Employee goal orientation and knowledge sharing: the moderating effect of leader boundary spanning behavior

Purpose The research aims to examine the impacts of two different types of goal orientation, i.e. leaning goal orientation (LGO) and performance-prove goal orientation (PPGO), on employee knowledge sharing, and whether these relationships are altered by leaders' boundary spanning behavior (BSB). Design/methodology/approach A sample of 170 employees and 93 leaders were collected from South Korean organizations. Data were analyzed using path analysis. Findings The results demonstrated that employees with a high LGO are more likely to engage in knowledge sharing, while employees with a high PPGO are less likely to show knowledge sharing. Moreover, the findings showed that highly learning oriented employees tend to engage in knowledge sharing when they are under leaders who show active BSB. Practical implications To encourage knowledge sharing between employees, organizations need to promote a mastery-structured work environment to help employees develop a stronger LGO. Also, organizations could benefit from implementing training programs for leaders that promote their BSB. Originality/value The research aims to provide a more articulate account for how LGO and PPGO affect employee knowledge sharing in opposite ways. More importantly, this research provides new insights regarding the role of leaders' BSB as a contextual factor in promoting employee knowledge sharing. Using social learning theory as a theoretical framework, this study indicates how employees with a high LGO learn the behaviors of boundary spanning leaders and are more willing to engage in knowledge sharing.