The influence of the community climate on users' knowledge-sharing intention: the social cognitive theory perspective. Issue 2 (25th January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cai, Yang; Shi, Wendian
• Is Part Of: Behaviour & information technology. Volume 41:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 307
• Page End: 323
• Publication Date: 2022-01-25
• Subjects: Virtual communities -- knowledge-sharing intention -- community climate -- social cognitive theory; Electronic data processing -- Periodicals; Human engineering -- Periodicals; Information technology -- Periodicals; 303.4833
• DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2020.1808704
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-929X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the underlying mechanism of the community climate on knowledge-sharing intention in virtual communities. Based on social cognitive theory, a theoretical model was developed and empirically tested using a web-based survey of 525 members from an online question and answer (Q&A) community in China. Results showed that knowledge-sharing self-efficacy and outcome expectation played a chain mediation role in the relationship between the community climate and knowledge-sharing intention. This study is among the first to examine whether and how community climate influences knowledge sharing. Our research findings unpack the mechanism of the community climate on knowledge-sharing intention, and provide practical insights on how to use community climate to facilitate users to share knowledge in online Q&A communities.