The relationship between organisational culture and knowledge sharing in the information communication technology firms in Libya

Allali, B

Abstract

Examining the nature of the relationship between Organisational Culture (OC) and Knowledge Sharing (KS) has been the concern of a number of academic studies. Most of these studies have suggested that different aspects of Organisational Culture have an influence on the effective process of Knowledge Sharing in business firms. However, there has been a lack of studies carried out to examine the relationship between OC and KS in Information Communication Technology firms generally and in Arabic countries (namely Libya) in particular. Furthermore, there is a dearth of frameworks that assist employees in ICT firms to achieve better practices within KS processes.
This study is driven by the need to bridge the gap in the current literature in terms of identifying the nature of the relationship between Organisational Culture and Knowledge Sharing in ICT firms in Libya. As the Information Communication Technology sector in Libya is now heading towards leading the country to a knowledge economy, there is also a need to put forward a framework that helps employees in ICT firms to achieve better practices. This study is undertaken with the aim to “investigate the relationship between Organisational Culture and Knowledge Sharing processes in ICT firms in Libya to enhance Knowledge Sharing practices”. The outcomes from this study are used to develop a framework that will help employees in ICT firms to achieve better practices.
This study utilises a mixed research approach. The aim of the study was achieved by adopting the case study research strategy by triangulating the data collected through different techniques (questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and document analysis). Data was collected from four different ICT firms in Libya focusing on the relationship between Organisational Culture and Knowledge Sharing. Descriptive statistics, thematic analysis and content analysis methods were used to analysis the data.
The findings from this research suggest that Organisational Culture and Knowledge Sharing are defined, interpreted, and understood differently, so that there is no one specific meaning for either KS or OC. Therefore, there is a need to understand the different meanings and the aspects associated with each concept in order to understand the relationship between both concepts. Furthermore, this study found that OC is influenced by the culture including personal, government, sector, and nation. At the same time, KS is influenced by OC and an organisation’s KS culture rather than by KS as practices or activities. According to the findings of this study, KS in ICT firms in Libya has not been practiced as a way of fulfilling either strategic or organisational practice, rather it has been practiced randomly. In other words, knowledge sharing plans are not formalised within the organisational strategic policies and practices. Therefore, a STEP BY STEP FRAMWORK has been developed with the intention to enhance the practices of KS in ICT firms in Libya which appear to be more retail-customer services’ businesses rather than ICT production service organisations. This fact could suggest that the framework can be applied in other different business contexts, but further investigations would be necessary. The findings of this study have contributed significantly by formulating a framework to enhance KS practices for the ICT firms in developing country as the usage of such framework are limited in countries like Libya.

Citation

Allali, B. The relationship between organisational culture and knowledge sharing in the information communication technology firms in Libya. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Dec 8, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 8, 2016
• Additional Information: Funders : Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Tripoli-Libya
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2016