Examining the Impact of Exchange Ideology on Knowledge Sharing Behaviour: the Role of Inclusive Leadership and Trust

This study aims to examine the influence of employees’ exchange ideology on their knowledge-sharing behaviour using social exchange theory as the theoretical foundation. It further investigates the mediating roles of inclusive leadership and trust in leaders in this relationship. The study employed a quantitative research design with data collected in two waves from 329 employees working in Indian information technology (IT) organizations. Variance-based structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed hypotheses and analyze the mediating effects of inclusive leadership and trust. The findings indicate that employees’ exchange ideology significantly influences their knowledge-sharing behaviour. Both inclusive leadership and trust in leaders mediate this relationship, highlighting the pivotal role of leadership behaviours and interpersonal trust in promoting knowledge sharing within organizations. This study contributes to the literature on knowledge management and leadership by integrating social exchange theory with the constructs of inclusive leadership and trust. It provides novel empirical evidence from the Indian IT sector, an emerging economy context, thereby enriching the understanding of how relational and leadership factors drive knowledge-sharing behaviour in organizations.