Is the correlation between knowledge sharing and firm innovation performance contingent on network trust and hierarchical culture Evidence from the Chinese high-tech sector

Innovation is of great significance to firms seeking competitive advantage and survival. Building upon the resource-based view and social exchange theory, we explore whether the association between knowledge sharing and firm innovation performance is contingent on network trust and hierarchical culture. Using a survey dataset from 151 Chinese high-tech employees. We find that: 1) knowledge sharing affects firm innovation performance; 2) knowledge sharing influences network trust; 3) network trust played a significant mediation role in the knowledge sharing - firm innovation performance relationship; 4) network trust affects firm innovation performance; 5) hierarchical culture significantly moderates the correlation among network trust and firm innovation performance. The study proposes a moderated mediation model to fully illustrate the linkages amongst knowledge sharing, network trust, hierarchical culture, and innovation performance to offer a guide regarding how high-tech sectors can attain superior innovation outcomes.