Task structure and knowledge transfer: leveraging employee agility performance in an ESM environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT The current study employs communication visibility theory to examine the nexus between task structure, knowledge transfer, and employee agility. We further investigated the role of ESM in facilitating knowledge transfer and its effects on employee agility. Utilising cross-sectional data from Chinese employees working in different organisations, structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to 425 samples using AMOS version 24.0. Results reveal that task interdependence significantly influences both knowledge-sharing and knowledge-hiding behaviours in organisations. Moreover, task complexity positively affects knowledge sharing but negatively impacts knowledge hiding. The results also indicate that knowledge sharing positively correlates with employee agility, while knowledge hiding has a negative association with employee agility. Additionally, knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between task interdependence, task complexity, and employee agility, as does knowledge hiding. Furthermore, ESM usage strengthens the relationship between knowledge sharing and employee agility, although it does not moderate the link between knowledge hiding and employee agility. The study concludes with substantial theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research.