THE EFFECTS OF TRUST AND CONCERNED INTEREST AS FACTORS AFFECTING KNOWLEDGE SHARING PRACTICE AMONG LIBRARIANS

Abstract

In Knowledge management, one of the key elements of Knowledge Management (KM) is Knowledge Sharing. Knowledge sharing is very essential in academic environments especially Universities. However, knowledge sharing practice are not up to expectation in some institution as a result of some factors in which Trust and Concerned Interest are part of it. This paper studied the Effects of Trust and Concerned Interest as Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing Practice among Librarians in the six Federal University Libraries in South-western, Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to know the types, and rates of knowledge sharing, as well as to determine the effect of trust and concerned interest in Knowledge Sharing practice. A total number of 200 librarians were selected from all the six South-West Federal University Libraries in Nigeria (FUNAB, FUTA, UI, OAU, FUOYE and UNILAG). Out of this, a total number of 147 equivalent to 73.5% response rate were retrieved with the main instrument used. The main instrument used in data collection across the institution libraries is questionnaire. The data gathered was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, (SPSS) version 23. However, findings of the study show that all Knowledge Sharing types exist among the librarians but with varying degrees. Those that shared only indigenous knowledge were the lowest with 0.68%. The rate at which the librarians in the selected institutions share knowledge is considerably low. Also, trust and concerned interest have great effect in knowledge shared among the librarians but concerned-interest has a greater effect. Necessary recommendations were made base on the conclusion and findings of this study.