Employees’ participation in electronic networks of practice within a corporate group: perceived benefits and costs

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic characteristics (N = 25)

	Items	Frequency	%
Gender	Male	21	84
	Female	4	16
Age	18–28	3	12
	29–35	7	28
	36–42	12	48
	>42	3	12
Organizational position	Managers	9	36
	Experts	16	64

Fig. 1 Analysis procedure

Fig. 2 Frequency of perceived benefits from two perspectives

Fig. 3 Frequency of perceived costs from two perspectives

Fig. 4 Perceived benefits and costs of knowledge exchange in ENoPs

Table 2 Data analysis procedure

Data analysis level	Data collection/procedure	Findings
1. Creating initial codes	25 semi-structured interviews (face-to-face/telephone)	28 initial codes represents individual perceived benefits and perceived costs of participation in ENoPs
2. Axial coding procedure	Reassembling codes in two different perceived benefits and costs clusters	Creating new codes: • 10 codes (perceived benefits of knowledge sharing) • 3 codes (perceived costs of knowledge sharing) • 3 codes (perceived benefits of knowledge seeking) • 2 codes (perceived costs of knowledge seeking)
3. Subject-matter experts validation	Validating codes with three independent KM experts in the company	Validation the coding procedure: • 6 validated codes (perceived benefits of knowledge sharing) • 3 validated codes (perceived costs of knowledge sharing) • 3 validated codes (perceived benefits of knowledge seeking) • 2 validated codes (perceived costs of knowledge seeking)

Table 3 Coding results

Perspective	Benefits/costs	First level	Second level	Third level
Knowledge sharing	Perceived benefits	Professional recognition Enjoyment helping colleagues Enjoyment helping company Job security Monetary rewards Promotion program Solving problems Religious status Receiving knowledge in future Access to new knowledge Self-efficacy Reaching individual goals Connecting with experts Connecting with managers Travelling package	Helping others Helping organization Reciprocity Professional recognition Knowledge self-efficacy Monetary rewards Non-monetary rewards Social interaction	Altruism Reciprocity Professional recognition Knowledge self-efficacy Material rewards Social interactions
Knowledge sharing	Perceived costs	Taking time for reading Taking time for writing Mental efforts Physical efforts Risk of loosing positions Risk of bad reputation	Time Effort Risk of loosing face	Taking time for knowledge sharing Expending effort for knowledge sharing Risk of loosing face
Knowledge seeking	Perceived benefits	Finding practical solutions Being informed Gaining new information Gaining organizational news	Problem solving Quick access Being informed	Problem solving Quick access Being informed
Knowledge seeking	Perceived costs	Taking time for searching Searching effort Taking time for reading	Time Effort	Taking time for knowledge seeking Expending effort for knowledge seeking