The influence of perceived social loafing on knowledge sharing intentions among college students

Introduction. From the students’ perspective, social loafing has also become a major challenge and problem in group tasks in the classroom. Social loafing may affect students’ enthusiasm and attitude to share knowledge.

Aim. This study aims to investigate the mediating effects of knowledge sharing (KS) attitudes on the relationships between KS intentions, perceived social loafing, and learning goal orientation.

Methodology and research methods. This study used a game-based team learning situation to explore the students’ KS attitudes and intentions. Questionnaires were also delivered to 336 students in business colleges in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The authors used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with bootstrapping estimation to test all the hypotheses.

Results and scientific novelty. The findings show that (1) perceived social loafing has a negative influence on KS attitudes and intentions; (2) learning goal orientation has a positive influence on KS attitudes and intentions; (3) KS attitudes have mediating effects on the relationships of perceived social loafing, learning goal orientation and KS intentions.

Scientific novelty. This study uses business simulation games as team learning activities to verify the impact of students’ attitudes and intentions on KS in the context of perceived social loafing.

Practical significance. Based on the findings, the authors suggest that teachers should not only enhance students’ learning goal orientation, decrease perceived social loafing to promote the intention to share knowledge in teams, but also make students have positive attitudes towards KS.