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Cited by 3,904

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 14 of the 14 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Why Should I Share? Examining Social Capital and Knowledge Contribution in Electronic Networks of Practice1

Wasko, Molly McLure, Faraj, Samer·2005·MIS Quarterly
DOI 10.2307/25148667
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Abstract

Electronic networks of practice are computer-mediated discussion forums focused on problems of practice that enable individuals to exchange advice and ideas with others based on common interests. However, why individuals help strangers in these electronic networks is not well understood: there is no immediate benefit to the contributor, and free-riders are able to acquire the same knowledge as everyone else. To understand this paradox, we apply theories of collective action to examine how individual motivations and social capital influence knowledge contribution in electronic networks. This study reports on the activities of one electronic network supporting a professional legal association. Using archival, network, survey, and content analysis data, we empirically test a model of knowledge contribution. We find that people contribute their knowledge when they perceive that it enhances their professional reputations, when they have the experience to share, and when they are structurally embedded in the network. Surprisingly, contributions occur without regard to expectations of reciprocity from others or high levels of commitment to the network.

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Metadata

Authors
Wasko, M. M., & Faraj, S.
Venue
MIS Quarterly
Publisher
MIS Quarterly
Published
2005-03-01
Volume
29
Issue
1
Pages
35-58
ISSN
  • 0276-7783 (ISSN-L)
  • 2162-9730
DOI
10.2307/25148667
OpenAlex
W3147795728
Cited by
3,904
References
14
FWCI
238.21
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Why Should I Share? Examining Social Capital and Knowledge Contribution in Electronic Networks of Practice1. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.2307/25148667
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Wasko, M. M., & Faraj, S. (2005). Why Should I Share? Examining Social Capital and Knowledge Contribution in Electronic Networks of Practice1. MIS Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.2307/25148667

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Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).

Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.