kangalawe, F. Dalrymple, and T. Kanyenda. 2012. Brain Drain of the Healthcare Professionals in Tanzania. New York: Cornell University.
Kim, Y.-M., D. Newby-Bennet, and H-J. Song. 2012. Knowledge sharing and institutionalism in the healthcare industry. Journal of Knowledge Management16 (3): 480–494. http://doi.org/10.1108/13673271211238788
Kim, T. T., and G. Lee. 2013. Hospitality employee knowledge-sharing behaviors in the relationship between goal orientations and service innovative behavior. International Journal of Hospitality Management 34: 324–337. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2013.04.009
Kim, Y. W., and J. Ko. 2014. H R practices and knowledge sharing behavior: Focusing on the moderating effect of trust in supervisor. Public Personnel Management 43 (4): 586–607.
Kim, W. C., and R. Mauborgne. 1998. Procedural justice, strategic decision making, and the knowledge economy. Strategic Management Journal 19 (4): 323–338.
Lee, C., J. Farh, and Z. Chen. 2011. Promoting Group Potency in Project Teams: The Importance of Group Identification 1162 (March 2009): 1147–1162. http://doi.org/10.1002/job
Menguc, B., S. Auh, and Y. C. Kim. 2011. Salespeople’s knowledge-sharing behaviors with coworkers outside the sales unit. Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management 31 (2): 103–122. http://doi.org/10.2753/PSS0885-3134310201
Mboera, L. E. G., K. P. Senkoro, B. K. Mayala, and E. H. Shayo. 2007. Knowledge and health information communication in. East African Journal of Public Health 4 (1): 1–7.
Munga, M., and O. Mæstad. 2009. Measuring inequalities in the distribution of health workers: The case of Tanzania. Human Resources for Health 7 (4). Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1478-4491/7/4
Nabi, G. R. 2003. Situational characteristics and subjective career success The mediating role of career-enhancing strategies. International Journal of Management Reviews 24 (6): 653–671.
Nahapiet, J., and S. Ghoshal. 1998. Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage. Academy of Management Review 23 (2): 242–266.
Ngowi, H. P. 2009. Economic development and change in Tanzania since independence: The political leadership factor. African Journal of Political Science and International Relations 3 (4): 259–267.
Pizzi, N. J. 2009. Information processing in biomedical applications. Human-Centric Information Processing Through Granular Modelling 182: 289–311. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-92916-1
Polanyi, M. 1966. The Tacit Dimension. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=sci hub org#q=Polanyi%2C+M.+(1966)%2C+The+Tacit+ Dimension%2C+Routledge+and+Kegan+Paul%2C+London
Prytherch, H., D. C. V. Kakoko, M. T. Leshabari, and R. M. M. Sauerborn. 2012. Maternal and newborn health care providers in rural Tanzania: In-depth interviews exploring influences on motivation, performance and job satisfaction. Rural Rem Health. Retrieved April 12, 2016, from https://www.google.com/#q=Prytherch+H%2C+Kakoko+DCV%2C+Leshabari+MT%2C+ Sauerborn+R%2C+Marx+M.+Maternal+and+newborn+health+care+providers+in+rural+Tanzania:+in-depth+interviews+exploring+influences+on+motivation%2C+performance+and+job+satisfaction.+Rural+R
Rehman, M., and A. K. B. Mahmood. 2011. Review of factors affecting knowledge sharing behavior. In International Conference on E-business, Management and Economics IPEDR 3: 223–227. Hong Kong: IACSIT Press.
Reinartz, W., M. Haenlein, and J. Henseler. 2009. An empirical comparison of the efficacy of covariance-based and variance-based SEM. International Journal of Research in Marketing 26 (4): 332–344. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2009.08.001
Rezazadeh, A. and M. Mahjoub. 2016. Alliance entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial orientation: The Mediating effect of knowledge transfer. Gadjah Mada International Journal of Business 18 (3): 263-284. https://doi.org/10.22146/gamaijb.22220
Rockers, P., M. Jaskiewicz, L. Wurts, M. Kruk, G. Mgomella, and F. Ntalazi. 2012. Preferences for working in rural clinics among trainee health professionals in Uganda: A discrete choice experiment. BMC Health Serv Res. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/#q=Rockers+ PC%2C+ Jaskiewicz+W%2C+Wurts+L%2C+Kruk+ME%2C+Mgomella+GS%2C+ Ntalazi+F.+Preferences+for+working+in+rural+clinics+among+trainee+health+professionals+ in+Uganda:+a+discrete+choice+experiment.+BMC+Health+Serv+Res.+2012%3B12:212.
Saleh, S. D., and C. K. Wang. 1993. The management of innovation: Strategy, structure, and organizational climate. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management 40 (1): 14–21. http://doi.org/10.1109/17.206645
Sanders, A. E., and A. J. Spencer. 2004. Job characteristics and the subjective oral health of Australian workers. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 28 (3): 259–266.
Shemdoe, A., G. Mbaruku, A. Dillip, Bradley, J. William, D. Wason, and Z. J-L. Hildon. 2016. Explaining retention of healthcare workers in Tanzania: Moving on, coming to “look, see and go,” or stay? Human Resources for Health 14 (1): 2. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-016-0098-7
Sun, W., C-P. Chou, A. W. Stacy, M. Ma, J. Unger, and P. Gallaher. 2007. SAS and SPSS macros to calculate standardized Cronbach’s alpha using the upper bound of the phi coefficient for dichotomous items. Behavior Research Methods 39 (1): 71–81. http://doi.org/10.3758/BF03192845
Su, Z., D. Ahlstrom, J. Li, and D. Cheng. 2013. Knowledge creation capability, absorptive capacity, and product innovativeness. RandD Management43 (5): 473–485. http://doi.org/10.1111/radm.12033.
Teece, D. 1998. Capturing value from knowledge assets: The new economy, markets for know-how, and intangible assets. California Management Review 40 (3): 55–79. Retrieved from http://cmr.ucpress.edu/content/40/3/55.abstract
Tekleab, A. G., R. Takeuchi, and M. S. Taylor. 2005. Extending the chain of relationships among organization justice, social exchange, and employee reactions: The role of contract violations. Academy of Management Journal 48 (1): 146–157. http://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2005.15993162
Tohidinia, Z., and M. Mosakhani. 2010. Knowledge sharing behaviour and its predictors. Industrial Management and Data Systems 110 (4): 611–631. http://doi.org/10.1108/02635571011039052
Wang-Cowham, C. 2008. The effect of individual factors on the transfer of human resource management knowledge in Chinese subsidiaries: The perspective of Chinese HR managers. Journal of Technology Management in China 3(2): 224–241. http://doi.org/10.1108/17468770810881149
Wickramasinghe, V., and R. Widyaratne. 2012. Effects of interpersonal trust, team leader support, rewards, and knowledge sharing mechanisms on knowledge sharing in project teams. VINE: The Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems 42 (2): 214–236. http://doi.org/10.1108/03055721211227255
Willman, P., M. Fenton-O’Creevy, and E. Soane, E. 2001. Knowing the risk: theory and practice in financial trading market. Human Relations 54(200107): 887–910.
World Health Organization (WHO). 2010. Increasing access to health workers in remote and rural areas through improved retention. Sciences New York 23 (February): 3–69. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/entity/hrh/migration/hmr_expert_meeting_dolea.pdf
World Health Organization (WHO). 2013. Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA).
Wu, Y., and W. Zhu. 2012. An integrated theoretical model for determinants of knowledge sharing behaviours. Kybernetes 41 (10): 1462–1482. http://doi.org/10.1108/03684921211276675
Yi, J. 2009. A measure of knowledge sharing behavior: Scale development and validation. Knowledge Management Research and Practice 7 (10): 65–81. http://doi.org/10.1057/kmrp.2008.36
Zhao, W., and X. Zhou. 2008. Intraorganizational career advancement and voluntary turnover in a multinational bank in Taiwan. Career Development International 13 (5): 402–424. http://doi.org/10.1108/13620430810891446
Zhou, L., and M. B. Nunes. 2012. Identifying knowledge sharing barriers in the collaboration of traditional and western medicine professionals in Chinese hospitals: A case study. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 44 (4): 238–248. http://doi.org/10.1177/0961000611434758
Zurn, P., C. Dolea, and B. Stilwell. 2005. Nurse retention and recruitment: developing a motivated workforce. The Global Nursing Review Initiative (WHO).
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2018 Gadjah Mada International Journal of Business
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Email the author 
