Knowledge sharing scale: what it is and how to measure it

Van den Hooff and de Ridder (2004) see knowledge sharing as a two-way process: knowledge donating (telling colleagues what you know) and knowledge collecting (asking colleagues to learn what they know). Measuring the two dimensions separately shows which one leadership or organizational culture affects. In Vietnam, knowledge sharing is often a mediator between leadership, organizational culture, and employees' innovative behavior in firms, hospitals, and schools.

Comparing the scales

Items of each scale

Original English wording from the published source. Replace placeholders such as [system] or [brand] with what your study is about, and pilot the questionnaire with 20 to 30 respondents first.

Knowledge Donating (KD) · Knowledge sharing scale

Code	Item
KD1	When I have learned something new, I tell my colleagues about it.
KD2	I share the information I have with my colleagues.
KD3	I think it is important that my colleagues know what I am doing.
KD4	I regularly tell my colleagues what I am doing

Source: Hooff & de Ridder (2004). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Knowledge sharing scale.

Use in the survey kit Open all of Knowledge sharing scale (2 constructs)

Knowledge Collecting (KC) · Knowledge sharing scale

Code	Item
KC1	When I need certain knowledge, I ask my colleagues about it.
KC2	I like to be informed of what my colleagues know.
KC3	I ask my colleagues about their abilities when I need to learn something.
KC4	When a colleague is good at something, I ask them to teach me how to do it.

Source: Hooff & de Ridder (2004). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Knowledge sharing scale.

Use in the survey kit

Tips

• Keep the two dimensions separate if your hypotheses differ for each; combine them only if your theory treats knowledge sharing as a single general concept.
• The items refer to the department; replace it with team, faculty, or unit to fit your survey context.
• The two dimensions correlate highly, so check discriminant validity (HTMT) when you keep them as two separate variables.
• 5-point scale.

Once you have a scale, put the concept in the research model drawer to state your hypotheses, work out the minimum sample size, and after data collection check reliability with the Cronbach's alpha calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What components does knowledge sharing have?

Two components: knowledge donating and knowledge collecting, each with 4 items in the version used on this page.

What role does knowledge sharing usually play in a model?

Usually a mediator, for example transformational leadership → knowledge sharing → employees' innovative behavior.

Can this scale be used with students?

Yes, if you replace 'department' with 'class' or 'study group' and explain the adaptation in the methods chapter.

References

• Hooff, B. van den, & de Ridder, J. A. (2004). Knowledge sharing in context: The influence of organizational commitment, communication climate and CMC use on knowledge sharing. Journal of Knowledge Management, 8(6), 117–130. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270410567675