Where is the knowledge we have lost in managers?

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to theorize what relationship exists between knowledge loss and the manager type. Specifically, the purpose of this research is to determine if some types of middle managers report lower levels of information anxiety. A manager's knowledge classification was based on the seminal research of Davenport and Prusak, and Nonaka and Takeuchi.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of Canadian Public Service middle managers completed an online survey instrument over a three‐month period in the autumn of 2003. Ninety‐nine usable survey results formed the basis of analysis for the project. To increase how one may generalize the findings, the sample was compared to a recent large random sample of the same population, which determined that the two samples were statistically the same. Segmenting the managers by knowledge transformation tasks (based on Davenport and Prusak) and knowledge exchange methods (based on Nonaka and Takeuchi) permitted the development of two hypotheses based on the dependent variable of information anxiety.

Findings

An empirical examination revealed that most of the sample reported relatively low levels of information anxiety. The type of tasks performed by the respondents was not a major factor; however, there was a significant negative relationship between frequency of task and information anxiety. The discovery of a weak positive relationship between tacit knowledge use and information anxiety provides the promise of exciting future research opportunities.

Originality/value

This pioneering research is the first project to consider the relationship between information anxiety and type of middle manager through the lens of knowledge transformation tasks and knowledge exchange methods.

Citation

Girard, J.P. (2006), "Where is the knowledge we have lost in managers?", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 10 No. 6, pp. 22-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270610709198