Abstract:
In current environment, Modern knowledge based companies were taken knowledge as the
weapon to gain competitive advantage from the market through high talented people. Thus, the
purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge sharing factors on talent retention of
executives and above employees working in the top five private sector companies in Sri Lanka.
This study has identified that mutual trust in between superior and subordinate for knowledge
sharing, rewards for knowledge sharing and training for knowledge sharing and managerial
support from superior to subordinate for knowledge sharing as the most influential factors in
knowledge sharing. This was a quantitative study used a deductive approach. This study was
carried out as an individual-level study with a sample of 160 executive level employees. The
population framework of executive and above level of five companies was available, thus, the
simple random sampling was applied in selecting sample for this study. In addition, survey
strategy was followed in the study and a self-administered, anonymous, pre-tested
questionnaire was used for data collection purpose. Moreover, four hypotheses were
constructed for four factors and they were tested using simple linear regression analysis. It was
concluded that there is a positive significant impact of mutual trust between supervisor and
subordinate for knowledge sharing, rewards for knowledge sharing and training for knowledge
sharing on talent retention of executives and above employees. Findings concluded that there
is a positive moderate impact of managerial support for knowledge sharing on talent retention
of executives and above employees in private sector organizations in Sri Lanka. Finally,
findings stimulates to review and revise their existing knowledge sharing practices to formulate
their talent retention policies or to revise their existing talent retention policies in a way of
increasing the best talent in organizations to ready for ‘war for best talent’ in 21st century
