The effect of HRM practices on knowledge management capacity: a comparative study in Indian IT industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 649-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharmila Gope ◽  
Gianluca Elia ◽  
Giuseppina Passiante
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
It Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Capacity ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose Successful businesses demand high-performing human resource management practices (HRMP) and effective knowledge management capacity (KMC) to enhance the overall organizational performance. Rapid growth of both local and multinational companies operating in knowledge-intensive industries has increased the global competition in the labor market, also for the developing economies. Therefore, attracting valuable human capital, retaining talents and managing effectively knowledge to deliver on the latest technologies and innovative solutions and services are the biggest challenges in the modern IT industry. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of HRMP on KMC through a cross-case analysis including four companies operating in Indian IT sector. Based on the existing studies in this field, five key HRMP have been identified (i.e. recruitment and selection, training and development, compensation and reward, employee retention and career development), as well as two key processes supporting the KMC (i.e. knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing). Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a qualitative research method based on a multiple case study, and it uses primary and secondary data collected through desk research and field interviews. Findings Results show the existence of HRMP aiming to enhance the individual learning, motivation and retention of employees for knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing, in the strategic perspective to improve the organizational performance. Research limitations/implications The paper presents some limitations, which may provide scope for future research. First, being the study a qualitative multiple case analysis, a more extensive research is needed to generalize the results and investigate further relationships existing between HRMP and KMC. Moreover, a deep investigation on the organizational performance dimensions (e.g. sales growth, cash turnover, financial goal achievement) is required to verify the existence of possible links. Finally, a further limit consists in considering only knowledge acquisition and knowledge-sharing processes, excluding another crucial knowledge management (KM) process such as knowledge application. As for the research implications, the paper contributes to investigate the role of HRMP in supporting KMC in Indian IT companies, which represents a context of research not so much investigated. Practical implications From a practitioner point of view, the study can be helpful to HR and KM managers for motivating employees to undertake learning processes and enhance their performance, as well as to acquire and share knowledge resources that are useful for the organization to remain innovative and stay competitive. Originality/value As the influence of HRMP on KMC has not been widely studied in the Indian IT industry, the study may open the field for further studies on a deeper investigation of the relationships existing between human resources management (HRM), KM and organizational performance in knowledge-intensive industries in India and, more in general, in developing economies.

Cognition and knowledge sharing in post-acquisition integration: insights from Indian IT acquiring firms

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manya Jaura ◽  
Snejina Michailova
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
It Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organisational Identity ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
Acquisition Integration ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Cognition And Knowledge

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of cognition on knowledge sharing between members of the acquiring and acquired organisations in the post-acquisition integration process. It specifically analyses differentiation between in-groups and out-groups, the perception of organisational identity and interaction among members of the acquired and acquiring organisations and how these three factors affect knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach – The authors develop theoretical propositions and conduct an explorative pilot study on the basis of original interview data conducted with ten respondents in four Indian IT companies that have acquired firms abroad. Findings – The authors find evidence for supporting the negative effect of in- and out-groups differentiation and the positive effect of interpersonal interaction on knowledge sharing among employees of the acquired and acquiring organisations. There was indicative, but less compelling, evidence for the negative influence of inter-group competition and the positive influence of perceived shared organisational identity on knowledge sharing. Different from the established view, the authors find that when Indian firms acquire firms abroad, they immediately initiate knowledge flows from the targets rather than going through a long period of integration prior to acquiring knowledge from the targets. Research limitations/implications – The paper contributes to the scholarly conversation on cognition and knowledge sharing and argues that firms that are located in developing economies and that acquire firms abroad behave in a way somewhat different from what Western literature postulates. This invites for further studies, both theoretical and empirical, to shed light on this phenomenon. The present paper is focused only on one country, India, and on a single industry, the IT industry. It is limited in its empirical part, mainly due to enormous difficulties in getting access to the field. Practical implications – The study demonstrates how central individuals are to the process of knowledge sharing and the accomplishment of organisational objectives in a post-acquisition context. Managers should understand that the knowledge their employees possess is a strategic asset, and therefore how they use it is influential in attaining organisational goals in general, and acquisition integration objectives in particular. The creation of task- and project-related communities or groups can help in establishing a shared organisational identity, especially after the turbulent event of one company acquiring another one. The creation of communities or groups where socialisation is encouraged can lead to employees interacting with one another and developing a sense of belongingness with the community or group. Over time, this belongingness can translate into a shared organisational identity, which is beneficial for the organisation. The findings suggest that the creation of task- or project-oriented communities and groups is a powerful way to achieve that. Originality/value – The contribution of the paper is fourfold. First, while macro orientation dominates literature on the growth of the Indian IT industry, this study is conducted at the individual level of analysis, by focusing on managers in acquiring Indian IT firms. Second, whereas studies that have examined cognition and knowledge sharing have done so mainly through social capital lenses, this paper focuses on factors that are based on the inherent tendency of human beings to categorise themselves and other individuals. Third, the paper examines the links between cognition and knowledge sharing in an exciting context, namely, post-acquisition integration. Finally, while research on both post-acquisition integration and knowledge sharing is biased towards a Western context, this study investigates knowledge sharing and post-acquisition integration in the context of a major non-Western emerging economy.

Peer knowledge sharing and organizational performance: the role of leadership support and knowledge management success

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 2455-2489
Author(s):  
Shahnawaz Muhammed ◽  
Halil Zaim
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Organizational Knowledge ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Sharing Behavior ◽  
Leadership Support ◽  
Sharing Behavior

Purpose This study aims to focus on a particular type of intra-organizational knowledge sharing that is referred to as peer knowledge sharing. This paper examines how peer knowledge sharing impacts firms’ financial and innovation performance, and the mechanism through which such a relationship is realized. The study also evaluates the extent to which leadership support acts as a key antecedent to peer knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on social capital theory and a knowledge-based view of firms, a theoretical model and related hypotheses are presented for testing. A survey design methodology is used to collect data and test the model. Structural equation modeling is used to test the hypothesized relationships based on data collected from 330 knowledge workers in various service-based organizations in Turkey. Findings The results indicate that the extent of employees’ engagement in knowledge sharing behavior with their peers and their managers’ leadership support exert a positive impact on organizations’ knowledge management success, which, in turn, can affect organizations’ innovation performance positively and, subsequently, their financial performance. Leadership support of the immediate manager is found to be an important factor that contributes to the respondent’s peer knowledge sharing behavior. The proposed model’s invariance testing between male and female respondents revealed that peer knowledge sharing’s contribution to knowledge management success may be different in the two groups. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to extant research on knowledge sharing by specifically focusing on peer knowledge sharing and reinforcing leadership support’s importance on knowledge sharing. The study also highlights the importance of knowledge management success as an important mediator necessary for linking individual knowledge management behaviors, such as peer knowledge sharing, with organizational performance. Originality/value Knowledge sharing is a topic of continuing interest for organizational researchers, yet limited empirical research has been conducted that links individual-level, intra-organizational knowledge sharing to organizational performance. This study examines this linkage and provides empirical support for this relationship, while simultaneously pointing to an important type of knowledge sharing that occurs within organizations, referred to as peer knowledge sharing.

Productization of knowledge-intensive services

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 360-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aku Valtakoski ◽  
Katriina Järvi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Group Behavior ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Business Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontline Employee ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the antecedents of service innovation success in the knowledge-intensive business services context, especially why the participation of frontline employees and multiple organizational units is not enough for succeeding in knowledge-intensive service productization. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple-case study of two polar cases with longitudinal data, participant observation, and key personnel interviews. Findings – Case evidence indicates that frontline employee participation and cross-unit collaboration are not sufficient antecedents for successful service productization. Instead, to facilitate employee knowledge sharing, managers need to align the project goals with the goals of participating employees, and promote trust among the project workgroup. Moreover, to enable effective cross-unit collaboration, managers need to facilitate the establishment of common vocabulary for productization work and services, and to resolve any emerging conflicts between participating organizational units. Practical implications – The findings indicate the importance of enabling knowledge sharing and cross-unit collaboration for service productization. The identified antecedents translate to practical strategies for achieving these. The results also highlight the importance of bottom-up service innovation, and the management of service innovation on the group level. Originality/value – The study indicates that common antecedents for successful service innovation may not be sufficient in the knowledge-intensive context, calling into question the assumptions about individual and group behavior in service innovation, and suggesting the importance of multi-level perspective on service innovation.

Organizational learning through transformational leadership

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Kashif Imran ◽  
Muhammad Ilyas ◽  
Usman Aslam ◽  
Ubaid-Ur-Rahman Ubaid-Ur-Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Process Capability ◽  
Management Process ◽  
Intensive Culture ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The transformation of firms from resource-based-view to knowledge-based-view has extended the importance of organizational learning. Thus, this study aims to develop an organizational learning model through transformational leadership with indirect effect of knowledge management process capability and interactive role of knowledge-intensive culture. Design/methodology/approach Different statistical analyses were done to check the direct, indirect and interactive effects on 204 valid responses. Findings The results are clearly depicting that transformational leadership has significant positive impact on organizational learning and knowledge management process capability, and partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational learning. Additionally, knowledge-intensive culture has strengthened the relationship between transformational leadership and knowledge management process capability. Originality/value This is an overarching and unique conceptual model. After examining the importance of organizational learning in the context of innovative ability, competitive advantage, creativity and organizational performance, management has to initiate steps to induct transformational leaders, develop knowledge-intensive culture and introduce knowledge management processes to boost learning environment in organizations.

Intellectual capital, knowledge management and social capital within the ICT sector in Jordan

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 437-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bushra Meaad Ramadan ◽  
Samer Eid Dahiyat ◽  
Nick Bontis ◽  
Mahmoud Ali Al-dalahmeh
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the mediating effect of social capital (SC) on knowledge management (KM) and intellectual capital (IC). Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model of the connections between IC, KM, and SC was developed and the posited hypotheses were tested using a survey data set of 281 questionnaires collected from knowledge workers working in 72 information and communications technology companies operating in Jordan. Findings The findings show that knowledge documentation and knowledge transfer emerged as having the strongest effects on IC, followed by knowledge acquisition and knowledge creation, while knowledge application was found to have an insignificant effect. Also, knowledge transfer and knowledge acquisition emerged as the only two significant processes for the development of SC. Moreover, SC was found to partially and significantly mediate the effects of all processes on IC. Practical implications To promote the development of IC, particularly, in a knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) sector, documentation, transfer, acquisition, and creation of knowledge are especially effective processes. Furthermore, SC can be significantly enhanced through ensuring effective internal knowledge transfer and acquisition practices. Nurturing IC in a knowledge-intensive context can also be significantly enhanced through looking at the firm as a cooperative knowledge-sharing entity, i.e. investing in SC. Originality/value This is the first empirical study that has examined the links among KM processes, SC, and IC in a KIBS sector within an “oil-poor,” “human resource-rich” Arab developing country context.

Formalizing company KM portrait: pilot study with evidence from Russia

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Gavrilova ◽  
Artem Alsufyev ◽  
Anastasiia Pleshkova
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Empirical Testing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Knowledge Management Practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop the model of knowledge management influence on company performance for further empirical testing of the links between knowledge management practices and processes and organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach This study establishes a model for comprehensive analysis of knowledge management’s influence on performance and describes the preliminary results gained from the experience of 120 Russian companies. For further testing structural equation modelling and the partial least squares methods are proposed. Findings The results of the literature review justify the importance of the study conducting this study in the field of knowledge management and its connection to organizational performance in the developing market of Russia. A theoretical model for future empirical testing is provided and methods suggested for further data analysis and interpretation. The preliminary conclusions are discussed. Research limitations/implications The focus on Russian firms limits the generalizability of the results. The non-response bias is also taken into account for further study. Practical implications This pilot study outlines the importance of knowledge management practices and processes for firm performance. The preliminary results will be interesting both for researchers and practitioners in the countries with the developing economies. The final results will provide new insights in understanding and formalizing the portrait of a typical Russian company with regards to knowledge management policies. Originality/value Few studies have been published on the knowledge management process within the Russian context. This study is expected to encourage future studies in this field. The present paper fills an important gap in the extant literature by conceptualizing the model for knowledge management performance analysis and proposes empirical testing of the relationship between knowledge management and firm performance in the context of a developing country that will be presented later as the direction for future study. This study is one of the first ever to study these relationships within the Russian context.

Understanding the relationships among knowledge-oriented leadership, knowledge management capacity, innovation performance and organizational performance

Kybernetes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (11) ◽  
pp. 2819-2846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mert Gürlek ◽  
Murat Çemberci
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Capacity ◽  
Serial Mediation

Purpose Drawing on knowledge-based theory, contingency theory of leadership, social learning theory and resource-based view, this study aims to investigate the relationships among knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL), knowledge management capacity (KMC), innovation performance (IP) and organizational performance (OP). Design/methodology/approach The relationships were examined using the serial mediation model of Hayes (2013). Data were collected from the firms (N = 502) operating in technology development zones in Turkey. The sample size corresponds to 10% of total number of the firms. Within the scope of a policy called National Technology Move by public authority, Turkey has been making strong investments to produce original and advanced technology products. A significant portion of these investments is directed toward technology development zones. Therefore, research on this topic may be of interest in Turkey. It should also be noted that Turkey is a developing country and is one of the world’s 20 largest economies. Findings The findings show that KMC and IP serially mediate the effect of KOL on OP. In the light of the findings, KOL establishes the eligible conditions for the improvement of KMC. Enhanced KMC transforms into innovation, and as a result, OP increases. As a result, this research shows that Turkish firms under the leadership of knowledge-oriented leaders have high KMC, innovation performance and firm performance. These findings can serve as a valuable benchmark for future studies in developing countries. Research limitations/implications The current research has several limitations. It was carried out on the firms operating in technology development zones in Turkey. Future researches can be conducted on the firms outside the technology development zones. Second, this research was carried out in Turkey. The study was conducted in a specific national context covering only Turkish firms. It is recommended that readers be cautious when generalizing the results to different contexts (e.g. other countries and industries). Future researches can be conducted on the firms located in technology development zones in different countries. This may allow the comparison of countries. Turkey is a developing country. For this reason, developing countries should be taken into consideration in the comparison between countries, not developed countries such as the USA and European countries. Third, this is a cross-sectional study. Therefore, it does not reveal the changes in research variables over time. Longitudinal data collection is recommended for future researches. Practical implications The research findings are turned into a slogan and the firms are recommended the following perspective: more innovation for strong performance; a strong KMC for innovation; and for all, a strong knowledge-oriented leadership. Originality/value KOL is a quite new research field. The current study makes a significant contribution to the literature by revealing the fact that KOL is effective in increasing OP. In addition, testing via the serial mediation model the relationships which put forward how KOL increases OP, this study sheds light on organizational outcomes of KOL. There is an important gap in the search for leadership characteristics that allow knowledge-intensive firms to improve their KMC, innovation and firm performance. Therefore, this research is an important step toward filling this gap.

Linking personality traits and individuals’ knowledge management behavior

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osveh Esmaeelinezhad ◽  
Abbas Afrazeh
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Knowledge Application ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Application Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Inspired by the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the big five personality (BFP) traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) on four aspects of individuals’ knowledge management (KM) behaviors: knowledge acquisition, knowledge storage, knowledge sharing, and knowledge application. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based approach was used to collect data from 221 employees from five knowledge-intensive firms. Findings The partial least square analyses confirmed a positive effect of two personality traits, openness and conscientiousness, on knowledge acquisition as well as knowledge application behavior. In addition, the positive effects of extraversion and conscientiousness traits on knowledge storage behavior were confirmed. The findings also revealed that agreeableness and openness traits positively relate to knowledge sharing behavior. Finally, neuroticism had a negative effect on knowledge acquisition and application behavior. Practical implications This study suggests that organizations need to incorporate employees’ personality into the design and implementation of their KM systems. The findings provide managers with insight into the course of personnel selection and retention to facilitate KM behaviors in organizations. Originality/value Little is known about the relationship between the BFP traits and four aspects of KM behaviors at the individual level. The present study has contributed to the existing body of literature through clarifying how personality traits relate to four dimensions of individuals’ KM behaviors.

Linking knowledge management practices to organizational performance using the balanced scorecard approach

Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-115
Author(s):  
Meenu Chopra ◽  
Vikas Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Knowledge Management Practices ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a decomposed model to inspect the effect of knowledge management practices (knowledge sharing culture [KSC], knowledge-based human resource management [KHRM], strategy and leadership [S&L], information and communication technology [ICT] on organizational performance [OP]) by using the four balanced scorecard outcomes (BSC) (learning and growth [L&G], internal process [IP] perspective, customer satisfaction [CS] perspective and financial performance [FP]). Design/methodology/approach The research methodology included development of a research model based on comprehensive literature review followed by survey of knowledge-intensive organizations. A sample of 277 employees was obtained and structured equation modeling analysis using SPSS AMOS was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The study shows that KSC and KHRM have a highly significant effect on all the four aspects of OP; S&L positively and significantly affects only L&G and IP but does not have any significant effect on the other two, i.e. CS and FP, while ICT practices did not affect any of the measures significantly. Research limitations/implications The data are limited to 277 middle and senior level managers of Indian firms, which may be a limiting factor for generalizability. Originality/value The proposed model uncovers the dynamics of individual relationships between KM practices and measures of performance (proposed by BSC) in comparison to existing models which have mainly focused on the overall effect.

The impact of knowledge management on innovation

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 1214-1238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bader Yousef Obeidat ◽  
Mai Maher Al-Suradi ◽  
Ra’ed Masa’deh ◽  
Ali Tarhini
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Knowledge Utilization ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Knowledge Management Processes

Purpose The paper aims to examine the effect of knowledge management processes (knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization) and knowledge management approaches (social network, codification and personalization) on innovation in Jordanian consultancy firms. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire that targets 266 respondents resulted in 216 usable ones with a response rate of 81.2 per cent. To test the research hypotheses, a multiple regression analysis was conducted, in addition to descriptive statistics that provide a background about the respondents. Findings The analysis showed that there is a significant and positive impact of knowledge management processes on innovation in Jordanian consulting firms, as well as a significant and positive effect of codification and personalization approaches on innovation, while the social network approach has a significant negative impact with innovation. Originality/value This is the first study that examines the effect of knowledge management processes (knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization) and knowledge management approaches (social network, codification and personalization) on innovation in Jordanian consultancy firms.

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