Impacts of knowledge expectations on recipients’ continuous cross-project learning intention

Abstract

Given the importance of cross-project learning for continuous improvement in project-based organizations (PBOs), few studies have revealed how recipient employees’ expectations of internal and external knowledge results influence their continuance intention. Thus this study examines the impact of recipients’ internal knowledge expectations—perceived internal knowledge usefulness, growth, and accessibility-and positive expectation confirmation on their continuous cross-project learning intention and the moderating role of perceived external knowledge usefulness between internal knowledge expectations and continuance intention. Results of 318 valid questionnaires form China shows that recipients’ continuous cross-project learning intention is directly and positively affected by their internal knowledge expectations and satisfaction with learning, and is indirectly affected by their positive expectation confirmation through the mediating effect of internal knowledge expectations and satisfaction. Perceived external knowledge usefulness negatively moderates the relationship between perceived internal knowledge usefulness and continuance intention. Furthermore, the theoretical and practical implications of this study are presented along with acknowledged limitations and suggestions for further work.