Knowledge sharing in supply chain

This chapter introduces the thermodynamics analogy as a means of studying knowledge sharing in supply chain. The study finds that distance and the knowledge capacity of the supplier are important to reduce knowledge sharing uncertainty. Furthermore, higher contact frequency between the supplier and the buyer without considering supplier capacity is proven to be insignificant to reduce knowledge sharing uncertainty. For intellectuals, the mechanism provides a new approach to explicate knowledge sharing in supply networks. Besides, it provides deep-rooted opening point for supplementary empirical assessment. The mechanism facilitates managers to expand their understanding of composite circumstances embedded into global supply networks to share their knowledge. With that enhanced understanding, the managers can spotlight their actions, which help further to perk up their firms' competitiveness provoked by the knowledge sharing activities.