Study of the relationship between Knowledge Sharing Culture and Job Satisfaction (Case Study: Bank Sepah Branches in Shriraz, Iran)

International Academic Institute for Science and Technology International Academic Journal of Economics Vol. 4, No. 3, 2017, pp. 29-36. ISSN 2454-2474 International Academic Journal of Economics www.iaiest.com Study of the relationship between Knowledge Sharing Culture and Job Satisfaction (Case Study: Bank Sepah Branches in Shriraz, Iran) Esmaeil Raisi a, Moein Forutan b* a Department of Administrational Management, Firouzabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Firouzabad,Iran.. b Department of Administrational Management, Firouzabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Firouzabad,Iran. Abstract This paper has studied the effect of knowledge sharing culture on job satisfaction in statistical population including 53 Sepah Bank branches in Shiraz and 392 employees. The applied research method was descriptive-survey with correlational type. Sample size obtained to 159 members using Cochrane formula and cluster random sampling method. Researcher-made questionnaire of knowledge sharing was used as data collection tool so that validity of it was approved by experts and professors and reliability of it was approved using Cronbach s alpha coefficient; also, standard questionnaire of job satisfaction (JDI) designed by Wysocki and Kromm (2009). Results obtained from Pearson correlation coefficient indicated a positive and significant relationship between knowledge sharing culture and job satisfaction. Keywords: Knowledge Sharing, Job Satisfaction, Sepah Bank of Shiraz * Corresponding Author 29

Introduction: Today, knowledge is account for an important and competitive asset in organizations that affects the organization performance (Castanda, 2015). Although knowledge is a competitive advantage for every organization, the slogan that knowledge is the power has changed to knowledge sharing is the power over the current years (Danaee Fard et al. 2011). On the other hand, human factor is strongly important in society affairs and it is account for the most effective base in economic, social, and cultural transformations. Economic and social advances need an attention to committed, expert, and skilled human force as well as increasing factors affecting job satisfaction and organizational commitment. In current competitive and variable environment, presence of committed, knowledgeable and satisfied employees is the most important factor for success in each organization. The major priority of organization should be toward attracting satisfaction and keeping committed and competent employees. Failure in this case means missing efficiency, lack of development, and losing business. Those organizations will be successful in competitive world that consider committed employees with high job satisfaction as their largest capital (Sepahvand & Shariatnejad, 2014). Problem Statement In past, competitive advantage and power of an organization was assessed based on accessibility to financial resources. In current dynamic environment, knowledge is account for one of main resources to access to competitive advantage in global economy scene and is considered as a source for solidarity between intra and extra-organizational communities (Wang & Noe, 2010). Review of previous studies reveals that knowledge sharing would lead to reduction in production costs, finishing projects related to new product development rapidly, better performance of groups and creation of innovative capabilities in organizations performances (Lin, 2007), but one of basic constraints for managers in organizations is inability and lack of tendency to share and distribute new knowledge among employees. It should be noted that encouraging employees to share knowledge voluntarily is not a simple issue and numerous factors affect tendency of employees to share knowledge (Ibrahimi et al. 2012). One of factors affecting knowledge sharing is job satisfaction, because job satisfaction is now considered as a key factor in complicated environments. Job satisfaction is related to positive attitude and high efficiency in working environment. Job satisfaction is one the most important positive occupational attitudes (Akdola & Arikboga, 2015) and low job satisfaction would reduce organization performance (Sepahvand & Shariatnejad, 2014). Banks and financial institutes, which provide monetary and banking services to customers, are some of organizations that knowledge sharing and job satisfaction play a key role in them. Bank Sepah is one of the most important financial and economic institutes in Iran with about 1800 branches across the country that has attracted society capitals and conducted them toward productive economic activities to realize macroeconomic objectives through an effective and optimal participation. In case of international scene, this bank has created banking units in some countries such as Germany, Italy, and France besides International Sepah Bank in England that provide banking services inside and outside of Iran in order to increase productivity level so that knowledge sharing culture and job satisfaction are required in this case. In this paper, the relationship between knowledge sharing culture and job satisfaction was studied. 30

Research Background Knowledge is considered as an important resource for organizations within globalization. Knowledge sharing is a collection of opinions or behaviors that lead to expansion of learning among different persons or in an organization (Razak et al. 2016). Knowledge sharing system is an aspect of a learner organization in which, a method of reuse or share of organizational knowledge is taught to working groups or individuals based on a supportive approach (Becerra, Sabherwal. 2010). According to Abker (1997), the main performance of knowledge sharing system is improvement of competitive capability of organization through improved knowledge management processes. In a systematic approach with knowledge sharing systems, organization s members can receive their required knowledge from each other through an acceptable transparency and rapid; moreover, these members are trying to improve components of system using feedback of their outputs. Knowledge management methods are directly related to elements existing in a knowledge sharing system and mission of organization. Study of mutual effects between these factors can considerably contribute to improvement of performance of knowledge sharing system. A weak and inflexible culture in an organization might make organization employees get used to existing procedures without any tendency for innovation, knowledge creation and sharing with others to solve organization problems; whereas, in a dynamic and flexible culture, members recognize and believe the system and show well reactions against changes rapidly so that organization can be progressed (Arjmandi, 2007). Job satisfaction is one of important factors in job success so that this factor leads to increase efficiency and sense of personal satisfaction. Job satisfaction is a level of positive feelings and attitudes of people toward their jobs. When a person says that he/she has a high job satisfaction, it means that he/she really likes the job and valorizes that job (Gupta & Sharma, 2011). Job satisfaction is defined as positive perception, interpretation, affect, and attitudes of people about their job that are created by some factors such as working environment, organizational system, relationships ruling working environment and effect of social-cultural factors (Armstrong, 2006). Such positive feeling would help physical and mental health of employees as one of factors affecting efficiency of every organizational and administrative system. High-level job satisfaction reflects an optimal organizational climate that leads to attraction and survival of employees (Khowaja et al. 2004). Job satisfaction is obtained due to various factors and when employees join to the organization, they bring a collection of requests, needs and previous experiences with themselves so that this collection creates job expectations among persons. Working environment conditions and nature of work might create satisfaction for some of employees and for other employees some factors such as organizational system of job, organizational promotions, optimal method of supervision, cultural factors etc. might create satisfaction. In general, various studies in field of job satisfaction indicate that numerous variables are related to job satisfaction and these variables are classified into 4 groups of personal factors, environmental factors, and organizational factors, culturalindigenous factors (Amin & Poorkiani, 2013). Studies conducted by Zeinabadi and Mahmoodi (2016) revealed that variable of leadership has a positive effect on knowledge sharing and managers should have some characteristics such as believing in knowledge sharing that is the most basic characteristic. Also, Kolivand and Zeraati (2015) asserted in their studies that there is a positive and significant relationship between interpersonal and organizational knowledge sharing. The result obtained from the study conducted by Akhavan et al. (2013) indicates that internal and external incentive factors and application of knowledge sharing is effective in behavior of knowledge sharing among employees. Razak et al. (2016) concluded that knowledge sharing has a 31

significant relation with success and competitive advantage of organization and personal factors, attitudes, and mental norms of persons have the most effect on knowledge sharing. Trivellas et al. (2015) found in their studies that there is a positive relationship between knowledge sharing culture and job satisfaction. Shabrina and Silvianita (2015) pointed out in their research 6 factors including communications, technology, and opportunity for knowledge sharing that consistent 54.8% of knowledge sharing factors; culture, employee attitude, and employee incentive consistent of 17.4% of factors affecting knowledge sharing. Research Method This research is descriptive-survey study, an applied research in terms of objective and a correlational type study in terms of nature and method. Research variables are as follows: 1- knowledge sharing culture, 2- job satisfaction and its components including (job, direct responsible, colleague, promotion, wages and rewards, working conditions). Data collection method was based on field method in frame of standard job satisfaction questionnaire (JDI) designed by Wysocki and Kromm and researcher-made questionnaire scored based on 5-point Likert scale from very high to very low. Content validity of researcher-made questionnaire was calculated by expert scholars and its reliability obtained to 0.893 using Cronbach s alpha coefficient. Also, library method was used referring to library and valid websites and references. Statistical population of this study consisted of all employees working in Bank Sepah branches in Shiraz, Iran during 2016. It should be mentioned that total number of branches of Bank Sepah in Shiraz was equal to 53 branches and total number of employees were equal to 392 members. Sample size of this study obtained to 159 members based on Cochrane formula using cluster-sampling method. In this regard, 16 branches (30% out of total number of branches) were randomly selected out of 53 branches of Bank Sepah and questionnaires were distributed among their employees and then collected. Statistical data in this study was analyzed using SPSS software and Pearson correlation coefficient. Research hypotheses Research hypotheses are as follows: Main hypothesis: sharing and job satisfaction. Secondary hypotheses: sharing culture and job. sharing culture and direct responsible. sharing culture and colleague. sharing culture and promotion. sharing culture and wages and rewards. sharing culture and working conditions. 32

Research Findings Descriptive statistics of studied variables are summarized in table 1. Table 1. Descriptive statistics of research variables statistical index mean standard deviation variance minimum maximum job satisfaction items job 3.53 0.606 0.367 2.09 4.68 direct responsible 3.88 0.625 0.392 2 5 colleague 3.63 0.750 0.564 1.18 4.91 promotion 3.52 0.978 0.958 1 4.71 wages and rewards 3.05 0.823 0.679 1.33 4.78 working condition in 3.34 0.762 0.582 1 4.86 current environment job satisfaction 3.50 0.586 0.344 2.12 4.56 knowledge sharing culture 3.61 0.694 0.483 1.73 4.67 As it is shown in table 1, items including direct responsible (3.88), colleague (3.63), job (3.53), promotion (3.52), working conditions in current environment (3.34), wages and rewards (3.05) have highest and lowest means, respectively among items related to job satisfaction of employees of Bank Sepah. Table 2 shows Kolmogorov Smirnov test to determine normal or non-normal distribution of variables values. Table 2. Test for normal distribution of variables values variable test Kolmogorov Smirnov value significance level number knowledge sharing 1.351 0.061 159 job satisfaction 0.697 0.7176 159 According to table 2, the obtained significance level is more than 5%. Therefore, it can be concluded distribution of variables of knowledge sharing and job satisfaction is normal. Therefore, all of research hypotheses have been analyzed based on Pearson correlation coefficient and results are indicated in table 3. Table 3. Results of Pearson correlation coefficient of research hypotheses research hypotheses Pearson coefficient Sig level result 0.872 0.000 accepted sharing and job satisfaction. 0.702 0.000 accepted sharing culture and job. 0.796 0.000 accepted 33

sharing culture and direct responsible. sharing culture and colleague. sharing culture and promotion. sharing culture and wages and rewards. sharing culture and working conditions. sig level at 0.01 0.733 0.000 accepted 0.709 0.000 accepted 0.834 0.000 accepted 0.859 0.000 accepted Discussion and Conclusion Results obtained from research hypothesis indicated that there is a positive and significant relation between knowledge sharing culture and all components of job satisfaction. Therefore, those organizations that are looking for knowledge sharing culture, should know that job satisfaction is an important factor in knowledge sharing and different institutes look for optimal organizational climate to increase employee satisfaction in order to obtain competitive advantage; in particular, banks that tend to increase their market share and profitability among financial institutions. Human resources are the most valuable assets of an organization because human forces acquire a collection of thoughts, opinions, skills, experiences, and practical sciences over the years of activity in an organization. The collection of such deposits is the knowledge of each person that gradually remains in mind. Such persons are precious capitals of an organization, because such persons can share their knowledge with internal and external members of organization. Effective knowledge sharing among people working in financial scope is related to recognition of barriers, identification of various effective factors and investments in optimal methods of knowledge sharing. Different organizational factors can be incentives or barriers of knowledge sharing that should be examined, because knowledge sharing creates some opportunities to maximize bank ability to meet needs and increase efficiency to solve issues and achieve competitive advantage. Results obtained from conducted studies by Zeinabadi and Mahmoodi (2016), Kolivand and Zeraati (2015), Akhavan et al. (2013), Razak et al. (2016), Trivellas et al. (2015), and Shabrina and Silvianita (2015) are in line with results of present study. Therefore, in accordance with the role of job satisfaction in knowledge sharing culture, it is suggested to undertake required measures and field to create optimal organizational environment and knowledge sharing culture using financial and non-financial incentives including trust, mutual perception, responsibility, nondiscrimination, and paying suitable wages and rewards. References Akdola, B., Arikboga, S.,(2015), The Effects of Leader Behavior on Job Satisfaction: A Research on Technology Fast50 Turkey Companies, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences,195,278-282 Akhavan, P., Amirian, H., Rahimi, A. (2013). Providing the English model of knowledge sharing among employees in manufacturing companies using structural equation modeling, Industrial Management, Issue 23, 17-34 34

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