Knowledge Sharing Pattern of Students of Engineering Universities of Karachi, Pakistan

This study is conducted to explore the knowledge sharing patterns of students of engineering universities that are existed in Karachi, Pakistan. A questionnaire-based the survey method was adapted for the study. Total 288 respondents were selected from 6 universities i.e. 2 public and 4 private universities.

The results reveal generally students express positive perceptions and considered it beneficial. They percept, it increases the knowledge and more likely to share with group members in group-based assignments. Social apps are considered as an interactive channel along with face-to-face communication for knowledge sharing among students. To a large extent, tacit knowledge is shared with fellows rather than explicit knowledge. Hence, engineering students indicated that lack of confidence and intense competition is the barrier to active knowledge sharing patterns. Intrinsic motivation is assured that provoke students for voluntarily sharing of knowledge such as to learn from each other, passion to help others, self-satisfaction, etc. The results show there is no significant relationship between gender and knowledge sharing; and no significant relationship between ownership of universities i.e. private and public and knowledge sharing. It also reveals that relationship between years of study and knowledge sharing is highly insignificant.

The perception about knowledge sharing among students is positive and they percept it is valuable and important in their learning process. They are the collaborative-oriented learner. They use channels for sharing of knowledge on the basis of its accuracy, great speed and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, psychological attributes affected on sharing i.e introvert students shy to present their opinion. Although fear is existed due to competition that other would perform better inhibits knowledge sharing. However, engineering students have high intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic ones for sharing of knowledge.