The Influence Of Knowledge Sharing On Innovation In Project Teams. A Case Of Development Aid Agencies In Mashonaland Central Province

Abstract

The study sought to establish the influence of knowledge sharing on innovation in project teams. A case of development aid agencies in Mashonaland central Province. Study objectives were to examine the influence of knowledge sharing, to establish how tacit knowledge sharing affects Innovation speed and quality on project teams as well as to assess how explicit knowledge sharing impacts on innovation speed and quality in project teams. Forty (40) questionnaires were collected from participants who participated in the study. Participants were staff members who were available at the district project offices at the time of the study. The total of 6 units at the three different districts departmental categories were used to enhance the representativeness of the study and also to allow for the generalizations of findings. Quantitative approach was used in this research. Findings show that behaviors of team members are directly related to knowledge sharing and innovation. This means that an increase in knowledge sharing by team members will lead to an increase in innovation speed and innovation quality in development aid agencies. In addition, this study indicates that tacit knowledge sharing and explicit knowledge sharing were positively related and significant for innovation in the project teams. The findings of the study also reflect that the relationship between knowledge sharing and innovation in development aid agencies in Mashonaland central province is not only positive, but also significant. Therefore the team members’ perceptions of knowledge sharing behaviors in their teams are directly related to innovation. Therefore increased knowledge sharing behavior among team members will lead to increased innovation in development aid agencies. The second research objective was to establish how tacit knowledge sharing affects innovation speed and quality on project teams. In this study, tacit knowledge sharing contributes moderately but significantly to innovation in project teams. The findings indicate that the tacit dimension of knowledge sharing is moderate but significant for innovation in project teams in development aid agencies in Mashonaland Central Province. This shows that the relationship is not due to chance. These findings indicate that in general, the team members’ perception tacit knowledge sharing by their team members will lead to an increase in innovation in project teams. Thirdly, explicit knowledge sharing also contributes positively to innovation in project teams. The findings indicate that the explicit dimension of knowledge sharing is very significant for innovation in project teams in development aid agencies in Mashonaland Central Province showing that the relationships is not due to chance. The explicit knowledge sharing variable was found to be positively related and significant for innovation speed and quality by contributing the margins given to innovation in the development aid agencies project teams.