Workplace guanxi and knowledge sharing of academics

Abstract

This research intends to examine whether and how university academics’ workplace guanxi has impact on their display of knowledge sharing. Cross-sectional data were collected from 485 academics in seven universities across Guangdong Province, China. A multi-mediation path model from workplace guanxi to knowledge sharing via leader-member exchange, team-member exchange, job satisfaction and affective organisational commitment was analysed using structural equation modelling. The results of this research support the positive relationship between workplace guanxi and knowledge sharing, but only at the co-worker level. Two paths of indirect effect were identified between co-worker guanxi and knowledge sharing. One path is of the full mediation of team-member exchange alone. The other path is of the full mediation of team-member exchange and job satisfaction, consecutively. This research extends the knowledge of workplace guanxi and knowledge sharing via providing an insight on the relational mechanism between them, while targeting the academics of higher education.