Attitude Matters: Exploring The Knowledge Sharing Behavior Of Academics In Ethiopian Public Higher Education Institutions

Abs trac t This study examines the knowledge sharing practices of academics in Higher Education Institutions(HEI) in Ethiopia in the process of conducting research and disseminating their research outputs. Based on the understanding that Knowledge Sharing is a key enabler of Knowledge Management, the study analyses how individual based variables determine knowledge sharing practices. The relevant variables are drawn from the Theory of Planned Behavior where knowledge sharing is predicted by faculty’s intention towards knowledge sharing which in turn would be predicted by attitude towards knowledge sharing, the subjective norm about sharing and the perceived behavioral control over sharing knowledge. A survey instrument that has employed the conceptual framework was developed mainly from the extant literature in order to collect data from faculty of the selected HEIs in Ethiopia. A quantitative approach of study Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data obtained from the survey. The data was analyzed using the Smart-PLS statistical tool. And based on the findings, the study concluded that sharing of knowledge was significantly predicted by the level of inter-organizational trust among colleagues which impacted on attitude to share knowledge.