Knowledge Sharing: A bibliographic Report on the Research Developed during 2008 – 2019

Abstract

This article aims to provide a bibliographic report on the research developed during 2008 – 2019 regarding knowledge sharing. To achieve this goal, a multi-stage methodology is developed. First of all, a documentary study is employed; this focuses on 3820 articles published on SCOPUS and Web of Science, during 2008 – 2019. Secondly, a quantitative analysis is developed to emphasize the chronological evolution of the research topic and the main journals that served as a vehicle for propagating the research regarding knowledge sharing. Last but not least, a qualitative analysis is performed to create a knowledge map. The results prove that: (i) the analyzed articles regarding knowledge sharing are published in 461 different journals but more than a quarter can be found in 19 journals; (ii) the number of studies increased considerably, especially in the last five years; (iii) 75% of the research production is concentrated in 16 countries and the main research polls are represented by the United States of America (18.34%), United Kingdom (9.47%), and China (6.48%); (iv) the knowledge sharing research concentrates on topics, such as moderation, mediation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, environmental management, innovation, absorptive capacity, and community; and (v) the research gaps that should be filled by the future studies focus on: supply chain management, crisis management, corporate venturing, and human resource management. The results have both theoretical and practical implications. On the one hand, they extend the literature on knowledge sharing by providing a bibliographic report on how the research regarding knowledge sharing evolved during 2008 – 2019, and they also bring forward the main research gaps. On the other hand, they provide a knowledge map for the policy-makers which can help them decide how to foster knowledge sharing inside and outside the organization.