Organizational trust and tacit knowledge sharing and use

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of organizational trust on the desire to use and share tacit knowledge, based on hypotheses about the relationship among ability, benevolence and integrity in this desire. The sample consisted of 655 militaries of the Brazilian Army, institution characterized by a culture of high demand for individual and organizational trust, collected in three official training institutions. Using the technique of structural equation modelling (partial least squares), the results suggest that this desire is not significantly influenced by the intensity of organizational trust, defined on the basis of ability, benevolence and integrity of individuals. These results refute previous research conducted by Holste and Fields, who highlight the influence of affection and cognition in the sharing and use of tacit knowledge, respectively, suggesting a need to better understand stimuli to the use and sharing of knowledge within organizational structures.