Exploratory Study of Knowledge Sharing in Contracting Companies: A Sociotechnical Perspective

Abstract

According to Dede Bonner in 2000, employees hold a wealth of knowledge and experience about their companies, including the products, customers, internal processes, histories, technologies, and competitors. But this knowledge is usually dispersed across scattered individuals and locations. Although learning happens at an individual level, it is usually as a one-time event, without an organizational context or a sense of continuity. Knowledge is kept in people’s minds but not shared in an organization. Not until the 20th century did people start to realize that knowledge is critical to the success of a company and considered to be the pivotal point for aggressive organizational growth in today’s highly competitive marketplace. This is also true for the Hong Kong construction industry. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the current situation of knowledge sharing at the departmental level in contracting companies, this research was carried out with the aims of investigating the main barriers to and finding out the critical factors for and benefits resulting from effective knowledge sharing in the tendering departments of contracting companies in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. The research reviews existing theories of knowledge and knowledge sharing. It seeks to contribute to the theory of organizational knowledge sharing by providing an explorative account supported by empirical evidence. It also allows management to continuously anticipate and support knowledge sharing activities related to the successful management of construction projects within their particular organizations.