Moral Norm and the Two-Component Theory of Planned Behavior Model in Predicting Knowledge Sharing Intention: A Role of Mediator Desire

Knowledge sharing is becoming an increasingly popular area and has been extensively discussed in knowledge management literature. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a leading theoretical model of cognitive determinants of behavior that has been shown to predict knowledge sharing. Although the TPB has been used in predicting knowledge sharing, integrating additional variables or theories may heighten the predictive ability of the TPB. This study proposes an integrated model that considers desire and moral norm in a two-component TPB model for predicting knowledge sharing intention. Our models are assessed by using data from a sample of 220 participants in one of the largest credit cooperatives in Taiwan and analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS) method. The results of this study indicate that 1) moral norm is an important variable in predicting desire toward knowledge sharing; 2) desire fully mediates the relationship between cognitive attitude and intention; and 3) desire partially mediates the relationships between affective attitude, self-efficacy, moral norm and intention. This study also discusses the implications of knowledge sharing intention.