Communicating in the public sphere: effects of patriarchy on knowledge sharing among community-based organizations leaders in Botswana

摘要

Knowledge and knowledge sharing are widely regarded as important assets for the overall performance and competiveness of organizations. This study explored the effect of gender on selected predictors of knowledge sharing behaviors among community-based organizations leaders in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. The study, guided by the patriarchy theory, employed a quasi-experimental research approach, using a counterbalanced design. A sample of 120 subjects, drawn from a cluster sample of 13 villages' Board of Trustees participating in community-based conservation projects, was used. Data were collected using a retrospective pretest instrument and analyzed using one-way mixed between-within doubly repeated measures ANCOVA. The results revealed that only behavioral intention showed significant effects, F(1, 107)=6.60, p=.01, suggesting differential effects of gender on intention to share knowledge. The study concluded that females are less likely to share information acquired as part of their portfolio responsibility in the public sphere when compared to their male counterpart.