A Prospective Study of Knowledge Sharing at Work Based on Self-Determination Theory

Knowledge sharing involves the provision or receipt of information, know-how, best practices, lessons learned, and/or feedback about a task, product, and/or procedure in order to develop new skills and competencies at work which can improve individual, group, and/or organizational performances. Based on self-determination theory, the study partners hypothesized that people with more self-determined latent profiles will report more knowledge sharing at work over 18 months than people with less self-determined latent profiles. Participants were 299 dental hygienists who completed a national online survey at baseline and at 18 months. Results of a Latent Profile Analysis revealed that dental hygienists with the most self-determined profile (Profile 2) reported a higher level of knowledge sharing at work at 18 months than dental hygienists in: Profile 1, “the controlled profile,” characterized by perceptions of managerial control and relatively high levels of the control orientation—moderate effect size; Profile 3, “the helpless profile,” characterized by the impersonal orientation and an absence of the autonomy orientation—large effect size; and Profile 4, “the mixed profile,” characterized by both the highest levels of fear of failure and control orientation but also by high levels of autonomy orientation and perceived managerial autonomy support—moderate effect size. Applied implications, particularly around ways to maximize managerial autonomy support and minimize managerial control to promote well-being and performance and reduce ill-being and non-effective functioning, are discussed.