Knowledge sharing in MNCs

Abstract

The success of economies in the future shall be based on how multinational companies or organizations acquire, use, and leverage knowledge effectively. Management in recent decades has seen knowledge sharing become a key tool for the success of a variety of institutions. Many international companies and other organizations have developed knowledge management programs as a key to their future development strategies. Yet despite its growing popularity, knowledge sharing in MNCs remains a complex and challenging task. While there is a large body of research that analyzes knowledge sharing in MNCs, Poland’s presence in it is still rather scarce. Since Poland is rapidly becoming an important place where many of foreign companies invest, there is a strong need for this type of research. This chapter seeks to answer the question how employees perceive knowledge sharing barriers. The primary data was collected by conducting 26 individual in-depth interviews with the employees of three MNCs operating in the Lodz region in Poland. The chapter begins with a literature review on knowledge sharing, including barriers to knowledge sharing. Then follows an analysis of the role of culture in knowledge sharing. The final part is devoted to the research and discussion of the results.