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1 – 10 of over 5000
Article
Publication date: 20 September 2022

Umar Farooq Sahibzada, Asha Thomas, M. Saleem Ullah Khan Sumbal and Mehwish Malik

The study explores the impact of knowledge management (KM) enablers, i.e. trust and organizational climate, on KM processes. The study further observes the indirect relationship…

Abstract

Purpose

The study explores the impact of knowledge management (KM) enablers, i.e. trust and organizational climate, on KM processes. The study further observes the indirect relationship of KM processes on organizational performance via the mediating role of knowledge workers' satisfaction in cross-cultural settings.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used a survey of 784 educational and administrative personnel from higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan and China. Smart Partial Least Square (PLS) 3.2.9 was employed to perform the analysis.

Findings

The result shows that trust and organizational climate influences KM processes, and these KM processes, in turn, impact organizational performance via the partial mediating effect of knowledge worker satisfaction (KWS) in Pakistan. The multi-group analysis confirmed the substantial differential effect of KM processes on KWS in culturally different HEIs. At the same time, the study's overall sample substantiated full mediation in China. Furthermore, the impact of KM processes on organizational performance did not substantiate in China.

Practical implications

Outcomes of this research affirm KM university practice and recommend how higher education academics and administrators prioritize trust, organizational climate, KM processes, and KWS while strengthening organizational performance in a culturally different environment.

Originality/value

A lack of research ascertains the inter-relationship between trust, organizational climate, KM processes, KWS, and organizational performance in culturally different environments. This is one of the initial studies that examine the relationship between trust, organizational climate, KM processes, KWS, and organizational performance in HEIs. The study empirically examines the inter-relationships among these variables and enlightens insights into the current literature by immediately investigating the mediating role of KWS in culturally different environments.

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2022

Sajjad Alam, Jianhua Zhang and Muhammad Usman Shehzad

This study aims to examine the relationship between green technology implementation (GTI), knowledge management (KM) process and knowledge workers' operational performance (KWOP)…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between green technology implementation (GTI), knowledge management (KM) process and knowledge workers' operational performance (KWOP). The research postulates that a specific combination of GTI and KM processes can lead to improving KWOP.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample data (304) were taken from those manufacturing firms that are utilizing green technology. The examination was conducted by Smart PLS-SEM and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The Smart PLS 3.29 is used to verify certain variable relationships. Moreover, fsQCA is used to investigate multiple configuration paths to enhance KWOP.

Findings

The study's outcome indicated that GTI positively influences the KM process in manufacturing firms, and the KM process enormously improves KWOP. The fsQCA analysis result explores various integrations (communication, collaboration, supporting role and improved performance) with the KM (acquisition, sharing and utilization) process identified to enhance the performance of KWOP. The current study supports two merging methods to deepen understanding of employee operational performance.

Originality/value

The study methodologically contributes by integrating direct and configuration approaches to develop firms' operational performance. This study contributes to bridging research gaps in the prior literature and advances insight into the association between GTI, KM process and KWOP.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 52 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 May 2024

Aihua Gu, Amjad Nawaz, Sher Abbas and Bochao Lv

Drawing upon Drucker’s theory of productivity, this study proposes to examine the relationship between knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) and knowledge worker performance (KWP…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing upon Drucker’s theory of productivity, this study proposes to examine the relationship between knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) and knowledge worker performance (KWP) within the Chinese information technology (IT) industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, this study examines the direct connection between KWP and organizational performance (OP), as well as mediated via employee creative work behavior (ECWB), and digital citizenship behavior (DCB).

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the research was collected from a sample size of 322 individuals working in the IT industry context in China, with varying levels of seniority (lower, middle and upper). The relationship was examined by employing Smart PLS 4 in a current study.

Findings

The study findings revealed a significant and conspicuous effect of KOL on KWP. The outcomes divulged the fact that KOL has a positive impact on the ECWB, and DCB improves the performance of knowledge workers, resulting in an overall augmentation in the organizational performance of the IT industry.

Originality/value

Presently, there exist a scarcity of substantial empirical studies to thoroughly examine the influence of KOL, ECWB, DCB, KWP and OP in the domain of Chinese IT industry research, particularly in the setting of the pandemic. The study makes a substantial contribution to the extant literature on the topic via empirically examining the association among KOL, KWP and organizational performance, as well as evaluating the mediation mechanism of both employee creative work behavior and digital citizenship behavior.

Article
Publication date: 16 July 2024

Maggie Boyraz and Rosemarie Gilbert

This study explores the topic of remote work and the changing motivations to working from home after the COVID-19 pandemic-induced exposure to working from home. It examines the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the topic of remote work and the changing motivations to working from home after the COVID-19 pandemic-induced exposure to working from home. It examines the effects of that forced work from home (WFH) experience on subsequent motivations for continuing part or all of that changed mode of working. In this study, the authors examine the perspective of front-line knowledge workers regarding the motivation to WFH based on their lived experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

Self-determination theory (SDT) provided the theoretical basis for the study (Ryan and Deci, 2000, 2017). The authors employed semi-structured individual and group interviews (with 28 participants) and explored the following questions: How has the competence aspect of motivation to WFH changed due to the shift that occurred during the pandemic? How has the relatedness aspect of motivation to WFH changed due to the shift that occurred during the pandemic? How has the autonomy aspect of motivation to WFH changed due to the shift that transpired during the pandemic?

Findings

The findings show that there was a change from an extrinsic motivation based on external factors to one that is more intrinsic, or internal, in nature for knowledge workers who experienced the switch to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study makes an important contribution by developing a theoretical model based on SDT (Ryan and Deci, 2000, 2017) in the context of WFH. In the first phase (Phase 1), workers experienced many transitional challenges due to the suddenness and intensiveness of the shift. However, over time workers adapted and adjusted (we refer to this as Phase 2 in our model). Ultimately, all three aspects of SDT – competence, relatedness and autonomy – increased motivation to work from home. However, we also found some factors that act as demotivators to knowledge workers for embracing remote work such as those involving career advancement and the expectation of voice. Despite these moderating factors, the overall progression toward the desire to WFH, at least on a hybrid basis, has continued after adjusting to the forced experience of telecommuting during the pandemic.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is to disaggregate the short-term effects of the sudden transition, to the longer-term effects after adaption and adjustment occurred, and to connect that to a new perspective on work by employees. It does this by extending SDT to the context of motivation regarding work from home. The COVID-19 pandemic provided experience of and opportunities for telework to more employees and changed many of their expectations and motivations. By looking at front-line knowledge workers’ expectations and motivations related to home-based work, we can better understand the increased demand by workers for hybrid work schedules.

Details

Employee Relations: The International Journal, vol. 46 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2023

Kyra Voll and Andreas Pfnür

The world of work is constantly changing. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced working from home, and there is an increasing demand for flexibility regarding the workplace. There…

Abstract

Purpose

The world of work is constantly changing. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced working from home, and there is an increasing demand for flexibility regarding the workplace. There is little empirical evidence on the mechanisms and factors that influence employee outcomes, such as productivity and turnover intention, at the workplace and at home. In addition, it is unclear whether the workplace characteristics that influence employee outcomes vary between different nations due to country-specific circumstances. The paper aims to address these two issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The research model applied in this study is based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) and environmental demands-resources models using German (n = 429) and USA (n = 507) survey samples. Partial least squares structural equation modelling is used to analyse the influence of workplace characteristics (isolation, family–work interference, equipment/facilities and skill variety) on employee outcomes (satisfaction, burnout, productivity and turnover intention). Additionally, a multi-group analysis is used to explore group differences in the factors influencing satisfaction, burnout, productivity and turnover intention between employees in Germany and the USA.

Findings

The results reveal that significant determinants of productivity and turnover intention include isolation, family–work interference, equipment/facilities and skill variety. Isolation and equipment/facilities are identified as the most important demands and resources of the home workplace. Some significant differences are found between Germany and the USA. The positive effect of isolation on burnout is significantly stronger in the USA than in Germany, whereas the positive effect of family–work inference on burnout is stronger in Germany than in the USA. The negative effects visible for the relations between burnout and satisfaction, and satisfaction and turnover intention are stronger in Germany than in the USA. The positive effect of burnout on turnover intention is stronger in the USA compared to Germany.

Originality/value

The study adds empirical evidence to the JD-R theory by analysing the influence of the home workplace characteristics on employee outcomes in different countries for the first time using a multi-group analysis. In addition, the study reveals new insights into the differences between the knowledge workforces in Germany and the USA by uncovering how key factors influence employee outcomes such as productivity and turnover intention, partially carried by varying length of experience in work from home between both of these countries. Insights from this study can support corporate real estate managers to make better decisions on the design of employees’ home workplaces and the integration of work from home into the company’s workspace concept.

Details

Journal of Corporate Real Estate , vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-001X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2024

Amjad Nawaz, Aihua Gu and Tao Jiang

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak understanding the behavioral dynamics and role of knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) in driving knowledge worker performance (KWP) is…

Abstract

Purpose

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak understanding the behavioral dynamics and role of knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) in driving knowledge worker performance (KWP) is paramount for organizations striving to adapt and thrive in the post-pandemic era. Drawing on the path-goal theory, this study explores the impact of KOL on KWP. In addition, this study seeks to examine both the direct and indirect influences of KOL on KWP via digital orientation (DO) and digital citizenship practices (DCP), especially for higher education institutions (HEIs) located in China.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consisted of 319 academic staff from HEIs in China. The study used Smart-PLS 4.0 for analytical examination.

Findings

The results indicate that the impact of knowledge-oriented leadership on KWP is negligible. Furthermore, DCP and DO partially mediate the relationship between KOL and KWP. The findings of this research have practical implications for Chinese HEIs and organizations across industries, providing insights into how to navigate the complexities of the post-pandemic work environment and effectively harness digitalization to optimize the KWP.

Research limitations/implications

The implications of this research extend beyond the HEIs, providing organizations in various industries with evidence-based strategies to promote effective leadership, foster digital skills, and cultivate a culture of digital citizenship in the post-pandemic work landscape.

Originality/value

Despite the increasing significance of KOL in the higher education sector, there is a dearth of studies establishing a relationship between KOL and KWP in HEIs. The present study seeks to fill this gap by examining the association among KOL, KWP, DO, and DCP in HEIs during the post-pandemic. This research provides significant contributions to the existing literature on the topic by scientifically exploring the association between KOL and KWP by examining the intervention mechanism of both digital citizenship practices and digital orientation.

Article
Publication date: 21 December 2023

Giorgio Giacomelli, Nora Annesi and Marta Barbieri

The study aims to examine the relationship between telework conditions and employees' job satisfaction (JS) within knowledge-intensive public organizations (KIPOs). Additionally…

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to examine the relationship between telework conditions and employees' job satisfaction (JS) within knowledge-intensive public organizations (KIPOs). Additionally, it aims to unfold the mediating role played by both organizational and job characteristics, namely supervisory support (SS) and job autonomy (JA).

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis adopts a simultaneous qualitative-quantitative design, starting with a preliminary inductive analysis of qualitative data, followed by a deductive quantitative analysis using structural equation modeling (SEM). The data were retrieved from a survey completed by some 700 employees of a regional environmental protection agency in Italy.

Findings

Findings show that the positive association between conditions for telework (CT) and JS is partially mediated by both SS and JA. Moreover, the results of the study suggest a sequential nature of such mediational patterns.

Originality/value

This research provides an empirical contribution to a relatively under-investigated area: the role of job characteristics in explaining the nexus between telework and JS. Furthermore, the study takes place within the context of a KIPO, adding particular significance to the emerging insights due to the distinct nature of the work conducted in such settings.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2023

Mehwish Malik, Muhammad Abbas and Hassan Imam

Drawing upon social cognitive theory (SCT), the authors aimed to examine the relationship between supervisors' knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) style and knowledge workers'…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing upon social cognitive theory (SCT), the authors aimed to examine the relationship between supervisors' knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) style and knowledge workers' performance. The authors further investigated the conditional indirect effects of KOL on workers' performance through knowledge management (KM) engagement at different levels of workers' empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a time-lagged field survey and collected data from 212 knowledge workers and their 72 supervisors working in 15 knowledge-intensive firms across Pakistan.

Findings

The results showed that supervisors' KOL positively affected knowledge workers' performance both directly and through KM engagement. Similarly, the effect of KM engagement on workers' performance was stronger for those who experienced higher levels of empowerment. Finally, the indirect effects of KOL on workers' performance through KM engagement were stronger for higher levels of empowerment.

Originality/value

The study provided theoretical implications, specifically in a non-Western work context where KOL is relatively less explored. Additionally, the authors examined the concept of empowerment, using SCT, as a boundary condition, providing evidence for empowerment as a contingency factor that fosters employees' performance.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 44 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 February 2023

Jiayi Song, Hao Jiao and Canhao Wang

Innovative behavior is a microfoundation of an organization’s innovation. Knowledge workers are the main creators of innovations. With the boundaries between work and family…

Abstract

Purpose

Innovative behavior is a microfoundation of an organization’s innovation. Knowledge workers are the main creators of innovations. With the boundaries between work and family becoming increasingly ambiguous, the purpose of this study is to explore how the work–family conflict affects knowledge workers’ innovative behavior and when such a conflict arises.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the theoretical model, this study collected data from a time-lagged matched sample of 214 dual-career couples. The data were analyzed with the bias-corrected bootstrapping method.

Findings

The results of this study showed that work-to-family conflict had not only a direct negative effect on knowledge workers’ innovative behavior but also an indirect effect through spouses’ within-family emotional exhaustion and knowledge workers’ family-to-work conflict. If wives’ gender role perceptions are traditional, then the indirect serial mediating effect is weakened, but if such perceptions are egalitarian, then the mentioned effect is aggravated.

Practical implications

In terms of organizational implications, managers could alter their approach by reducing detrimental factors such as work–family conflict to improve knowledge workers’ innovative behavior. Emotional assistance programs for both knowledge workers and their spouses can be used to prevent the detrimental effect of work–family conflict on innovative behavior. As to social implications, placing dual-career couples into a community of likeminded individuals and promoting their agreement on gender role identity will greatly reduce the negative effects of work–family conflict.

Originality/value

Starting from the perspective of the behavior outcome of knowledge management, this study advances the existing knowledge management literature by enriching the antecedents of knowledge workers’ innovative behavior, illuminating a spillover–crossover–spillover effect of work–family conflict on knowledge workers’ innovative behavior and identifying the boundary condition of this transmission process.

Article
Publication date: 20 November 2023

The-Ngan Ma and Hong Van Vu

Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this study aims to develop and test a model of moderated mediation in the relationship between job autonomy and employee life…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this study aims to develop and test a model of moderated mediation in the relationship between job autonomy and employee life satisfaction, focusing on the mediating role of work–family enrichment (WFE) and the moderating role of segmentation preference.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a time-lagged research design, data were collected from 314 employees representing various organisations in Vietnam. The PROCESS macro in SPSS 20.0 was used to analyse the relationships.

Findings

The results indicate a positive relationship between job autonomy and employees’ life satisfaction, mediated by WFE. Additionally, the indirect effect of job autonomy on life satisfaction via WFE was weaker when employees preferred high work–family segmentation.

Practical implications

The study suggests that organisations can enhance employee life satisfaction by increasing job autonomy and promoting WFE. Organisations can establish a more supportive and engaging work environment that promotes well-being by tailoring these interventions to suit employees’ segmentation preferences.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by shedding light on how organisational factors influence employee life satisfaction. It provides the first empirical evidence of a relationship between job autonomy and life satisfaction. It also explores the potential mediation effect of WFE and the moderating effect of segmentation preference.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

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