Assessing the team environment for knowledge sharing: an empirical analysis

Abstract

The self-managed work team is an organizational structure that is much used by companies today. It is put forward as the most appropriate setting for the creation and transfer of knowledge, while protecting the source of competitive advantage. However, achieving efficiency in a work team is not without its difficulties. The literature indicates that a suitable climate minimizes these. In this study, we analyse, both theoretically and empirically, the components of that climate as well as some organizational initiatives that favour its presence. The empirical study was carried out on a sample of 363 individuals working in self-managed teams within companies, mostly multinationals, located in Spain.