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This paper aims to explore the way tacit knowledge (TK) sharing occurred among automotive workshop (AW) employees. Challenges and drivers of TK sharing (TKS), including stakes of experienced employees that hinder the smooth transfer of TK, have been explored.

In-depth interviews have been conducted with experienced technicians using open-ended questions to gain deep insights on the issue of TKS. Data coding has been done for thematic analysis to extract themes.

This study explains the way TK is shared and transferred among employees in the AW sector. Various drivers and challenges in the smooth transfer of TK have been found. Various stakes of employees in the sharing of TK have been explored.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that explored stakes of experienced employees in TKS by exploring challenges in the TKS process among employees. Automotive repair is a complicated technical job that integrates various trade persons for the successful execution of jobs for customer satisfaction. TK is a core value and a sensitive issue among employees, which makes the job of researchers challenging, resulting scarcity of literature on this vital issue.

Although many knowledge management (KM) initiatives are known to miscarry, there has been relative little critical, in‐depth research into the causes of failure. In this paper, an action research (AR) project is described in a major motor manufacturer (WWM) focusing on one of their key knowledge processes (Design for Manufacturabilty) which was regarded as dysfunctional. The paper has two aims: to explore the substantive factors underlying this malaise, and to demonstrate how the rigour and respectability of AR as a research tool can be strengthened by the use of grounded theory (GT) methodology. Using the latter, a model was produced relating the effectiveness of the DFM process to a set of success factors. These factors resonate with key issues described in previous KM research, namely the need for a shared knowledge repository, a formal KM process, and a culture disposed towards knowledge sharing and re‐use. The model provided a rigorous platform for designing interventions to improve the DFM process. Whilst technical changes (creating infrastructure, defining process) are readily feasible, bringing about cultural change is less tractable and process improvements in WWM have tended to focus more on the former than the latter. As well as providing generalisable insights into KM success and failure, the paper also demonstrates the valuable role that GT can make in informing the design of organisational interventions, in evaluating their impact, and in adding rigour to the theory generation dimension of AR.

The paper aims to explore the impact of personal cultural orientation (individualism and collectivism) on knowledge sharing intention (KSI), and to test the moderating effect of tacit knowledge (AK) on the main causal relationships. It proposes modeling the knowledge-sharing process and outlining why and how AK is important throughout the process.

The paper opted for an empirical study using the approach of survey, by sending 400 questionnaires to the employees selected under the branches of the First Automobile Workshop (FAW) in Changchun, who are the major force in direct contact with dissemination of knowledge in the enterprises. A regression analysis was used.

Individualism and collectivism orientations both have significantly positive impacts on KSI; the employees who are more collectivism-orientated are more willing to share knowledge than those who are more individualism-orientated; the higher degree is the AK, the weaker is the relationship between individualism and KSI and the stronger is the relationship between collectivism and KSI.

The practical implication of our findings is that when designing human resource development (HRD) strategies to enhance employees’ KSI, the factors of cultural values and the knowledge attribute need to be taken into consideration.

The paper shows that the personal cultural orientations of individualism and collectivism have positive impacts on the KSI. AK makes different effects on the two relationships by weakening the relationship between individualism and KSI and by strengthening the relationship between collectivism and KSI.

Because selling innovative products is crucial to its livelihood, the pharmaceutical industry has a fundamental need to share knowledge to stimulate the process of knowledge creation. This study seeks to explore knowledge‐sharing enablers and barriers in pharmaceutical R&D.

A case study was carried out in a pharmaceutical company in Denmark. R&D professionals were asked to identify organizational enablers and barriers to knowledge sharing. Their accounts were processed as text during workshops. Data were condensed thematically. The analysis was combined with the conceptualization of tacit and explicit knowledge as proposed by Nonaka and Takeuchi.

The research shows that R&D professionals have different views and practices regarding engaging in knowledge sharing. This reveals that knowledge sharing is multi‐faceted and that one standard for R&D professionals does not exist. The enablers identified recognized the use of tacit knowledge. The existence of enablers and barriers with oppositional influence on knowledge‐sharing practices is evident. Furthermore, synergy is identified in the knowledge‐sharing enablers provided that the settings fostering personal closeness to colleagues are stimulated. Physical proximity to colleagues therefore has obvious influence on knowledge‐sharing practices.

This study was based on a single case study. The extent to which the findings can be generalized to other industries is unknown.

The findings have implications for R&D managers who must be aware of these professional diversities in order to enhance knowledge‐sharing practices. Attention should also be given to the synergies hidden in knowledge‐sharing enablers.

Focused implementation of enablers will increase knowledge‐sharing practices and minimize barriers.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the prerequisites of value co-production by a communication consultant and workshop participants during a communication improvement programme carried out in a medium-sized family firm.

The paper draws from a socio-constructivist view of learning that emphasises participatory processes. It utilises the value co-production concept, referring to collaborative, dialogic activities between the consultant and the client. The theoretical framework includes the transcoder, re-interpreter, and free creator roles of a consultant as realised in a consultancy process characterised by dialogic interaction and equity. The approach is qualitative, and the data come from the expectations of the management team, a video recording of a communication improvement workshop, insights produced in the workshop, and a research journal.

The roles of a consultant were found to be those of organiser, transcoder, re-interpreter, and co-creator. Additionally, a dialogue facilitator role was highlighted as a central prerequisite of value co-production. The importance of a positive spirit in consultancy sessions was questioned because problems can thereby be hidden behind positivity. The value of confusing or even destructive episodes was emphasised as a source of new perspectives.

There are limitations related to the quality of the video recordings, and that the company employees did not yet evaluate the value gained in the long run.

This paper shows that a communication consultant gains insights from company representatives’ insider views in conflict-management situations, and that these conflicts can be useful for organisational learning.

This study contributes to research into strategic communication because it provides new knowledge about the consultant-client interface, particularly in value co-production, in the few studies conducted in the context of SMEs. The study utilises the novel research methodology of video analysis.

This study determines the nexus between spiritual leadership and psychological safety (PS). The authors explore the mediating role of PS and knowledge sharing to offer insights on how spiritual leadership can be advanced to better understand and support intellectual capital.

Data were collected using convenience sampling from the Pakistani automobile manufacturing industry. SPSS statistical software was used for descriptive analysis and hypotheses were tested by using the partial least square-structural equation modeling method.

The results demonstrate that spiritual leadership has a significant positive impact on PS; PS has a positive impact on knowledge sharing (KS) and KS has a positive impact on intellectual capital. Furthermore, PS mediates between spiritual leadership and KS. KS mediates between PS and human, social and organizational capital. Spiritual leadership also affects outside the boundaries of the organization and builds strong social relations with suppliers, buyers, etc.

This study provides a deeper understanding of spiritual leadership in the context of KS and intellectual capital in the automobile sector of Pakistan.

This study encourages managers to nurture a philosophy of altruistic love that exerts a positive influence on employees. It will enrich their experience and promote a culture of KS.

This study has social implications for organizations seeking to situate their inclusive goals in society. The findings of this study can help promote harmony as employees who feel psychologically safe are more willing to spread it in society.

This study theoretically contributes the big picture that how spiritual leadership contributes to intellectual capital and adds to the literature on the topic.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an ontological model of failure knowledge of automobile systems that will enhance the knowledge management of automobile system failures, which will help for design and maintenance of automobiles. Failure knowledge of automobile systems and components gained through maintenance and repair can mitigate future failures, if integrated in the design. This is an outcome of this paper.

A failure coding scheme is developed for assimilating various entities of automobile failure knowledge and an ontological model is developed for its systematic structuring and representation. The developed failure code is a combination of alphanumeric and numeric code that incorporates ingredients of the failure knowledge, which will help database management, with reduced data entry time and storage space.

The maintenance of automobiles not only brings back the systems into operating conditions but also convey a lot of information regarding the failures. This is a useful input to the designers in development of reliable and maintainable automobile systems. A knowledge base can be created for automobile systems/components failures from their maintenance and service experience.

Developed ontological model of automobile failure knowledge gained through maintenance experience can be shared across automobile manufacturers and service providers. This would help in design improvements, with ease and efficient undertaking of maintenance activities. This paper proposes the conceptual ontology structure, which is populated with three cases of automobile maintenance.

This research work is a first attempt to develop an ontological model for automobile failures from their maintenance and service experience. The novelty of the work is in its explicit consideration of all knowledge related to failures and maintenance of automobile systems, with their coding and structuring.

Although Industry 4.0 has created a digital disruption in the business world, there is a huge demand for competent personnel to adapt to innovation in a highly volatile environment. This study aims to develop a conceptual framework on innovation adoption, thus creating a sustainable business performance in the Indian automobile industry.

A sample of 272 employees working in the Indian automobile industry was empirically tested to examine the hypothesized relationships. The proposed relationships were further tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) with AMOS 26 software.

Results highlight that knowledge management, climate for innovation, learning agility and internal corporate communication positively affect innovation adoption. Perceived innovation characteristics also have a significant relationship with innovation adoption and sustainable business performance. Furthermore, innovation adoption has a positive relationship with sustainable business performance. However, ambidextrous leadership has a non-significant relationship with innovation adoption.

This study was confined to the Indian automobile industry, which restricts its generalizability. Thus, future research can be conducted in other sectors and country contexts.

The paper provides valuable insights to practitioners, HR professionals and managers to develop an agile talent who quickly adapts innovative practices to deliver desired results. Organizations must incorporate digital leadership style, robust knowledge management, climate for innovation, learning agility and corporate communication into their talent development practices that further enhance strategic capabilities and lessen expenditures.

This paper provides a holistic framework of innovation adoption in the Indian automobile industry to attain sustainable business performance.