The impact of group membership on knowledge sharing in Russia and China

Abstract

Purpose - To explore the contention that, contrary to earlier research suggesting that people in transition economies such as Russia and China have a propensity not to share knowledge, Russians' and Chinese' may in fact be more inclined to share knowledge than people in Western, industrialised countries but that this willingness to share knowledge is highly influenced by group membership. Design/methodology/approach - Our argument is based on reviews of previous literature and cases and the authors' own semi-structured interview research conducted with Western and local managers and employees in Russia and China over the past decade. Findings - The research finds that the extent to which group membership influences the processes of knowledge sharing and whether it is impeded or facilitated in Russia and China is determined by both cultural and institutional factors. Practical implications - The paper has important practical implications in providing guidelines on the initiatives that international businesses can implement to create knowledge-sharing organizational cultures in their subsidiary operations in Russia and China. Originality/value - The research is original and adds value to existing literature in that we examine an issue erstwhile not explored in mainstream organizational writings, namely an in-depth consideration of the relationship between groups and knowledge sharing, with particular reference to two emerging markets.