O compartilhamento de conhecimento em equipes de venda : um estudo exploratório no setor químico

Abstract

This research's purpose is to understand the chemical industry sales force workers perceptions about sharing market knowledge. A survey with 109 sales force professionals from 23 brazilian chemical companies was performed to assess their perceptions about barriers and enablers to knowledge sharing previously gathered in academic literature. The sample was selected by a non-probabilistic method. A questionnaire, using Likert Scales, was constructed to understand individual knowledge sharing intention and its relationship with organizational and group knowledge sharing conditions. Descriptive and multivariate statistics as Exploratory Factor Analysis, Non-Parametric Kruskal-Wallis Test and Multiple Correspondence Analysis were used to analyze the data collected. Six intervenient factors for knowledge sharing were found. The results demonstrate that sales force workers are favorable to sharing knowledge and consider that favorable values, like reciprocity, team work, open communication and trust exist in their organizations and teams. In other way, these workers do not consider that organizations and teams offer adequate structural conditions that enable knowledge sharing. These results also show interdependence between individual intention to share knowledge and the existence of adequate values and collaboration attitudes in the sales team. This relationship seems to be capable to overcome less favorable organizational and teams conditions and attitudes about knowledge sharing. In addition, the results show that hierarchical levels affect professionals' perceptions about knowledge sharing. Medium level sales force workers have less favorable perceptions about knowledge sharing than their managers and directors.