bringing benefits to the wider community and the
Indonesian economy.
Reflection from the description above, it is
urgent to evaluate the Islamic economic
performance in order to be able to empower the
community. It can be ascertained that there is
something wrong regarding the education and
socialization of the Islamic economy, so that the
level of Islamic financial literacy in the Indonesian
community is at a low level. One of the factors
predicted as the cause of the low level of Islamic
economic literacy is the low participation of
universities in the socialization and education of
Islamic economics among the public.
Among important agents who can educate and
socialize Islamic economic products and services are
Islamic university lecturers. Islamic economics
lecturers need to intensively share knowledge
regarding Islamic economic products and services to
the wider community, thereby encouraging the
development and strengthening of the Islamic
economic sector. Based on that problem, this study
was conducted. The aim is to test a proposed
theoretical model regarding factors that affect the
knowledge sharing of lecturers at Islamic
universities to strengthen the Islamic economy.
2 THEORICAL FRAMEWORK
Knowledge sharing is a key concept in knowledge
management (Hung and Chuang, 2009). At least
there are three basic components supporting the
process of forming knowledge management, namely
the knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing, and
knowledge utilization. If knowledge acquisition is a
process in which knowledge is developed and
formed, knowledge sharing is a process of
disseminating knowledge and at the same time
making it ready for use. (Daud, Salina; Dali, Nuradli
Ridzwan Shah Mohd; Hamid, 2006). That is why the
concept of knowledge sharing is considered very
important in an institution, including Islamic
universities which are one of the institutions that are
very competent to develop and strengthen the
Islamic economy.
As an endogenous variable in this study,
knowledge sharing (KS) among lecturers should be
thought to be significantly influenced by three
exogenous variables, namely the lecturers' research
skills (RS), research self-efficacy (RSE), and
institutional support (IS). The following is briefly
reviewed the theoretical framework related to the
proposed theoretical model presented in this study.
The success of an institution in developing a
particular idea can be predicted from the application
of effective KS among its members. Experts
strongly believe that an institution —including a
university— can generate enormous profits if it
consistently applies KS (Cheng, Ho and Lau, 2009).
KS will only work effectively if lecturers in Islamic
universities have good RS. Lugkana Worasinchai
and Aurilla Aurelie Arntzen Bechina concluded that
strengthening RS is essential for the success of KS
(Worasinchai, Aurelie and Bechina, 2010).
Farkhondeh Hassandoust in his research also stated
that the practice of KS was influenced by RS
(Hassandoust; and Vimala Perumal, 2011).
Unfortunately, the development of the RS of
lecturers in the university itself has received
peripheral attention. According to Emmanuel
Chinamasa, negligence towards the development of
lecturers' RS often occurs due to the assumption that
lecturers have adequate RS (Emmanuel, 2014). Even
though the low of RS can have an impact on the low
level of KS.
As Islamic universities that involve many
knowledge workers, the practice of KS —especially
related to Islamic economics— among lecturers
should have a positive impact. Niels-Ingvar Boer
and K. Kumar have mentioned in his research results
that KS can produce very broad collective outcomes
(Boer and Kumar, 2005). KS is able to provide
benefits not only for lecturers, but also for the wider
community as a target of Islamic economic products
and services.
Chun-Lin and Mei-chi Chen's research stated
that one of the factors that drives someone to
practice KS is because the person has RSE (Lin and
Chen, 2009). Without high RSE, a person will not
have the courage to practice KS. The research of
Hsu et al. prove that one's RSE has a positive effect
on KS behavior. Lin and Hung's survey results also
stated that RSE is one of a number of variables that
positively influence KS behavior (Hsu et al., 2007).
While the results of the Elham Aliakbar survey also
stated that RSE is one of a number of variables that
positively effect KS behaviour (Aliakbar et al.,
2012).
The practice of KS is also predicted to be
influenced by IS. The practice of KS among
lecturers will easily occur when there is support
from the university. They will be stimulated to
transfer knowledge when the university provides
maximum support. This is confirmed by the results
of a study by Nicolette Bakhuisen who concluded
that the most important supporting factor for the
practice of KS was the presence of IS (Bakhuisen,
2012).
Connelly and Kelloway's research on employee
perceptions of KS culture also stated that IS is one
of the factors that can improve the culture of KS
(Connelly and Kevin Kelloway, 2003).
The