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informal and formal knowledge sharing Tanzania public university libraries are missing. To
successfully reap the benefit of knowledge sharing, public university Libraries need to
promote social events, network building through communities of practice, workshops and
informal meetings.
4.1.2. The implication of formal knowledge sharing in the absence of
informal knowledge sharing.
Formal structures are essential to create more opportunities for accumulating and transferring
knowledge. Solutions for easy and anticipated problems can easily be integrated in the formal
structure intended for knowledge sharing. With the advancement in technology some systems
are designed to carry out automatic updates for some routine activities thus facilitate the
provision of updated knowledge for decision making. However, even with the
implementation of these structures, it should be very clear that this is one step forward and
using them to input knowledge which will eventually add value to the organisation is more
critical and complex. Care needs to be taken to offset some social factors and to enhance
employee skills with the aims of implementing these structures and finding out how to
optimise them to achieve better results. (Bhatt, 2002) suggests that even with the presence of
formal structures, employees tend to form their own informal networks where they can get
necessary knowledge.
Formal practices of knowledge sharing are promoted by rewards. Lack of motivation to share
knowledge among staff may be the result in the absence of systems designed to reward
knowledge sharing. Six out of 21 respondents (29%) suggested that knowledge sharing is
recognised, eight respondents (38%) suggested promotion as a reward, while only two (10%)
suggested financial benefit. Data suggest that even the rewards suggested may not be
officially in place as there was no consistency in response from any university as to what kind
of rewards were in place. If they were laid down in such things as policies or codes of
conduct it is likely there would be some consistency. However, the design of reward systems
is indeed a challenge. This is partly due to the fact that employee satisfaction may not only
depend on financial benefits but rather also with many other factors such as being
intellectually acknowledged and recognised. If there is no way to make employees perceive
knowledge creation and sharing as part of their recognised job, then even a lot of efforts to
encourage them to share may achieve negative results.
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