Knowledge Sharing in Teams Making Strategic Decisions in Companies – The Results of Research Carried Out in the Furniture Industry in Poland

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this article is to present the phenomenon of knowledge sharing in decision-making teams in companies representing the furniture industry in Poland. The analysis of the phenomenon included the following five aspects: assessment of the propensity to share knowledge within decision-making teams, assessment of the significance of knowledge to be shared from the perspective of the decisions taken, identification of the main motivations for sharing knowledge by members of the decision-making team, identification of dominant attitudes towards knowledge sharing, and identification of dominant forms of knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach: The survey was conducted in the time period March 2018 – September 2019, with the use of the CATI method. The research sample included members of decision-making teams responsible for making strategic decisions in medium-sized and large companies representing the furniture industry in Poland. Findings: The analysis of responses delivered by 123 respondents shows that decision-makers in the furniture industry in Poland display an average propensity to share knowledge, with a slightly higher propensity declared by men than women; they highly value the significance of the knowledge transferred to other team members; the main motivations prompting them to share knowledge are non-monetary motivations; the majority of them declare an attitude towards knowledge sharing labeled as ‘a knowledge transformer’ and prefer direct contact between team members as a form of knowledge sharing. Originality/value: The study contributes to the understanding of processes related to knowledge sharing, specifically in terms of sector and market specificity.

Keywords

• knowledge management
• knowledge sharing
• furniture industry