Coworker Trust and Knowledge Sharing among Public Sector Employees in Kenya

Abstract

This study investigates the association between coworker trust and knowledge sharing among public sector employees with additional consideration of team-member exchange (TMX). It also accounts for the use of supportive technology as a determinant of coworker trust. The study aims to develop a framework to help organizations understand the complex associations among coworker trust, exchange, and knowledge sharing and recognizes the roles of supportive technology and task interdependence in those associations. A cross-sectional survey of 255 employees at three Kenyan public organizations was analyzed. A hierarchical regression analysis tested five hypotheses in eight models to estimate direct, moderating, and mediating relationships. Coworker trust was positively related to knowledge sharing and TMX. Supportive technology significantly moderated the relationships; however, task interdependence was not statistically significant. The results imply that organizations might increase knowledge sharing by focusing on building trustful bonds among workers.