What drives knowledge sharing in software development teams: A literature review and classification framework

•Literature on knowledge sharing drivers in software development teams is reviewed.•A classification framework is established.•Themes and gaps in the existing body of knowledge are discussed.•Future research avenues for advancing theory are outlined.

Although scholars have long studied knowledge sharing drivers within software development teams, our knowledge remains fragmented by the divergent efforts that are based on and contribute to theoretical perspectives. This study provides a review of the extant literature (1993–2011) on knowledge sharing drivers in software teams and establishes a classification framework using an organizational change perspective. A synthesis of the literature uncovers diverse themes and gaps in the existing body of knowledge, suggests several paths for advancing theory on knowledge sharing in software development contexts, and discusses implications for practitioners concerned with knowledge sharing in software development.