Introduction

​Wang and Wang (2012), suggests that knowledge sharing has an impact on innovation and how well an organization’s operations contribute to overall performance (p. 8989). In a competitive environment, businesses are relying on their ability to manage and share knowledge to obtain or maintain their competitive edge. The impact of sharing knowledge within an organization is an area that researchers are seeking further information and would like to close the gap in the research. The research resulted in identified common themes that relate to the positive and negative impact of sharing knowledge in an organization.

​This paper will provide a research plan, and the identified need for further research, for the topic of positive and negative impacts of knowledge sharing in an organization. The paper will cover the research rationale, purpose of the research, significance of the study, research question(s), method, research design, approach, design rationale, the population, and ethical considerations.

Research Rationale

​Knowledge management (KM), and the subsequent concept of knowledge sharing (KS), plays an integral part in measuring the success of an organization. Organizations that manage knowledge well, promote knowledge sharing among their employees, turn newly acquired knowledge into innovation, and make knowledge management and knowledge sharing a part of their overall business strategy, usually are successful.

​The challenge for the business world and academia alike, is how to measure the impact that knowledge sharing has on an organization. Lee and Choi (2003) posits, there is very little research in the area of measuring the impact of knowledge sharing as it relates to effectiveness in an organization (p. 180). The research paper will explore this gap by reviewing research previously conducted on this topic and identify the common themes extracted by management professionals within various organizations.

Purpose of the Research

​The purpose of the research is to examine data from management professionals and contribute knowledge for the topic of the positive and negative impact of knowledge sharing in an organization. The research will review answers to questionnaires to determine if there are common themes for positive and negative impacts of knowledge sharing as it relates to how knowledge is shared, the cultural aspects, trust factors, and technology issues. Variable such as age, technology, and gender may affect knowledge sharing in an organization (Killingsworth, Xue, & Liu, 2016, p. 288). The questionnaires may provide data for subsequent areas of concern and additional research in this area.

Significance of the Study

​The sources in my literature review revealed several themes associated with the positive and negative impact of knowledge sharing in an organization. The most common themes that appeared and promoted the need for more research are: knowledge is a strategic resource, knowledge should link to business strategy, there could be a negative impact to not share knowledge, organizational learning is linked to KS, and technology and a KM infrastructure are beneficial to an effective KS strategy (Killingsworth, B., et al., 2016, Tzortzaki, A. M., et al., 2014, Heisig, P., et al., 2016, Gold, A. H., et al., 2001).

​The strength of an organization’s knowledge management infrastructure and subsequent knowledge sharing procedures may impact the overall performance and competitive advantage of the organization. The positive and negative impact of sharing knowledge in an organization is a research topic area that requires more research in the field to verify if there is a relationship between knowledge sharing and outcomes for an organization.

Research Questions

​The research questions for my study are directly linked to the common themes from the various sources compiled for the literature review. To better understand the methodology for creating a PhD level research question, the Capella University Writing Center, Convert Your Topic into a Research Question, site has been helpful (personal communication, February 17, 2019). The questions are as follows:

1. To what degree does technology influence knowledge sharing in an organization?
2. To what extent does knowledge sharing impact an organizational strategy?
3. How does knowledge sharing impact employee development in an organization?

The research questions directly apply to the knowledge gap for determining the positive or negative impact of knowledge sharing in an organization. The answers to the questions may provide a definitive link for measuring business success as it relates to knowledge sharing. The answers may convince future researchers to not give up on seeking answers to this important question.

Method Overview

​As stated above, more research is needed in the area of linking positive and negative impact of knowledge sharing in an organization. The study will attempt to provide a better understanding of the aforementioned link. The methodology will include a similar framework used by Pittaway, Robertson, Munir, Denyer and Neely (2004) in Networking and Innovation: A Systematic Review of the Evidence (p. 138). The study will examine research including the themes outlined in the significance of the study section. Subject matter experts in the business field will review research, identify keywords related to the themes and research topic, additional research will be acquired based on the keywords, and new sources will be reviewed based on their relevance to the keywords. A final compilation of the research will be gathered based on the topic of positive and negative impact of knowledge sharing in an organization.

Research Design

​The research design will include setting up criteria for business professionals to create keywords based on previous research in the topic area as well as review research compiled based on the new keywords. The tools used to compile research are approved academic search engines utilizing peer-reviewed sources. The Capella University Research Center is a resource that I will utilize for this section of my study (personal communication, February 17, 2019).

Approach

​The qualitative research approach is best suited for my research topic. The study will attempt to determine if there is a link between the positive and negative impact of knowledge sharing in an organization. The business management professionals will compile keywords and research to better understand the topic area. I will also consult the Capella University Writing Center for guidance on the research approach (personal communication, February 17, 2019). Qualitative research may provide additional themes, meaning, and understanding in the topic area and discover additional gaps in the research.

Design Rationale

​The design is suited for this study due to the opportunity to tap into the knowledge base of business management professionals’ expertise. The reporting criteria will be reviewed and adhered to for this study (APA, 2010, p. 31). The sample group most suited to provide relevant data to study the topic are current business management professionals. The research compiled from keywords provided by the sample group will add to the body of research previously compiled to answer the proposed research questions and possibly support a link that there could be a positive or negative impact on knowledge sharing in an organization. The design can also encourage future research in the topic area. Again, the Capella University Writing Center will aid in supporting my design rationale (personal communication, February 17, 2019).

The Population

​Similar to the population sample used in Networking and Innovation: A Systematic Review of the Evidence, a review team of business management professionals from three countries will be compiled to review the research. The countries are China, Brazil and the United States with ten members from each country. The team will review the research, identify keywords, code the keywords for easy identification and compile additional research based on new keywords. Information regarding the setting for retrieving the data, how the data was delivered and how participants were grouped will be discussed in the methods section of the study (APA, 2010, p. 32).

Ethical Considerations

​The ethical considerations that could affect the study are rules and ethics policies for the participant’s organizations. Some companies have stringent ethics policies for participating in studies and sharing institutional knowledge. The ethical concerns could apply to cultural norms for the identified country; some countries may not allow participation in foreign studies especially if the research is conducted on non-state sponsored sites. According to Trevino and Nelson (2014), “Much of the theory and research on international business conduct is grounded in an inaccurate key assumption – that if we understand cultural behavior (how people think and behave in their native environment), we’ll understand how members of a particular group will behave in relation to cultural outsiders” (Trevino & Nelson, 2014, p. 405).

Conclusion

​The research plan for compiling a study on the topic of the positive and negative impact of knowledge sharing in an organization will include my research rationale, the purpose of the research, the significance of conducting the research and its subsequent knowledge gap, the compiled research questions, the method used for the study, the approach, design and population and the ethical considerations. The impact of sharing knowledge within an organization is an area that researchers are seeking further information and would like to close the gap in the research. The research resulted in identified common themes that relate to the positive and negative impact of sharing knowledge in an organization.

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