Taking it personally: How to increase interorganizational knowledge sharing in a tourist district

Abstract

Despite the critical role individual workers play in delivering tourism products and services, there is a dearth of empirical information about "personal" factors that influence inter-organizational knowledge sharing in relation to tourist destinations. This study fills this knowledge gap by exploring personal factors that influence inter-organizational knowledge sharing, by empirically examining the personal experiences of individuals working for various organizations in the Bomun Tourism Complex, the oldest national tourist district in Gyeongju, South Korea. The results of our preliminary survey showed that Bomun Tourism Complex employees tend to interact with others in the same type of business and in private meetings as opposed to in more public or industry-wide meetings, with wide variation in the level of actual interaction. In-depth interviews then focused on three personal factors we had identified in an extensive literature review: personal attitude, competence, and embeddedness. Based on the results, three practical implications to increase inter-organizational knowledge sharing were offered: educating people about the substantial benefits of interorganizational knowledge sharing, finding ways to promote community spirit within the cluster, increasing various types of interactions and meetings, and activating the mediating role of destination management organizations.