Enablers of knowledge sharing behaviour in female SMME networks.

Abstract

Support for female entrepreneurs in South Africa has numerous economic and social benefits. Female SMME networks have arisen as an important support mechanism to increase female entrepreneurs’ social capital and enable knowledge sharing. The purpose of this study was to determine the nature, extent and enablers of knowledge sharing in female SMME networks. Using a quantitative questionnaire, this study statistically analysed female SMME networks members’ knowledge sharing behaviour (KSB) in relation to four key enablers derived from social capital theory. The study also analysed the type of knowledge shared and sought to determine if members’ KSB depended on demographic or business-related factors. Female SMME network members were found to display a high degree of KSB, particularly sharing of tacit knowledge. Two of the knowledge sharing enablers in the relational dimension of social capital, trust and social identity, were found to be highly correlated with members’ KSB, as did shared goals in the cognitive dimension. Surprisingly, social media usage, in the structural dimension, was found to have only a moderate correlation with KSB. This may be due to the members’ preference to share more tacit knowledge through socialisation than explicit knowledge through social media. Another unexpected finding was that KSB was found not to be dependent on member’s age, experience or education, nor on the number of employees or business sector of the SMME. This suggests that female SMME networks are conducive to knowledge sharing irrespective of the nature of the businesses or types of members. A multiple regression analysis between social capital, as a single aggregated construct made up of the four enablers, and KSB, found that social capital is a good predictor of KSB. However, these findings were limited to a small sample of members of SMME networks in KwaZulu-Natal - further studies are needed to establish more generalisable results. This research contributes to the study of KSB in inter-organisational networks, using a social capital framework, particularly in the context of female SMME networks. Given the importance of knowledge sharing for business success, female SMME networks should be supported in order to develop female entrepreneurs and their contribution to the South African economy.