The role of HRM in intraorganisational knowledge sharing

Abstract

A company’s ability to share knowledge within an organisation is believed to strengthen its competitiveness since knowledge sharing provides a company with a fundament for developing employee competencies and thus with an opportunity to withstand market challenges. Although research on knowledge sharing has emerged in the last two decades, there is still a lack of exploratory research with focus on potential mediators and their contribution to intra-organisational knowledge sharing. This study views HR function as a mediator in knowledge sharing since HRM legitimately deals with employees across functional and hierarchical borders and possesses practices which can be used for facilitating knowledge sharing. Based upon qualitative research into HR practices, the study deepens an understanding of how HR function contributes to knowledge sharing within organisation. A case study based on semi-structured interviews with HR professionals and line managers was conducted. It revealed that HR function deals with both tacit and explicit knowledge and the processes of knowledge conversion and knowing. In order to support and facilitate knowledge sharing, the following HR practices are used: staffing with focus on internal recruitment, training, mentoring, intangible rewarding, and promoting. Both HR and line managers consider HR practices as contributive to intra-organisational knowledge sharing primarily at the individual level by selecting candidates with required knowledge and values, bridging knowledge senders and receivers, providing employees with learning opportunities and internal career growth.