Field Of Knowledge Management Research Articles

The sectorial context of workplace learning

AbstractWorkplace learning is always embedded in a context. The purpose of this study is to compare the characteristics of workplace learning in the market, public and civil sectors with the tool of literature review, and to identify the most important contextual factors for learning practice and effectiveness. The article thus contributes to the scientific discourse in the field of knowledge management and workplace learning research. In the following study, drawing upon classic literature and current empirical research findings, the characteristics of workplace learning in various sectors are first outlined along the themes of knowledge management, knowledge sharing, innovation, organizational learning, the purpose of learning, and the most significant knowledge elements. Subsequently, the main differences are summarized. Finally, factors for the analysis of comparative research on workplace learning are proposed, spanning individual, individual and organizational, organizational, and organizational and system levels.

Towards an urban ecosystem model through a cross-cultural Chinese and greek knowledge analysis

PurposeIn the post-pandemic era urban ecosystem planning has become critically important. Given the emphasis on relevant issues concerning the complex interactions between human civilizations and natural systems within urban environments in the new normal, this article aims to enrich the field of knowledge management developing a cross-cultural analysis for clarifying the role of knowledge in planning and urban ecosystems.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is conceptual in nature. Based on a theoretical foundation built by a critical literature review and data from the China Statistical Yearbook and China’s National Bureau of Statistics, this paper introduces some emerging real-impact topics regarding the connections between humanistic knowledge and urban planning. A comparative analysis between the capital city of Chang’an in the Tang dynasty of China and the capital city of Athens in Ancient Greek was used for explaining the influence of knowledge on successful urban planning.FindingsThe understanding the role of cross-cultural differences in knowledge management and practices for urban ecosystems offer the opportunities for rethinking consolidated approach to the interaction among social, economic, and environmental dimensions in urban settings.Originality/valueThis paper implies a new inter-disciplinary research field of great interest for the real impact KM community by illuminating how knowledge management is central in urban planning and across cultures.

Evaluation chain management model with emphasis on intellectual capital using blockchain technology

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is the evaluation of the chain management model with an emphasis on intellectual capital in knowledge-based organizations using blockchain technology. Research methodology: First, by reviewing previous studies and researches, the framework for readiness to accept blockchain was extracted. Then, the different areas of the value chain of knowledge-based organizations were identified. Then, a questionnaire for pairwise comparisons was distributed using a hierarchical approach. Finally, the TOPSIS questionnaire was distributed to rank the 5 identified areas of activity in the value chain and knowledge management of knowledge-based organizations. Semi-structured interviews with the organization's experts have been used to explain the promising methods in the organization further to improve the efficiency of blockchain acceptance and meaningful research orientations for researchers. Results: These findings include the undiscovered potential of knowledge sharing and collaboration networks, the expected evolutionary stages of the Internet of Things, and eliminating intermediaries that lead to new business models such as token building and short-term rather than long-term relationships. Obstacles include staffing problems, legal uncertainty, loss of infrastructure and standardization, and unclear governance structures. Improving smart contract security and interoperability between private and public protocols will further expand technolog Contribution: The application of blockchain technology in the field of knowledge and intellectual capital management, due to the promotion of key indicators such as improving security in the context of non-forgery, unchangeable information, tracking, decentralization, and transparency, leads to the application of this technology in knowledge and intellectual capital management.

Information as a circular resource – facilitating information exchange to extend product-life

PurposeThis paper aims to study a circular economy business model that offers services with embedded information exchange capabilities to extend product life through maintenance and repair. Information exchange has been identified as a critical factor in advancing the principles of a circular economy, and this research was conducted to illustrate how information exchange can facilitate maintenance and repair.Design/methodology/approachThe study has a case study approach of collecting data through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires.FindingsInformation exchange on what and when to do something engages end-users in maintenance and facilitates learning. For repair, the problem description and possible solutions are information that must be exchanged. Both types of information exchange are facilitated by simple tech solutions relying on known and inexpensive technology (e.g. e-mail service, video call and text messaging).Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes to the organisational development and knowledge management fields with novel insights on how information exchange and circular economy are related and can be facilitated.Practical implicationsThe study provides insights for companies looking for solutions on how to generate revenue from services and reduce resource consumption. The findings of the study suggest that the development of circular business models does not always require expensive high-tech solutions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique as it is empirically based on insights into how information exchange can extend product life through the use of simple digital tools.

Using Fractal Enterprise Modeling in Strategic Analysis with Focus on Intangibles: Empirical Study in Product Innovation

This article presents a new meta-modeling approach for intangible resources. The method combines Enterprise Modeling (EM) and the resource value innovation model from the knowledge management (KM) field. In particular, fractal enterprise modeling (FEM) language has been used for constructing the intangible resources’ level of development. The practical application of the proposed method deploys a real case example in the strategic analysis of the organizational change within the product innovation activities. The results imply that the proposed method has a good potential to incorporate the intangibles into EM. First, it has been possible to represent the intangible resources’ level of development. Second, the FEM models produced in the study have been useful in the analysis of how tacit knowledge is acquired and appropriated within the organization’s strategic capability building. The study resulted in producing modeling and analyzing patterns that can be reused in similar situations. The research followed the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology.

The Use of Personal Knowledge Management Initiatives by Teachers in Poland. Contribution to the Discussion

The article discusses the issues related to personal knowledge management (PKM) and initiatives undertaken in this area by a professional group of teachers. These issues are still insufficiently researched, and thus cognitively interesting and requiring further exploration. The aim of the study was to determine the level of teachers' initiative in the area of personal knowledge management, with reference to the relationships between the variables characterizing the surveyed teachers, such as: gender, age, seniority, type of educational institution and the position held. In the study, conducted by means of a diagnostic survey method among 169 professionally active teachers, the author's Questionnaire of Personal Knowledge Management Initiatives was used. The obtained research results were statistically analyzed using the PSPP program, Gnu General Public License Version 3. The data were processed using the ANOVA analysis of variance. The applied method of standard deviations showed that the largest group of the surveyed teachers presents an average level of initiative in the field of personal knowledge management. Based on the obtained results, it can also be concluded that: women, teachers with the longest seniority, from the oldest age group, holding managerial positions; employed in kindergartens and educational non-school institutions, are characterized by a higher level of initiative in the field of personal knowledge management. The obtained research results are of practical importance both for teachers and for the organizations in which they work. They may also contribute to the introduction of new solutions in the education of future teachers at the university level, as well as to the organization of training and workshops improving and developing personal knowledge management skills among professionally active teachers.

Unraveling complexity in changing mental health care towards person-centered care.

Mental health care (MHC) needs to shift towards person-centered care to better meet people's individual needs. Open Dialogue (OD) is well-aligned with this perspective and brings it into practice. This study focuses on exploring the change process within a pilot project involving three MHC teams as they transition to a person-centered OD practice. Our aim is to identify and reflect on the challenges faced by MHC professionals in adopting person-centered care, and shedding light on the underlying complexity of these challenges. By gaining a better understanding of these obstacles, we hope to contribute to the adoption of the person-centered approach in MHC practice. Our research employed a qualitative design, involving a total of 14 semi-structured interviews with MHC professionals who were either trained in OD, OD trainees, or MHC professionals without OD training. To analyze the data, we utilized a hybrid approach that combined deductive - and inductive thematic analysis. We identified four distinctive challenges: (1) understanding and knowledge transfer, (2) (inter)personal process, (3) emotional discomfort, and (4) the need for multi-stakeholder participation and support. In practice, these challenges intersect and the appearance of and relationships between these challenges are not linear or disentangleable. Upon careful consideration of these interdependent challenges, it became evident that embedding a person-centered approach like OD brings about systemic change, leading to an unfamiliar situation X. The research findings indicated that understanding and conveying the concept of person-centered care in practical settings poses significant challenges. The field of knowledge management helps to capture the complexity of understanding and transferring this knowledge. The change process necessitates an (inter)personal process and elicits emotional discomfort, as person-centered OD practice confronts a deeply entrenched paradigm in MHC. Achieving a shared understanding of person-centered care requires dedicated time and attention, while introducing this approach prompts broader discussions on underlying values and human rights in MHC. Current implementation efforts may underestimate or overlook these underlying values, but initiating an open dialogue can serve as an initial step in addressing the complexities.

Relatedness and Futureness: Key Pillars for Developing Knowledge-based Management for Sustainability

Recently, the field of Knowledge Management has seen some movements towards sustainability and more responsible business practices. Especially sustainability has become a hot topic for almost every organization. In this paper, we try to locate the concept of sustainability in the field of Knowledge Management. We argue that lived sustainability is built upon relatedness (the holistic understanding of interdependence and interconnectedness of complex systems) and futureness (adopting a long-term perspective for the management of organizations) that together promote sustainable organizing from the inside-out. We find that in particular two streams, Responsible Knowledge Management and Spiritual Knowledge Management, have taken up ideas that potentially lead to sustainable Knowledge-based Management. Those streams emphasize various forms of non-rational knowledge as a necessary, but previously underrepresented aspect of knowledge, as a counterpart to the instrumental-calculative rationality that has become predominant in the study of organizations and organizational knowledge.

Understanding Organizational Knowledge Loss (OKL): A Bibliometric Analysis

Purpose – Organizational knowledge loss (OKL) is an urgent problem in the field of knowledge management because it can have a negative impact on intellectual capital and leads to significant competitive disadvantages for the companies concerned. In academic research, this phenomenon is considered a consequence of knowledge risks, especially when experts possess valuable knowledge and leave a knowledge-intensive organization. However, a basic understanding of the conceptual structure of OKL remains elusive. Methodology – To address the existing knowledge gap, we conducted a bibliometric analysis based on a network and factor-oriented approach to identify the key themes, contexts, and patterns of OKL. For this purpose, we obtained bibliometric data from the Web of Science and the Scopus databases. Using the advanced bibliometrics package Biblioshiny in R, we conducted performance analysis and science mapping. Findings – Based on our four research questions, we present the following key findings: First, we find that annual science production in the field of OKL research over the period 2004 to 2023 peaks in 2022. Second, we found that absorptive capacity (AC) is increasingly becoming a central theme in OKL research. Third, the average citation rate per year for OKL research has declined noticeably since 2020. Fourth, the most influential publications in OKL research deal with AC in the context of strategic alliances. Research limitations – This study focuses solely on researching the conceptual structure and thus does not consider the intellectual and social structure of OKL. Practical implications – In view of the results obtained, we recommend that future research work should further investigate the relationship between OKL as a focus of organizational forgetting and AC as a learning ability in an innovation environment. Originality/value – This paper is insightful, as it reveals the conceptual structure and thematic evolution of OKL and directs research interest to the field of learning organizations.

Knowledge Management and Cryptocurrencies: review and reflection

In this paper we try to reflect on how one of the financial phenomena of the last twenty years, namely cryptocurrencies, has been analysed by the scientific community of the Knowledge Management (KM) field. The issue is relevant because the raise of cryptocurrencies as an economic asset has been occurring in a time in which KM gained social prominence. And also because the evolution of cryptocurrencies should be also related to knowledge about their own value. Within this context, we present a literature review on papers that exist in the SCOPUS database about cryptocurrencies and KM. After analysing those papers, the general idea is that KM is very far away from the cryptocurrency phenomenon; the reason may be that it is very difficult to use the more common models available on KM to analyse cryptocurrencies; also the economic and social agents that might be interested in KM are not those who invest in cryptocurrencies; finally, the data available on cryptocurrencies are mostly speculative, and it is very difficult to make any scientific study on them. These conclusions may be of interest for the KM community at large, because they indicate a new subfield of research, and for practitioners, because they mean that there is not much science in the evolution of cryptocurrencies themselves. Finally, for policymakers, the findings mean the expanding the possibility of use of cryptocurrencies in societies may be extremely risky given their volatility and the lack of precise scientific knowledge about them. The paper is original because it relates to concepts that have only very seldom and scarcely put together.

Strategic Patterns in the Concept of Sustainable Development of Manufacturing Processes in the Field of Knowledge Management in Companies Operating in the Metal Industry in Poland

Sustainable development is an opportunity for modern enterprises to build unique market advantages, but it is always a kind of compromise between financial benefits and activities focused on environmental protection. It also requires companies to be able to acquire and process information, the sources of which are both internal and external, and to process it into effective knowledge. Quality management processes are an important element supporting knowledge management as a consequence of similar priorities. There are direct and indirect relationships between quality management, knowledge management and sustainable development. Related issues are an important element of modern research, but there are still some knowledge gaps that need to be filled. The authors, based on the literature analysis, concluded that there are no studies defining the relationship between quality management and knowledge management in the context of sustainable development relating to the Polish metal industry. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify patterns of company activities in the area of knowledge management relating to the improvement of manufacturing processes in companies operating in the metal industry in Poland. At the same time, it was indicated which aspects of knowledge management are at the centre of management’s concerns. The study was carried out using a survey questionnaire, with 1930 questionnaires collected from employees in 50 companies selected for the study. The study carried out discovered that in the various areas of the Japanese knowledge management model, companies distribute the emphasis differently, which manifests itself in the procedures and ways of operating. At the same time, there are significant differences between large and medium-sized enterprises, indicating that the scale of operation influences the perception of the importance of individual elements of the knowledge management system in the context of sustainable development.

Critical Hard Skills for Information and Knowledge Management in South Africa

Hard skills are central to achieving efficiency and productivity and are critical for demonstrating competency in many socioeconomic setups. The challenge, however, is that there is a plethora of conceptualisations of hard skills depending on the context in which they are considered. Many fields have explicitly itemised the hard skills relevant to success. However, this is not the case with the Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) field due to its multidisciplinary nature. Understanding specific hard skills needed is vital because it facilitates the development and advancement of a given profession. The lack of a clearly understood combination of hard skills means that IKM cannot grow and be at the centre of the 4IR. Consequently, IKM will not adequately contribute to socioeconomic development. This study aimed to understand specific hard skills relevant to contemporary IKM practitioners, especially in the South African and contextually similar contexts. The study used a Delphi study approach where experts shared their opinions in two rounds of data collection. Ninety-seven skills were identified; however, a consensus was reached on 23. This study serves as a stepping stone toward creating a framework fit to guide IKM practitioners on their journey to success. The framework will also act as a guide for students through identifying the hard skills that need to be developed early while still in their schooling career. Furthermore, the framework can act as a guide for curriculum development.

The moderating effect of knowledge-sharing on learning organisation and quality improvement practices

PurposeThe aim of this research is to determine the impact of a learning organisation (LO) on developing quality improvement practices (QIPs) and to propose knowledge-sharing (KS) as a moderator which is anticipated to support the beneficial effect of a LO on QIP. A further objective is to establish whether training provision raises the abilities of healthcare organisations (HCOs) to attain greater standards of QIP via a LO and KS.Design/methodology/approachA total of 240 responses, obtained from employees working at private HCOs in Jordan, comprised the valid dataset. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilised for data analysis. Multigroup analysis (MGA) was performed to compare the impact of workers who had or had not undergone training.FindingsThe findings indicated that QIP was significantly enhanced by LO. HCOs with the objective of converting a KS-moderated LO could attain improved QIP standards, but within the surveyed establishments, this effect was only appreciated at modest degrees. By performing MGA, no variations were identified in the impact of workers.Practical implicationsManagers should place more emphasis on training and learning within HCOs. However, respondents did indicate that their establishments had notable degrees of KS, suggesting a potential strength that could be used positively by the managerial hierarchy.Originality/valueThis study encompasses an original contribution to contemporary scholarship in the field of knowledge management and quality through its examination of the moderating effect of KS on LO and QIP.

Современные тенденции управления знаниями в организации

The article analyzes the main trends in the field of knowledge management. Currently, the fourth industrial rev-olution, which results in the digitalization of many management and production processes, is having a signifi-cant impact on the functioning of organizations in various areas of activity. As part of this revolution, automation elements are being developed, expert systems for management decision support and artificial intelligence are being introduced. These processes require the creation of a knowledge management system in the organiza-tion. Its presence allows the company to form and build up human capital as one of the main intangible re-sources of enterprise development. The analysis of theoretical provisions on this issue, as well as the study of the practice of modern organizations allowed to identify the key trends in knowledge management. It is deemed that one of the urgent problems in this area today is the autonomous application of social and digital tools, which significantly limits their potential.

International relationship management during social distancing: the role of AI-integrated social CRM by MNEs during the Covid-19 pandemic

PurposeThe research empirically examines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) integrated with social customer relationship management (SCRM) in multinational enterprises (MNEs) towards international relationship management under social distancing conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe study initially undertakes pertinently focused theoretical research in the fields of international marketing, knowledge management, and customer relationship management. And, utilizing the theories of resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capability view (DCV) theory, the study develops a theoretical model that is subsequently empirically validated through a survey and structural equation modeling.FindingsThe study highlights the importance and means of adopting AI-integrated social CRM by MNEs, in the context of international relationship management, under the Covid-19 social distancing conditions. The study more specifically elucidates the role and significance of MNE leadership approach and support towards the adoption of AI-integrated social CRM systems and, ultimately, performance improvement of MNEs under such conditions.Research limitations/implicationsThe study presents insights and prescriptive explications on a topic at the heart of state-of the-art technology-based international marketing in the explicit context of the primary business-defining environment of the Covid-19 pandemic. The research provides practicable suggestions to MNEs' leadership towards the adoption of an AI-integrated social CRM system. And the study presents a unique model for international relationship management under social distancing conditions, potentially applicable during other crises.Originality/valueThe research is original and on a ‘fresh’ topic that combines the latest technological advancements in business (AI-integrated CRM) with the present critical business context (pandemic). The research develops a tested theoretical model that (a) is unique in its field; (b) provides a solid foundation for further research; (c) bears generic value and application during other-than-Covid-19 conditions; and (d) enhances the understanding of important fields of international marketing, including international customer relationship management and global knowledge management.

Knowledge rejection: a microfoundation-based framework

PurposeThis study aims to adopt the microfoundation perspective to investigate undesirable knowledge rejection by individuals in organizations in the context of counterproductive knowledge behavior (CKB). The paper advances a conceptual framework of the conditions of knowledge rejection by individuals and their respective knowledge rejection behavior types.Design/methodology/approachThis study reviews the limited literature on knowledge rejection and outline a set of antecedents leading to rejecting knowledge as well as a set of different types of knowledge rejection behaviors. This study reviews and synthesizes articles on knowledge rejection from a microfoundation perspective.FindingsThe proposed conceptual framework specifies four particular conditions for knowledge rejection and outlines four respective knowledge rejection behavior types resulting from these conditions. Recipients’ lack of capacity leads to ineptitude, lack of motivation leads to dismissal of knowledge, lack of alignment with the source leads to disruption and doubts about the validity of external knowledge lead to resistance. The authors treat these behaviors as variants of CKB, as they can hinder the productive use of knowledge resources in the organization.Research limitations/implicationsFurther investigation of both knowledge rejection causes and the resulting knowledge rejection behaviors will ensure a more thorough grasp of the relationships between them, both in terms of the inherent nature of these relationships and their dynamics that would likely be context-sensitive. Although this study focuses only on the individual level, future studies can conduct multi-level analyses of undesirable knowledge rejection, including team and organizational levels.Practical implicationsPractitioners can use the framework to identify, diagnose and manage knowledge rejection more meaningfully, accurately and purposefully in their organizations. This study offers valuable insights for managers facing undesirable knowledge rejection, and provides recommendations on how to address this behavior, improves the constructive use of knowledge resources and the effectiveness of knowledge processes in their organizations. Managers should be aware of undesirable knowledge rejection, its potential cost or concealed cost to their organizations and develop strategies to reduce or prevent it.Originality/valueThe paper contributes toward understanding the relatively neglected topic of knowledge rejection in the knowledge management field and offers a new way of conceptualizing the phenomenon. It proposes that there are two types of knowledge rejection – undesirable and desirable – and advances a more precise and up-to-date definition of undesirable knowledge rejection. Responding to calls for more research on CKBs, the study examines a hitherto unresearched behavior of knowledge rejection and provides a foundation for further study in this area.

МОДЕЛЬ ОЦІНКИ КОНКУРЕНТОСПРОМОЖНОСТІ ВИСОКОТЕХНОЛОГІЧНИХ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ НА ЗАСАДАХ ФОРМУВАННЯ КЛЮЧОВИХ КОМПЕТЕНЦІЙ

The article proposes a model for assessing the competitiveness of high-tech, innovative and active enterprises in the space industry, taking into account competitive advantages based on the formation of key production competencies. The specifics of the application of dynamic models for the analysis of the competitiveness of innovatively active enterprises were specified: the parameters of the necessary dynamic models that take into account the diffusion of competitiveness indicators based a linear differential system. The article proposes a model for evaluating the dependence of competitive advantages on competencies: the dynamic model is based on equations with a lagging element that reflect the non-linear and time-lag nature of the impact of competencies on innovative technologies that directly affect competitiveness, and allows taking into account different variants of dependence with a time lag. An algorithm for multi-criteria rating evaluation of the effectiveness of using the innovative potential of a high-tech enterprise as a source of organizational and production competencies was developed. The article developed a multi-level hierarchical structure of competitiveness indicators: the application of the method of forming criteria weights based on the production rules of aggregating object evaluations and the method of approximation of the matrix of pairwise comparisons of objects of the multiplicative matrix for estimating the error of the decision obtained by the analytical hierarchy method is substantiated. The formation of innovative potential indicates the presence of appropriate organizational competencies for its management. The multifactorial nature of the proposed model for evaluating innovation potential allows to assess the contribution of influencing factors to the overall results, while a comparison of factors for different enterprises allows to identify the leader. Thus, the model allows to solve several tasks in the field of competence management: to assess the overall level of development of innovation potential as an integral criterion of competence in the field of innovation and knowledge management; to identify the strengths of the enterprise and the risks associated with the management of innovative potential. The factors included in the model can be used as resources to ensure the achievement of high results, which corresponds to the «resource theory» of enterprise activity. In addition, the proposed model allows to compare objective quantitative indicators of competitors and identify key competencies and their carriers, whose impact on competitiveness is the most critical and important. The result of this stage is the local and global coefficients of the importance of the criteria at each level of the hierarchy. It was proposed to evaluate objects in the original (qualitative, quantitative) scales according to private indicators, their normalization and aggregation of evaluations according to the global criterion is performed by several aggregation mechanisms depending on the initial data, and an integrated approach to the aggregation of evaluations of innovative competencies of high-tech enterprises.

Steps to Implement Knowledge Management in SMEs

Abstract The concept of Knowledge Management has evolved considerably over time and is increasingly becoming of interest to current companies and implicitly to small and medium-sized enterprises. The technological era and the constant challenges faced in the current context lead small and mediumsized enterprises to use new techniques to gain notoriety in the market and achieve new competitive advantages. The paper considers the detailed analysis of specialized works covering the field of Knowledge Management and highlights the most important theories from the point of view of Knowledge Management implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the concrete steps to be followed in the implementation of Knowledge Management and the theoretical delimitation of the concept to verify its understanding. Theories that define and analyze the field were analyzed and the substantial differences between data, information, and knowledge concepts were highlighted. This paper projects the Knowledge Management System from perspectives that include the representation of knowledge, its organization, implementation, and sharing, as well as ways to measure the performance of knowledge Management in the company. The focus is on conducting an in-depth theoretical review and analysis of Knowledge Management. The contributions of this paper will be useful for both academics and practitioners in the study of Knowledge Management.

The effect of internal knowledge transfer on the relationship between personality traits and employee service performance: a multilevel model

PurposeInternal knowledge transfer is crucial for firms to improve their employees’ abilities and improve their work performance. However, there is still a gap in the knowledge management field regarding whether internal knowledge transfer can leverage employee personality traits and service performance in service-oriented organizations. To address this gap, this study aims to validate a multilevel model of the mediating (i.e. internal knowledge transfer as a mediator) and moderating (i.e. task interdependence as a moderator) mechanisms underlying personality traits and employee service performance.Design/methodology/approachMultilevel structural equation modeling was applied for model validation using an original data set from 45 team leaders and 333 employees working in Chinese hotels.FindingsInternal knowledge transfer mediated the link between extraversion and employee service performance and the link between openness to experience and employee service performance. Task interdependence played a moderating role that strengthened both the impacts of extraversion and openness to experience on internal knowledge transfer.Originality/valueThrough the use of an original data set, this study advances the knowledge management discipline by investigating the mediating impact of internal knowledge transfer between personality traits and employee service performance and revealing the moderating impact of task interdependence that underlies the links between personality traits and internal knowledge transfer.

Emotional intelligence and knowledge sharing as key factors in business management – evidence from Slovak SMEs

ABSTRACT. Over the last decades, researchers have been increasingly studying the field of emotional intelligence and knowledge management. However, the interaction between these two important factors has not received sufficient attention thus far, therefore this paper aims to assess it. The goal of this article is to assess the impact of emotional intelligence on the willingness of knowledge transfer and examine additional factors (such as gender and generation group). The research sample (N=508) consisted of employees of Slovak SMEs. The study was conducted in June-August of 2022. A two-way variance analysis and a binomial logistic regression were applied. In the case of Hypotheses 1 and 2, Emotional Quotient (EQ) figured as an independent variable, while gender and generation group were independent categorical variables. In the case of Hypotheses 3, 4 and 5, a model was set up using logistic regression, where the EQ, gender and generation group were all independent variables. The results show that gender has a real impact on the level of EQ. The willingness of knowledge transfer is influenced by both the level of EQ and gender. The importance of emotional intelligence in connection to knowledge transfer was examined during the crisis caused by COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war, thus expanding the knowledge related to human resources. Previous research on the topic is quite limited and the present study is unique in considering the issue in the context of SMEs and the CEE countries.