The role of motivation theories in knowledge sharing: an integrative theoretical reviews and future research agenda

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify and explain the role of motivation in facilitating knowledge sharing (KS). This study explains the connection between “motivation” and “knowledge sharing” or KS. Research finding offers significant theoretical and practical suggestions. Theoretically, the study provides clarity on various motivation theories and important constructs in KS.

Design/methodology/approach

This research reviews the literature on knowledge management in detail along with other published works. A search was conducted using online databases on the Web of Science (WoS) and Google Scholar. An analysis was done with the help of qualitative software NVivo 12 to critically analyze literature.

Findings

This theoretical review offers a retrospective view of theories, context, methods, antecedents or enablers to understand the motivation theories used in knowledge sharing research and provides a guideline for upcoming researches to contemplate and examine numerous motivation theories and also choose the most significant motivation theory and their construct in the researches on KS.

Originality/value

This theoretical review contributes toward knowledge sharing and motivation literature. There are no reviews on knowledge sharing relating to contemporary motivational theories to the best of our knowledge.

Citation

Thomas, A. and Gupta, V. (2022), "The role of motivation theories in knowledge sharing: an integrative theoretical reviews and future research agenda", Kybernetes, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 116-140. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-07-2020-0465