Propensity for Knowledge Sharing: An Equity Theory Approach

Determining which factors promote or impede the sharing of knowledge within organizations constitutes an important area of research. This paper looks at knowledge sharing through the lens of equity theory. The study will explore the impact of three types of justice – distributional, procedural and interactional – on knowledge sharing. Distributional justice refers to the judgments that people make with respect to the input/output ratios they experience relative to the ratios experienced by others with whom they identify (reference others). Procedural justice has to do with following procedures that are consistent, unbiased, accurate, correctable, representative and ethical. Interactional justice refers to the quality of interpersonal treatment. Hypotheses regarding the influence of distributional, procedural, and interactional justice on knowledge sharing processes are presented. These hypotheses will be tested based on the survey. The survey instrument will be developed based on the adaptation of previously validated scales in addition to new items where no existing measures are found. The new items will be subject to the review of an expert panel comprised of the IS graduate faculty. After incorporating suggestions of the panel, the instrument will be piloted on a sample of the investigated population. The proposed sample will consist of IT professionals working on software development project teams at several Fortune 500 companies representing various industries. The results of the pilot study and the feedback received at the consortium will help refine and modify the instrument before the administration of the final survey.