Intra-organizational Knowledge Research Articles

The impacts of digital and learning orientations on supply chain resilience

PurposeThis study quantitatively investigates the impacts of digital and learning orientations on supply chain resilience (SCR) and firm performance (FP), aiming to fill the gaps in understanding their specific impacts in the context of Industry 4.0 developments and supply chain disruptions.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized survey techniques and structural equation modelling (SEM) to gather and analyse data through a questionnaire based on a seven-point Likert scale. Hypotheses were formulated based on an extensive literature review and tested using Amos software.FindingsThe study confirms SCR’s significant impact on FP, aligning with existing research on resilience’s role in organizational competitiveness. This study uncovers the nuanced impacts of digital and learning orientations on SCR and FP. Internal digital orientation (DOI) positively impacts SCR, while external digital orientation (DOE) does not. Specific dimensions of learning orientation – shared vision (LOS), open-mindedness (LOO) and intraorganizational knowledge sharing (LOI) – enhance SCR, while commitment to learning (LOC) does not. SCR mediates the relationship between DOI and FP but not between DOE and FP.Research limitations/implicationsThis research focuses on digital and learning orientations, recommending that future studies investigate other strategic orientations and examine the specific contributions of various digital technologies to SCR across diverse contexts.Practical implicationsThe empirical findings emphasize the significance of developing internal digital capabilities and specific learning orientations to enhance SCR and FP, aligning these initiatives with resilience strategies.Originality/valueThis study advances knowledge by distinguishing the impacts of internal and external digital orientations and specific learning dimensions on SCR and FP, offering nuanced insights and empirical validation.

The relationship between organizational learning and innovation capability in the Vietnamese banking sector

This study investigates the influence of organizational learning on the innovation capability of commercial banks in Vietnam. Its aim is to identify the nature of the relationship between these constructs and empirically examine whether organizational learning practices impact banks' innovation capabilities. This research uses in-depth interviews with a large-scale survey administered to employees across various Vietnamese commercial banks employing a mixed-methods approach. Data collection primarily relied on questionnaires with 280 valid responses to explore the direct and indirect effects of organizational learning on innovation capability. Quantitative analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted using Smart-PLS software to assess scale reliability, test hypotheses and analyze the collected data. The findings confirm a direct and positive relationship between organizational learning and bank innovation capability. Three factors such as commitment to learning, shared vision and open-mindedness were found to exert significant positive influences on the bank’s product and process innovation. However, intra-organizational knowledge sharing exhibited a significant and positive impact only on process innovation with an insignificant effect on product innovation. This finding concerning the limited influence of knowledge sharing on product innovation represents a critical discovery, warranting further investigation into the underlying reasons. It potentially highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of open innovation within the context of commercial banking.

Intra-organizational knowledge sharing, ambidexterity and firm performance: evaluating the role of knowledge quality

PurposeThis study aims to examine how knowledge sharing contributes to organizations’ ambidexterity, their overall performance and the role of knowledge quality in this relationship. Knowledge sharing is conceptualized based on tacit and explicit dimensions, and ambidexterity is viewed as comprising exploitative and explorative capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a cross-sectional survey-based research design and structural equation modeling to test the proposed model of knowledge sharing and knowledge quality in organizational ambidexterity and the related hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate that tacit knowledge sharing has a significant, direct impact on the exploitative and explorative capabilities of the organization and indirectly impacts both dimensions of ambidexterity (i.e. exploitative and explorative) through knowledge quality. In contrast, explicit knowledge sharing does not have a significant impact on knowledge quality and affects only the exploitative extent of ambidexterity. Both exploitative and explorative capabilities significantly impact organizational performance.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study to empirically examine the role of knowledge quality in the context of knowledge sharing for ambidexterity, especially within the context of organizations in the United Arab Emirates.

Dual network configurations and invention renewals within the pharmaceutical industry

PurposeAlthough research on how the downstream calculations of a patent’s profit potential influence invention renewal decisions is extensive, the impact of the upstream knowledge creation stages is overlooked. The purpose of this study is to address this theoretical vacuum by examining the intra-organizational configuration of knowledge networks and collaboration networks.Design/methodology/approachThe data consist of 491 global pharmaceutical firms that patent in the USA. Drawing on patent records, the authors simultaneously construct intra-organizational knowledge networks and collaboration networks and identify network cohesion features (i.e. local and global). The authors employ panel fixed-effects models to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that local knowledge cohesion and local social cohesion decrease invention renewals, while global knowledge cohesion and global social cohesion increase renewals. Moreover, the marginal effects of local and global social cohesion are stronger than those of local and global knowledge cohesion, respectively.Research limitations/implicationsThe hypotheses are tested using the pharmaceutical industry as a research setting, which limits the generalizability of our findings. In addition, potential formal and informal contingencies are not considered.Practical implicationsDespite its limitations, this study provides valuable implications. First, managers are cautioned against the adverse effects of local cohesion structures on invention renewal. Second, firms can dynamically adjust their local and global network configuration strategies to harmonize the generation of valuable inventions and the retention of good ideas.Originality/valueComplementary to previous research that focused on inventions’ performance feedback, this study delves into upstream knowledge creation stages to understand invention renewals.

Fast Friends: The Impact of Short-Term Visits on Firms’ Invention Outcomes

We examine how employees’ short-term visits between research and development (R&D) centers across different countries can enhance a firm’s invention outcomes through enhancing intraorganizational knowledge flows and mutual trust between scientists. We utilize the staggered introduction of the U.S. visa waiver program (VWP) to 41 countries in 1988–2023, which substantially increased short-term visits to the United States. Following the introduction of the VWP, global pharmaceutical companies with R&D centers in VWP countries showed a significant increase in invention quantity and scope compared with those without R&D centers in VWP countries. Notably, we find that the benefits of short-term visits are greater when there is an intermediate knowledge distance between firms’ R&D centers in the United States and VWP countries. If R&D centers have similar knowledge bases, efficient knowledge flows can occur even without visits. For centers with very different knowledge bases, short-term visits do not provide enough time for sufficient knowledge flows. Benefits of short-term visits are also magnified when the cultural distance is greater between firms’ R&D centers. Our findings highlight that even short-term face-to-face interactions can enhance the sharing of tacit knowledge and subsequent invention, thereby offering important managerial and policy implications. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.16081 .

Innovation knowledge exchange within Chaebols and the ownership structure of their foreign subsidiaries

PurposeThis study examines how the characteristics of innovation knowledge exchanged among affiliate firms affect the ownership strategies adopted for their foreign subsidiaries.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a cross-classified multilevel model to examine a sample of 185 Korean manufacturing affiliates derived from 49 Chaebols engaged in international diversification, along with their 1,110 foreign manufacturing subsidiaries.FindingsWhile exploratory innovation knowledge exchange lowers the affiliate's level of ownership in its foreign subsidiary, exploitative innovation knowledge exchange rather increases the affiliate's level of ownership in its foreign subsidiary.Research limitations/implicationsThis study advances the literature on intrafirm knowledge exchange by highlighting it as a determinant of ownership strategies. The study further shows that the characteristics of knowledge exchanged at the affiliate level not only determine the ownership structure but also have the potential to shape the direction in which the subsidiary develops its competencies.Practical implicationsThis study has practical implications for the managers of business group affiliates. The results suggest that managers should adapt their ownership strategies according to the type of knowledge exchanged at the affiliate level to achieve a balanced and synergistic effect on intraorganizational knowledge exchange.Originality/valuePrevious studies have extensively explored the performance implications related to knowledge exchange. However, there is a notable gap in understanding the mechanisms through which the value of knowledge transferred within an affiliate is realized. To address this gap, this study focuses on ownership strategy as a crucial factor and empirically examines how the characteristics of innovation knowledge exchanged among affiliate firms influence the ownership strategies adopted for their foreign subsidiaries. By investigating this relationship, this study provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of knowledge exchange and its effect on ownership decisions within business group affiliates.

Digitalized Human Needs to Support Intra-organizational Knowledge Sharing among Knowledge Workers

Digitalized Human Needs to Support Intra-organizational Knowledge Sharing among Knowledge Workers

New Vocational Education Law on Artificial Intelligence Helps Build a Skilled Society

Abstract Under the guidance of the new vocational education method of artificial intelligence, this paper divides the skill-based society into skill-based organizations, and constructs a knowledge dynamic equilibrium model based on superimposed knowledge fields. The knowledge-explicit module of skill-based talent flow and the external dynamic equilibrium module are integrated to achieve the evolutionary modeling of knowledge resources in skill-based organizations. Based on the discussion of the new vocational education law, the characteristic models of intellectual resource development, knowledge dynamic growth, group evolution and talent motivation in skill-based organizations are proposed respectively. The simulation analysis of the knowledge dynamic equilibrium network is combined with the analysis of influencing factors to inspire the education of higher vocational colleges and universities under the new vocational education method. As measured by the data, the average path length mean values of the intra-organizational knowledge network when N=160, 260, 330 are 2.2761, 2.4437 and 2.5394, respectively, which indicates that skilled talents have a strong willingness to interact with each other and share knowledge. The construction of skill-based organizations should fully create a strong environment for talent exchange and focus on cultivating students’ willingness and ability to communicate in vocational education.

Knowledge Networks, Collaboration Networks, and Local Search Behaviors

Inventors embed themselves in knowledge networks consisting of links between knowledge elements and collaboration networks with other inventors. These two networks are decoupled: Their structural features are distinct, and they jointly influence inventors’ local searches for knowledge. Using a longitudinal patent dataset comprising 12,174 observations, this study investigates the effects of two structural features of inventors in these networks—degree centrality and structural holes—on their local search behaviors. Our findings reveal that the degree centrality of inventors’ knowledge elements in the intra-organizational knowledge network contributes to the depth and breadth of their local search behaviors, while structural holes hinder such behaviors. Furthermore, the effect of degree centrality in the intra-organizational knowledge network for local searches increases when inventors hold central positions and span more structural holes in the intra-organizational collaboration network. The negative effect of structural holes in the knowledge network for local searches weakens when inventors hold central positions in the collaboration network. These findings contribute to the literature on knowledge searches by decoupling the knowledge and collaboration networks and analyzing their effects on the depth and breadth of local searches and offer practical implications to organizational managers and researchers.

The Workplace Podcast: Expanding Intraorganizational Knowledge Capacity

The capturing and the sharing of people’s experiences, reflections, and learning can create value within any firm where knowledge is a regarded as a primary asset. Intraorganizational benefits of conversations captured via podcast-style recording and sharing have the potential to be a major facet of the modern art of knowledge management. Knowledge capture and sharing between members of an organization therefore may be able to create new capabilities for engagement that lead to useful knowledge resources. This paper will explore whether a designed conversation captured and shared through the podcast format and distribution method is more than just storytelling or experience sharing. It will then go on to assert that a designed method of creating this contextual knowledge artifact that is aligned to the organizational values and direction can contribute to an ingrained knowledge sharing disposition (i.e., a fundamental cultural shift). This designed conversation approach proves a dependable and scalable method to the elucidation of know how. Consider this structure being a tin-opener. It is a tool designed to open and get inside to the “canned” tacit knowledge. The resulting conversation could be knowledge of high value to the firm that is released from the minds of personnel. This paper will conclude by proposing a structure for a conversational podcast-like artifact designed to develop intraorganizational knowledge leading to organizational value.

Implications for multinational enterprises from emerging market subsidiaries’ reverse knowledge transfer

PurposeThis study aims to understand the role of drivers, underlying challenges and, consequently, the implications of the reverse knowledge transfer (RKT) process for the multinational enterprises (MNE)s.Design/methodology/approachA dyadic qualitative research design was used with a cross-country design covering perspectives from both the headquarters and subsidiaries from the USA, Denmark, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. In-depth interviews were conducted with managers in multiple sectors such as information technology, telecommunications, project management and engineering.FindingsThe study reveals the constraints and drivers of the RKT process, and furthermore elaborates on the implications for MNEs. RKT can lead to the development of new processes, subsidiary independence and intra-organizational knowledge transfer. Besides, it can entail challenges such as position insecurity for subsidiaries and a blurring of the MNE market vision. The findings demonstrate several implications for the MNEs.Practical implicationsThe study highlights the direct implications of RKT for the multinational enterprises. The findings serve as a practical guide for global managers seeking to improve their competitive edge.Originality/valueThe study presents a framework of the RKT process from emerging market subsidiaries to parent companies, that demonstrates the role of drivers, underlying challenges and implications of the RKT process for the MNEs.

The influence of motivations to share knowledge in preventing knowledge sabotage occurrences: An empirically tested motivational model

The purpose of this research is to assess the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to share knowledge on knowledge sabotage, in order to shape a motivational model designed to reduce sabotage incidents in practice. It contributes to knowledge management literature broadening our understanding of knowledge sabotage, which has been highlighted as the most extreme counterproductive knowledge behaviour due to its deliberate nature of harming others for personal gain. In fact, even though knowledge sabotage has been widely identified in organizations, we still know too little about such a potentially dangerous phenomenon. In our empirical investigation, data collection took place through online questionnaires addressed to 329 employees and managers of heterogeneous companies from Europe. Data has been analysed employing a structural equation modelling (SEM) technique, whose results confirmed the relevance of this phenomenon and identified a negative relationship between intrinsic motivations to share knowledge and the phenomenon of knowledge sabotage. In the end, our conclusions can be useful to expand researchers' and practitioners' awareness of the most extreme counterproductive workplace behaviour that threatens the process of intra-organizational knowledge sharing.

Managing Knowledge Transfer and Sharing within Intra-Organizational Structure

The literature review postulates the significance of knowledge transfer and sharing in the intra-organizational framework. The study operationalized Knowledge transfer, sharing and conjoint usage of knowledge exchange. Participation, contribution and attitude of managerial and non-managerial employees has shown discrepancies. Human traits, ownership of knowledge, insecurity of losing possession and position, distribution of knowledge, knowledge equality and biasness are most common hurdles of knowledge transfer. The paper theoretically examines previous researches and systematically carry out comprehensive literature analysis. The assessment of scientific theories are taken into consideration for developing the construct of paper. The selection of recognized academic references from various databases and journals have been evaluated methodologically. The analysis of scientific discussions and contribution from renowned authors have been used to finalize the concepts of literature review. The Integration of intra-organizational knowledge transfer, sharing and exchange balances the paper.

Antecedents and consequences of knowledge sabotage in the Turkish telecommunication and retail sectors

PurposeThis study aims to propose and test a model explicating the antecedents and consequences of knowledge sabotage.Design/methodology/approachData obtained from 330 employees working in the Turkish retail and telecommunication sectors were analyzed by means of the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling technique.FindingsCo-worker knowledge sabotage is the key factor driving knowledge sabotage behavior of individual employees, followed by co-worker incivility. Interactional justice suppresses individual knowledge sabotage, while supervisor incivility does not affect it. Co-worker knowledge sabotage reduces job satisfaction of other employees, which, in turn, triggers their voluntary turnover intention. Contrary to a popular belief that perpetrators generally benefit from their organizational misbehavior, the findings indicate that knowledge saboteurs suffer from the consequences of their action because they find it mentally difficult to stay in their current organization. Employees understate their own knowledge sabotage engagement and/or overstate that of others.Practical implicationsManagers should realize that interactional justice is an important mechanism that can thwart knowledge sabotage behavior, promote a civil organizational culture, develop proactive approaches to reduce co-worker incivility and strive towards a zero rate of knowledge sabotage incidents in their organizations. Co-worker incivility and co-worker knowledge sabotage in the workplace are possible inhibitors of intraorganizational knowledge flows and are starting points for job dissatisfaction, which may increase workers’ turnover intention.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to further our knowledge on the cognitive mechanisms linking interactional justice and uncivil organizational behavior with knowledge sabotage and employee outcomes.

Power Consumption Efficiency in Multiunit Firms

Strategic management literature suggests that business units/subsidiaries have learning benefits from their intra-organizational knowledge networks. In this paper, we continue exploring those benefits by examining the contingent effect of the network size on the business units’ resource consumption efficiency in the context of power consumption. We argue that by facing a wider range of power consumption practices within their structure, multiunit organizations can develop better power consumption practices and then share those with their business units. However, building on the attention-based view, we contend that the internalization of that knowledge would require the units’ managerial attention. We suggest that such managerial attention is more likely to be provided when a business unit is facing higher competition, experiences financial problems, and when its management’s employment risks are stronger tied to that business unit. Our findings from a multilevel analysis of the power consumption efficiency in 2,347 subsidiaries of Canadian private firms in 2012-2016 support those contentions. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Linking knowledge search to knowledge creation: the intermediate role of knowledge complexity

PurposeKnowledge search is considered a broad concept and semi-intentional behavior. The path and boundary conditions through which search strategies affect intra-organizational knowledge creation remain elusive. Drawing on recombinant search theory and knowledge-based view, the authors seek to identify knowledge complexity as an important intermediate variable between knowledge search and innovation performance, such as research and development (R&D) output and R&D output quality. A second goal of this study is to examine the moderating roles of government support and technological turbulence.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed a longitudinal panel of 609 global pharmaceutical firms and obtained the firms' patent records from 1980 to 2015 for the analysis. The authors used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to evaluate the models and tested the consistency via panel fixed-effects estimations.FindingsThe authors' findings show that organizational routine-guided search has a negative effect on knowledge complexity, while routine-changing search exerts a positive impact on knowledge complexity. Governmental support and technological turbulence moderate these relationships. Notably, knowledge complexity has an inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors' research context, the pharmaceutical industry, may constrain the generalizability of our findings. In addition, potential types of routine-guided and routine-changing search behaviors were not considered.Practical implicationsDespite these limitations, this study offers important implications. First, knowledge complexity transmits the effects of knowledge search on innovation performance. Practitioners should balance routine-guided and routine-changing search processes to build and manage complex knowledge. Second, a moderate level of knowledge complexity is the key to good R&D output and R&D output quality.Originality/valueThe study identifies knowledge complexity as one important intermediate variable between knowledge search behaviors and intra-organizational knowledge creation.

The Great Resignation: the great knowledge exodus or the onset of the Great Knowledge Revolution?

PurposeThe purpose of this Real Impact Viewpoint Article is to analyze the phenomenon of the Great Resignation from the knowledge management perspective.Design/methodology/approachIt applies the knowledge-based view of the firm to the notion of the Great Resignation, reviews the extant literature and relies on secondary data.FindingsThe Great Resignation has created numerous knowledge-related impacts on the individual, organizational and national levels. On the individual level, because of an accelerating adoption of freelancing, the future may witness an expansion of the category of the knowledge worker and a growing need for personal knowledge management methods and information technologies. Organizational effects include knowledge loss, reduced business process efficiency, damaged intra-organizational knowledge flows, lower relational capital, lost informal friendship networks, difficulty attracting the best human capital, undermined knowledge transfer processes and knowledge leakage to competition. Countries may also witness the depletion of national human capital.Practical implicationsManagers should learn how to use the available human capital more efficiently; realize the importance of universal succession planning programs; automate knowledge-centric business processes; facilitate knowledge-based IT initiatives by implementing self-functioning virtual communities, including enterprise social networks; restructure organizations to optimize intra-organizational knowledge flows; adjust strategies, products and target markets based on the available human capital; and create telecommuting conditions for people with disabilities who cannot be physically present. Knowledge management scholars are presented with a unique opportunity to convert the numerous theoretical insights accumulated within the boundaries of their discipline into practical application to facilitate the Great Knowledge Revolution.Originality/valueThis viewpoint offers managerial recommendations and inspires future Great Resignation investigations.

The effect of intra-organizational knowledge hiding on employee turnover intentions: the mediating role of organizational embeddedness: a case study of knowledge workers of IRIB

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the relationship between intra-organizational knowledge hiding (I-OKH) and turnover intention via the mediating role of organizational embeddedness.Design/methodology/approachA model was developed and tested with data collected from 276 knowledge workers from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) using Smart PLS3 to test the hypotheses.FindingsResults show that organizational embeddedness mediates the relationship between intra-organizational knowledge hiding and turnover intention because intra-organizational knowledge hiding relates negatively to organizational embeddedness, which, in turn, has a negative effect on turnover intentions.Practical implicationsThis study can be beneficial for organizations that employ knowledge workers. The management should pay attention to the existence and consequences of intra-organizational knowledge hiding to control one of the causing factors of weakened organizational embeddedness, which, in turn, increases employee turnover intentions.Originality/valueThis study is the first attempt to analyze knowledge hiding from a third-person point of view. Moreover, this is the first to examine the mediating role of organizational embeddedness in the relationship between intra-organizational knowledge hiding and employee turnover intentions, enriched by employing the data from the knowledge workers beyond the Anglo-American-European world.

Role of Knowledge Management Practices in Indian Financial Sector

Knowledge is inherent in ideas, talent, judgments, relationship, root causes, relationships, concepts and perspective. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of knowledge management practices and organizational commitment on the job satisfaction of individual employees. A theoretical model concerning the connections between six facets of Knowledge Management (knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing, knowledge creation, knowledge application, knowledge codification and knowledge retention), two facets of Organizational Commitment (Keeping up organizational image and Responding to organizational greediness) and job satisfaction is proposed. Then data is collected through face to face questionnaire and also online web based questionnaires and sample is selected on convenience based from the banking sector organization of Coimbatore. The findings of the study show that the organization's commitment to one's work environment and the knowledge management process are closely linked to the job satisfaction of higher employees. Especially intra-organizational knowledge sharing knowledge application and knowledge creation also organization commitment (coping with attachment) seems to be a key factors promoting satisfaction with one’s job in most employee.

Learning orientation impact, innovativeness and business performance in Croatian companies

This study explores whether certain changes in the model of the impact that learning orientation (LO) had on innovativeness and business performance in Croatian companies occurred in the period 2016-2019. Regression and covariance analysis was used to analyse the collected data. According to the results obtained, the impact of learning orientation and its components (commitment to learning, shared vision, open-mindedness and intra-organizational knowledge sharing) on innovativeness (product innovativeness, process innovativeness and business system innovativeness) did not change statistically significantly in the period 2016-2019. The same trend was observed with respect to business performance. In this period, a statistically significant change was identified in the effect of commitment to learning and open-mindedness on product innovativeness, and in the effect of open-mindedness on business system innovativeness. Likewise, the effect of commitment to learning, open mindedness and intra-organizational knowledge sharing within the company on the qualitative effects of business performance also changed. Empirical results provide significant theoretical and managerial implications in implementing a learning orientation with the aim of increasing companies' competitiveness in the market.