Effect of a community of practice on knowledge sharing across boundaries: the mediating role of learning goals

A community of practice (CoP) is believed to be a driver for knowledge creation but it can hinder knowledge sharing across boundaries. Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study aims to investigate how a CoP within a single unit promotes knowledge sharing with other units by examining the mediating effect of the members’ learning goals (LG).

Structural equation modeling was conducted using a two-wave survey data on nurses from eight Japanese hospitals (n = 263).

The results indicated that LG fully and positively mediated the effect of a CoP on the knowledge-sharing intention of one unit toward other units and that LG fully and negatively mediated the effect of a CoP on knowledge withholding (KW) from other units.

Knowledge managers need to note that intellectual benefits from experienced CoP can play a key role in reducing the perceived risks associated with members’ knowledge sharing and in creating effective knowledge sharing with other units.

The main contribution is to identify the process by which CoP promotes knowledge sharing and prevents KW across boundaries mediated through LG. This study is the first to quantitatively show how LG cross inter-professional barriers caused by CoPs.