Knowledge sharing through inter-organizational knowledge networks Challenges and opportunities in the United Arab Emirates

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze the business sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) based on their level of involvement in knowledge-sharing activities with external sources, internal organizational innovations, and the barriers and benefits of joining knowledge networks. Subsequently, the findings are used as a basis for proposing several recommendations on managing knowledge in the UAE businesses that could result in higher levels of motivation and productivity. Design/methodology/approach - An exploratory investigation is done by in-depth interviews with the employees of five local and eight multinational companies in the UAE. Findings - The paper finds that the concept of knowledge management (KM) is still not well received in this region. Most of the companies interviewed are concerned about confidentiality of their knowledge, and the presence of competent and trustworthy partners in such KM structures. Research limitations/implications - The findings provide a foundation for further research on inter-organizational knowledge sharing in the UAE. However, this study has certain limitations such that its results may not be applicable to other industrial sectors not covered in this paper, or to other regions. Originality/value - By using the case study approach with in-depth interviews, this paper provides more reliable understanding of inter-organizational KM in the UAE. It fills the gap of previous research on the subject.