Exploring Tacit Knowledge Sharing Among Employees in Public Organizations in Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore how tacit knowledge sharing is shared among employees in public sector in Vietnam context.

Design/Methodology/Approach - Interpretivism philosophy and qualitative research approach were adopted. Semi-structured interviews and document review were used for data collection.

Findings – The results reveal that due to the importance of non-verbal communication and personal interaction in Vietnamese culture, employees prefer sharing tacit knowledge through face-to-face interaction. Additionally, as trust and relationship are highly valued, tacit knowledge sharing requires two-way trust relationship from both knowledge sharer and knowledge receiver.

Research limitations/implications – As this study involves participants from Danang  public sector, the findings might be influenced by unique characteristics of this particular context. However, this research has an important practical implication for both public organizations looking for improving knowledge-sharing capabilities of their employees, and international business planning to expand operations in Vietnam.

Originality/Value – Given the predominance of knowledge sharing literature in western countries and private companies, this study contributes to fill the gap in literature by providing empirical evidence of the influence of national culture on knowledge sharing behaviors in Vietnamese public sector. This study will also bring attention to tacit knowledge in Vietnamese culture.