Collectivism and expected benefits of knowledge management: A comparison of Taiwanese and US perceptions

To understand the role of national culture in knowledge management (KM), this study aims to examine whether workers of two different countries hold different expectations regarding KM.

This study used field research to test hypotheses. Statistical analysis was performed to compare expectations of KM of knowledge workers in the USA and Taiwan.

Comparisons of KM expectations were performed on data. The results show that workers in the USA and Taiwan have significantly different levels of expectations regarding KM.

Despite the limitations of mailed surveys, based on the results and high‐response rate, it appears that respondents in Taiwan have higher expectations from KM than their US counterparts.

Drawing from the research of Geert Hofstede and others, this study adds to our understanding of the relationships between national culture and KM by examining the differences between US and Taiwanese workers. These differences should be considered when KM strategies are formulated and implemented by international managers.

Many previous studies examined the relationship between organizational culture and perceived benefits of KM. However, no major study was done to examine whether national culture plays a significant role in KM expectations. The results of the study make significant contributions in terms of theoretical and practical understanding of the relationships between national culture and KM.