The Interplay of Communicative Disposition and Knowledge Sharing Importance among the Researchers in the Philippine Academic Setting

Research as a core function among the faculty members in the Philippine higher education entails knowledge sharing. Knowledge generation and knowledge sharing remain crucial among the higher education institution s(HEIs) not only in the country but globally. However, many of the studies on knowledge sharing investigate communication as a predictor of knowledge sharing. This research took a different position by using the socio-psychological tradition of communication theory because communication as a process of interaction and influence is the primary phenomenon that explains knowledge sharing. Investigating the psychological predispositions that mediate the individual process of sharing knowledge among the researcher-faculty members in a state-owned HEI in the Bicol Region, this explored the communicative disposition and the importance of knowledge sharing. Results show that knowledge sharing for the researcher-faculty members is important in as much as they agree they have communication self-efficacy or the confidence to communicate research knowledge and that the anticipated reciprocal relationship or the desire to maintain ongoing relationships with others is possible through knowledge sharing. Also, they strongly agree on the perceived value of their message or that the knowledge they share is useful. Findings confirm that a
researcher-faculty member as an individual communicator is a socialized entity that is in the center of knowledge sharing posited as a communication phenomenon. This perspective on knowledge sharing as a communication phenomenon provided new insights on understanding context-specific, individual level knowledge sharing. It unfolded a deeper meaning of communication in the field of knowledge management.

Keywords- Communicative disposition, knowledge sharing, researcher, higher education institution