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Boosting advice and knowledge sharing among healthcare professionals
Journal of Knowledge Management
Article publication date: 29 December 2022
Issue publication date: 19 October 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the dynamics of knowledge sharing in health care, exploring some of the factors that are more likely to influence the evolution of idea sharing and advice seeking in health care.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors engaged 50 pediatricians representing many subspecialties at a mid-size US children’s hospital using a social network survey to map and measure advice seeking and idea sharing networks. Through the application of Stochastic Actor-Oriented Models, the authors compared the structure of the two networks prior to a leadership program and eight weeks post conclusion.
Findings
The models indicate that health-care professionals carefully and intentionally choose with whom they share ideas and from whom to seek advice. The process is fluid, non-hierarchical and open to changing partners. Significant transitivity effects indicate that the processes of knowledge sharing can be supported by mediation and brokerage.
Originality/value
Hospital administrators can use this method to assess knowledge-sharing dynamics, design and evaluate professional development initiatives and promote new organizational structures that break down communication silos. This work contributes to the literature on knowledge sharing in health care by adopting a social network approach, going beyond the dyadic level and assessing the indirect influence of peers’ relationships on individual networks.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Arin Hiller who helped administer the Leadership Program and conduct the post-program assessment.
Citation
Fronzetti Colladon, A.,Grippa, F.,Broccatelli, C.,Mauren, C.,Mckinsey, S.,Kattan, J.,Sutton, E.S.J.,Satlin, L. andBucuvalas, J. (2023), "Boosting advice and knowledge sharing among healthcare professionals",Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 27 No. 8, pp. 2017-2033.https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-06-2022-0499
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright© 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited