How subjective age and age similarity foster organizational knowledge sharing: A conceptual framework

Abstract

The demographic changes occurring in the workforce and the risk of losing critical knowledge when older workers make the transition to retirement have turned knowledge sharing into a crucial asset for companies aiming to remain competitive. However, a failure to consider how individual or situational characteristics influence knowledge sharing has led to inconclusive research outcomes and pointed up the need for new lines of enquiry. In this paper, we review the literature on knowledge sharing, examining the influence of subjective age (how young or old people perceive themselves to be) and age-similarity within the work context. In conclusion, we propose a conceptual framework that highlights how subjective age and age similarity may affect (i) the extent to which the people in an organization are inclined to share and (ii) the knowledge-sharing route they prefer.