Background. Management over the last decades has seen knowledge sharing become a key tool for the success of a variety of institutions. Many companies and other organizations have developed knowledge management programs as the key to their future development strategies. There are a number of organizations that have identified knowledge sharing as one of their core management tools. Yet despite its growing popularity, knowledge sharing remains a complex and challenging task.
Research aims. This article attempts to identify the main group of knowledge sharing barriers in Polish universities and to verify if there are any specific cultural elements that create those barriers.
Method. The primary data for this article was collected by conducting 47 in-depth inter-views (IDI) with academic staff from 9 universities in Poland.
Key findings. The research reveals that the most important are the individual knowledge sharing barriers, mostly associated with the lack of trust among academic staff.

Background. Management over the last decades has seen knowledge sharing become a key tool for the success of a variety of institutions. Many companies and other organizations have developed knowledge management programs as the key to their future development strategies. There are a number of organizations that have identified knowledge sharing as one of their core management tools. Yet despite its growing popularity, knowledge sharing remains a complex and challenging task.
Research aims. This article attempts to identify the main group of knowledge sharing barriers in Polish universities and to verify if there are any specific cultural elements that create those barriers.
Method. The primary data for this article was collected by conducting 47 in-depth inter-views (IDI) with academic staff from 9 universities in Poland.
Key findings. The research reveals that the most important are the individual knowledge sharing barriers, mostly associated with the lack of trust among academic staff.