The impacts of supply chain relational benefit on inter-organizational knowledge sharing: cross validation of SEMy

Authors: Wen-Liang Liu

Journal: Chiao Da Management Review. Dec. 2010, 30(2): 25-59.

Keywords: Relational benefit, Knowledge sharing, Supply chain, Social exchange theory

Abstract:
The literature of knowledge sharing in the past mostly focused on the intemal organization. However, new thinking of supply chain management gradually focused on knowledge sharing within the supply chain. Although scholars have noticed that supply chain relationships influence knowledge sharing of the supply chain, few scholars have examined knowledge sharing of supply chain in terms of relationship benefits and its intervening variables such as commitment and trust. Using Taiwanese manufacturing companies as the research subjects, this research examines the influence of relationship benefits as well as commitment and trust on supply chain knowledge sharing. This research shows that: (1) the relationship benefits of supply chain int1uence supply chain knowledge sharing, (2) commitment and trust mediate the relationship between relationship benefit and knowledge sharing. The results were cross-validated. Commitment and trust thus play key roles in companies' willingness to share knowledge with their suppliers.