Leveraging Social Capital to Enhance Knowledge Sharing in Mature Enterprises

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to examine the role of social capital in the knowledge sharing (KS) process in an enterprise, with particular emphasis on its three dimensions: structural (SSC), relational (RSC) and cognitive (CSC). The paper analyses how these three dimensions of social capital contribute to the adoption of KS behaviours, which in consequence can lead to increased innovation, competitiveness and efficiency of the enterprise. Understanding the role of social capital in the knowledge sharing process provides valuable information for practitioners and decision-makers, helping them to create favorable conditions for cooperation and innovation. The contribution to science and the novelty of the current research are based on an empirical approach that focuses on mature enterprises. Analyzing social capital in the context of those organizations that have an established position on the market will allow for the discovery of unique dynamics and challenges related to KS. This research fills a research gap in the literature, focusing on mature enterprises, which are often omitted in knowledge management research. Hence, the empirical part of the article was prepared based on a questionnaire survey among 280 mature enterprises in Poland. In the study of the impact of social capital dimensions on KS, a regression model was used, which allowed us to determine the extent to which each of the dimensions of social capital affects the KS process in a mature enterprise. The regression model confirmed that among the three predictors of social capital, SSC and CSC (had significant positive effects on KS, however, RSC was not statistically significant, suggesting it does not contribute meaningfully to the prediction of KS. The assessment of the strength and direction of these relationships provides valuable information for practitioners in the field of knowledge and social capital management strategies. The current research approach also creates the possibility of continuing the research, by expanding it to include factors mediating this relationship. The research limitation is primarily the simplification in the form of defining mature enterprises only by the period of operation on the market, which should be clarified in future studies.