Trust as a Determining Factor in Tacit Knowledge Sharing Among Academics in Higher Education Institutions

Trust plays a pivotal role in contemporary higher education settings. Trust is an intangible asset that is cultivated and maintained among individuals. However, there is concern regarding certain academics within higher education institutions (HEIs) who demonstrate unfaithfulness by appropriating others’ insights or tacit knowledge for their research papers, projects, innovations, grant writing, and career advancement, as outlined by the authors. This behaviour raises questions about the perception of such actions among academics, who are intellectuals capable of developing their tacit knowledge through diligent research and exploration. This concern underscores the need for this study to examine trust as a determinant in tacit knowledge sharing among academics in HEIs. Two research objectives were used to address the study, namely: to establish the role of trust in tacit knowledge sharing, and to explore factors that may hinder not having trust in tacit knowledge sharing among academics. The study employed qualitative content analysis and phenomenological research approaches. Findings from the empirical literature harvested and the researchers’ experiences revealed that trust significantly impacts tacit knowledge sharing among academics, particularly when issues such as jealousy, rivalry, and competition are set aside. Findings further reveal that tacit knowledge emerges as beneficial, especially when academics collaborate for professional growth and institutional advancement. Various factors, including limited time of interaction among colleagues, job insecurity, the dominance of explicit knowledge over tacit knowledge sharing, educational and experiential disparities, poor communication skills, age and gender discrepancies, lack of social networks, and cultural differences, can impede trust in tacit knowledge sharing among academics in HEIs. The study recommends fostering thought-provoking discussions and continuous engagement among academics from diverse backgrounds to enhance trust and facilitate more effective tacit knowledge sharing in the future within HEIs.