Knowledge is a core resource for agile organisations that is transformed into products and services during the development process. Although sharing of knowledge is essential across any organisation, it has been claimed that the software industry requires more knowledge management than any other sector. However, agile methodologies concentrate on team level collaboration, making it challenging to share learning beyond teams. This paper presents the results of a survey with 81 responses on organisational knowledge sharing in a multinational agile company. The survey focusses on three aspects of knowledge sharing: within agile teams, beyond the team with company colleagues, and with customers. It concentrates on knowledge sharing practices, ease of knowledge sharing and motivation for knowledge sharing. Summary statistics, regression, and test of equity are used as analysis techniques. Results show that knowledge sharing with team members is significantly easier than with customers or company colleagues beyond the team. In addition, using agile practices improves ease of knowledge sharing within teams but not with customers or colleagues. We conclude that to improve knowledge sharing the organisation needs to establish knowledge sharing practices beyond the team, enhance employees motivation to share, and develop a knowledge sharing culture.
Kati Kuusinen, Peggy Gregory, Helen Sharp, Leonor Barroca, Katie Taylor and Laurence Wood
