Knowledge sharing in virtual communities: a comparison of three different cultures

The paper identifies relationships between Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and knowledge sharing in the context of virtual communities. A quantitative research design was applied. Data were collected from U.K. Lenovo, Slovakia Lenovo and China Lenovo. Research accessed national samples from identical jobs based in three different countries, all within a single corporation. The societal cultural factors demonstrate significant relationships with knowledge sharing in VCs. Results also indicated that these factors differ among employees in the three participating countries. The findings were based on only three cultures: British, Chinese and Slovakian. The conclusion of this research project will benefit those who are directly or indirectly involved in the development of knowledge sharing plans and strategies. This study provides empirical evidence of the relationship between Hofstede’s cultural model and knowledge sharing in a virtual community context