How to Shift From a Culture of Knowledge Hoarding to Knowledge Sharing

Executives leading digital transformation often focus on technology and processes—but overlook the cultural friction that undermines both. One of the most persistent barriers is a knowledge-hoarding culture: an environment where information becomes a source of personal leverage rather than organizational advantage.

In our advisory work with executive teams, this pattern tends to surface late. ERP projects stall unexpectedly. Integration efforts struggle to scale. Key users disengage during training. 

To move from knowledge hoarding to knowledge sharing, leaders must treat knowledge management and organizational culture as strategic levers in digital transformation success.

Why Knowledge Sharing Matters

Digital transformation efforts—including ERP, CRM, and supply chain modernization—depend on integrated, real-time decision-making. 

For example, a finance team that documents month-end workflows lays the groundwork for future automation. Similarly, a customer service group that logs resolution techniques enables ERP standardization across locations. 

Digital transformation success and AI readiness are impossible when business-critical knowledge is trapped in inboxes, spreadsheets, and legacy workflows. Knowledge silos inhibit process redesign, impede data validation, and increase dependency on a few individuals. 

Ultimately, silos introduce operational risk and dilute the ROI of enterprise software initiatives. 

For instance, when product data lives in scattered spreadsheets, AI-driven forecasting tools cannot generate accurate demand predictions—undermining both supply chain agility and executive decision-making.

What Drives Knowledge Hoarding?

Knowledge hoarding is rarely malicious. In most cases, it results from one or more of the following cultural dynamics:

• Fear of Redundancy: Digital tools that automate or standardize processes can trigger job security concerns, leading individuals to guard information to protect their perceived value.

• Poor Change Communication: When communication is reactive or vague, employees default to information gatekeeping because the urgency is unclear.

• Siloed Leadership: If executives operate in functional silos, mid-level leaders follow suit, creating barriers between departments and systems.

These conditions are amplified during ERP and digital transformation projects, where clarity, trust, and collaboration are essential.

For example, a biotechnology company engaged our consultants when it found that its internal knowledge was scattered across Excel, SharePoint, and separate research systems. Their ERP project could not succeed if trial data and manufacturing information weren’t integrated, so we helped the company create a knowledge-sharing culture to complement their technical integration efforts.

Creating a Knowledge-Sharing Culture

Culture change begins with consistent, visible executive behavior. Leaders need to model and reward the type of information-sharing they want to see across the organization. 

The following best practices have helped our clients avoid knowledge silos and institutionalize knowledge sharing:

1. Anchor Knowledge Management in the Digital Strategy

During ERP implementation planning, our business software consultants define knowledge sharing as a program requirement.

This means:

• Establishing shared repositories with clear ownership (e.g., SharePoint, Confluence, or purpose-built knowledge management tools).

• Mandating documentation of process decisions, integrations, and testing outcomes.

• Ensuring process owners contribute to a central knowledge base, not just local team files.

2. Identify and Elevate Internal Experts

Most organizations have “go-to” employees—the people who know how things really work. Rather than allowing this knowledge to remain informal and inaccessible, we recommend elevating these individuals as knowledge stewards. 

Invite these employees to participate in training design, process documentation, and user acceptance testing. When employees see that the new system is shaped by colleagues who understand day-to-day operations, they are more likely to trust the design, participate actively in training, and adopt the new tools with confidence.

3. Build Knowledge Sharing Into Project Governance

• Is every process design decision documented and accessible to cross-functional teams?

• Are testing protocols and results archived for future reuse?

• Do training materials reflect actual business scenarios and include input from subject matter experts?

These checkpoints should be built into the steering committee’s review cadence for risk mitigation. 

4. Use Technology Thoughtfully—But Don’t Over-Rely on It

While modern ERP and collaboration tools offer advanced document management features, these alone do not create a knowledge-sharing culture. Tools support the behavior—they do not replace it.

Our ERP implementation consultants always tell executives that collaboration platforms must be integrated with daily workflows, accessible to cross-functional teams, and supported by user training. This ensures that sharing knowledge is a strategic expectation, not an optional task.

Learn More About Knowledge Management and Organizational Culture

A company culture that values knowledge sharing can improve cross-functional alignment, enable real-time decision-making, and accelerate their organization’s AI readiness. 

If your team is in the early stages of ERP selection, this is the time to assess your culture. Is knowledge shared or siloed? Are your people empowered to contribute, or incentivized to withhold? 

Our independent ERP consultants work with executive teams to assess their organization culture and align it with their digital transformation goals. Contact us below to learn about our organizational change management services.