Knowledge-sharing behavior and Leader-Member Conversational Quality Among Employees of a Maritime Manning Agency

Abstract

Knowledge sharing and information sharing are significant aspects of today’s interaction and communication, especially in organizations. In sharing knowledge, people are able to ensure that tasks and responsibilities are done correctly; however, multiple barriers to knowledge sharing exist which can significantly challenge the communication among individuals. The present study seeks to explore the influence of knowledge-sharing behaviors on the perception of employees on the leader-member conversational quality through a qualitative case study. Through 4 semi-structured, in-depth interviews among employees of different levels in a maritime manning agency in the Philippines, the paper aims to examine how the behaviors of individuals in sharing knowledge influence the quality of conversation that occurs within the organization, particularly among leaders and members. A theoretical thematic analysis was conducted, synthesizing data gathered from the interviews. Findings of the study suggested that knowledge-sharing behavior is perceived positively with written contributions as the most frequent and common form of sharing. Conversational quality between leader-member is perceived to be smooth and easy due to the relationship that both individuals involved have. Lastly, there is a notable influence of knowledge-sharing behavior among employees to the leader-member conversational quality that they have with their team.