Investigation of the Influence of Social Trust, Network, and Shared Goals on Sharing Knowledge Attitudes among Saudi Academics in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

For over ten years, research on knowledge sharing has been a subject of focus, with the understanding that it can contribute to an organization's success. However, in Saudi Arabia, relatively little research has been conducted on this topic compared to other countries. The present study explores the impact of social trust, networks, and shared goals on the perception of academics in high-learning educational institutions toward knowledge sharing in Saudi Arabia. The study employs social trust, networks, and shared goals as independent variables. It examines their influence on attitudes toward knowledge sharing while considering control variables such as gender and experience. Data was assembled through a survey method using purposive sampling, and 88 usable responses from HEIs were analyzed. The study's findings proposed a positive relationship between social trust, social network, shared goals, and academic attitudes toward knowledge sharing. These results can benefit Saudi HEIs in developing policies to become knowledge-based institutions. The researcher recommends building a supportive and inspiring work environment for academics in order to exchange their knowledge with each other. The researcher addresses the limitations of the current study and provides a valuable suggestion for future research; conducting a comparative study that focuses on knowledge-sharing practices is recommended. This study does not explore mediating variables, so considering incentives as a mediating factor may result in valuable results for both public and private higher education institutions and business organizations within the context of Saudi.