From knowledge seeking to knowledge contribution: A social capital perspective on knowledge sharing behaviors in online Q&A communities

Previous research has examined knowledge seeking behaviors and knowledge contribution behaviors in online communities, but it is not clear what is the relationship between knowledge seeking and knowledge contribution, leading to a question on what drives knowledge sharing in online communities. Drawing on the social capital theory, this study proposes that knowledge seeking behaviors lead to knowledge contribution behaviors through online users' social capital which is accumulated as a result of knowledge seeking. Based on the data on >1000 online users' knowledge sharing activities in the Zhihu Community in China, this study provides empirical support for the proposed model and the result show that online community users' knowledge seeking behaviors have a positive impact on their social capital, which is further positively related to their knowledge contribution behaviors – a partially mediated process. This study enriches current research on knowledge sharing in the increasingly digitalized society, and the findings provide important insights on knowledge sharing activities that will help manage knowledge exchange more effectively in online communities.