Emotional Intelligence and Work Engagement as Mediators of Big Five Personality and Knowledge Sharing

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the interrelationships among various interpersonal psychological factors to explain their effect on knowledge sharing behaviors at workplace. A sample of 450 employees was drawn from knowledge based industries. To tap the information regarding performance on knowledge sharing, Big Five personality, Emotional intelligence and work engagement, Knowledge Sharing Behavior (KSB) scale by Yi (2009) 56 , Big Five personality traits scale by Gosling et. al. (2003) 21 , Workgroup Emotional Intelligence Profile (WEIP-S) by Jordan & Lawrence (2009) 26 and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale by Schaufeli et. al. (2003) 46 have been used. Partial Least Square technique of Structural Equation Modeling was applied using SmartPLS 2.0.M3 to understand the proposed relationships. Findings show the prominence of conscientiousness among Big Five personality traits to explain knowledge sharing behaviors at workplace (Total Effect of conscientiousness on knowledge sharing being 0.5246 significant at p<0.01). Emotional intelligence proves to be the most important mediator of the relationship between Big Five traits, except agreeableness, and knowledge sharing. Even though work engagement is found to be a significant predictor of knowledge sharing (Total Effect of work engagement on knowledge sharing being 0.1698, significant at p<0.01), its role as a mediator is minor. Although the paper has certain limitations, nevertheless, this is the first study to consider the relationship between personality, emotional intelligence, work engagement and knowledge sharing in a single study and making us understand the interacting and mediating role of emotional intelligence and work engagement to explain knowledge sharing.