Trust evaluation for inter-organization knowledge sharing via the e-learning community

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to design a trust-based knowledge-sharing framework based on the characteristics of the e-learning community. Design/methodology/approach - The interaction network is constructed to illustrate the relationships between knowledge-sharing agents and objects. Then, a trust evaluation method for knowledge sharing is proposed based on identified agent types and object types. Three sub-methods are included in the model to provide the trust-level references between agents. Findings - This study develops strategies based on proposed diagnosis framework to improve the willingness of knowledge sharing in the e-learning community. Finally, the authors apply the proposed diagnosis framework to a case study in China to propose strategies for the development of inter-organization knowledge sharing via e-learning community. Originality/value - Previous research on e-learning community strategies has generally suggested broad guidelines without diagnosing the current trust status. The purpose of this study is to design a trust-based knowledge-sharing framework based on the characteristics of the e-learning community.