The Strength of Weak Ties You Can Trust: The Mediating Role of Trust in Effective Knowledge Transfer
研究信任在强弱关系与知识接收之间的中介作用，发现能力信任和善意信任中介了强关系与有用知识接收的关系，而控制信任后弱关系显示出结构优势，且能力信任对隐性知识接收尤为重要。
Research has demonstrated that relationships are critical to knowledge creation and transfer, yet findings have been mixed regarding the importance of relational and structural characteristics of social capital for the receipt of tacit and explicit knowledge. We propose and test a model of two-party (dyadic) knowledge exchange, with strong support in each of the three companies surveyed. First, the link between strong ties and receipt of useful knowledge (as reported by the knowledge seeker) was mediated by competence- and benevolence-based trust. Second, once we controlled for these two trustworthiness dimensions, the structural benefit of weak ties emerged. This finding is consistent with prior research suggesting that weak ties provide access to nonredundant information. Third, competence-based trust was especially important for the receipt of tacit knowledge. We discuss implications for theory and practice.