Managing Knowledge Sharing in China: The Case of Siemens ShareNet

As one of the most important emerging management practices, Knowledge Management is able to significantly contribute to a company's success. Since previous research has mainly focused on ‘how multinational companies are generally practicing knowledge management', very little is known of the particularities of knowledge management practice in the context of a specific country. The paper at hand addresses this research gap, using the case of Siemens ShareNet in China. It investigates the particularities of managing knowledge sharing in an emerging economy that is widely considered as the most promising future market for multinational companies (MNCs). This study first reveals that knowledge management needs to take the culture dimension into consideration, as culture decisively influences knowledge-sharing behavior. Secondly, it indicates that the potential for knowledge sharing in an emerging market such as China is higher than one may expect. In order to explore this potential, more attention needs to be paid to knowledge-sharing barriers and motivations within this specific context. Suggestions for future research as well as the managerial implications for KM practitioners are provided.