A knowledge sharing initiatives model for quantity surveying firms in the Malaysian construction industry

Knowledge sharing initiatives (KSI) are approaches/events/mechanisms/programmers for the purpose of formalization and for sharing best practice and experiences within an organization. However, there is a paucity of research that has investigated the nature of the different approaches to improve the effectiveness of knowledge sharing, the appropriate organizational factors at play for knowledge sharing to be fully exploited; and the knowledge sharing benefits derived by QS firms in Malaysia. In this paper, knowledge sharing initiatives (KSI) are an organizational approach to managing knowledge that includes human (soft) and system (hard) components. The discussions of the paper are based on findings of a mixed methodology approach, i.e. a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. The data sets obtained from mixed methods were subjected to rigorous qualitative and statistical analyses. A comprehensive model for implementing knowledge sharing initiatives (KSI) in QS firms is presented in this paper. The developed model is clear, cohesive and can be well understood by all quantity surveyors. The model has identified four main areas which are knowledge sharing initiatives; implementation of knowledge sharing initiatives; Quantity Surveying Firms and Performance Measurement. For each emphasis area, the paper has discussed the conceptual framework used and summarized the empirical research results. The successful implementation of this model, however, needs careful consideration of a host of challenges, which can impinge on staff and process performances. The contribution of this research is, therefore, to add to the body of knowledge on KSI by providing evidence from a Malaysian construction industry perspective.