Knowledge-intensive HRM Systems, Team Reflexivity, Team Knowledge Sharing, and Team Performance

Abstract

Understanding how to effectively stimulate performance potential of knowledge-intensive teams (KIT) through targeted human resource management (HRM) systems is critical to enhancing organizational knowledge-based competitiveness. This study builds on ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) framework to investigate the effect of knowledge-intensive HRM systems (KIHRS) on KIT performance. Furthermore, team adaptability theory is employed to conceptualise duel effects of team reflection and adaptability which on the one hand forms a facilitating underlying mechanism, whereas on the other hand at the same time, can create a boundary condition that undermines the effect of KIHRS on KIT performance. This study draws on a multi-time (3 times), multi-source (3 sources) data set consisting of 397 knowledge workers from 123 teams in 74 organizations in Pakistan. The multilevel results reveal that KIHRS are positively related to KIT performance, not only directly, but also indirectly through a simultaneous as well as sequential mediating mechanism of team reflexivity and knowledge sharing. Impression management climate however is found to negatively moderate the mediated effects of KIHRS on KIT performance. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are presented accordingly.