Knowledge‐sharing enablers and barriers in pharmaceutical research and development

Evaluating the impact of employees’ perception of identity threat on knowledge sharing behavior during COVID-19: The mediation and moderation effect of social capital and reward system

Quarantine policies introduced in the context of COVID-19 are affecting business operations and slowing down the flow rate of the overall economy. Different degrees and types of threats occur in both the living environment and the working environment during the epidemic prevention, which causes many additional uncertainties. The impact on employees is the identity threat from environment and organizations. This is different from the related research on the identification and impact of the threat before the occurrence of COVID-19. However, in the post-pandemic period, companies continue to strengthen important factors that can increase innovation and recovery, including the role of employee knowledge sharing. The organizational inequity and lack of organizational justice bring about the threat of internal identification in organizations. In order to ensure their own interests in organizations, employees may think twice when sharing knowledge. Therefore, this study explores the relationship among employees’ identity threat, social capital and knowledge sharing behavior from the perspective of organizational behavior. In this study, a sample of high-tech employees was conducted, and a total of 434 questionnaires were obtained. The research results show that employees’ perception of identity threat has a negative impact on knowledge sharing behavior and positively affects social capital; employees’ social capital positively affects their knowledge sharing behaviors; and organizational reward system moderates the relationship between identity threat and knowledge sharing behavior. Based on the comprehensive research findings, this research proposes corresponding theoretical and practical implications.

Addressing the knowledge divide: digital knowledge sharing and social learning of geographically dispersed employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate digital knowledge sharing (KS) and social learning (SL) of geographically dispersed employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The method is qualitative case study action research within a leading global provider of comprehensive logistics and transportation solutions; 22 employees from various geographically dispersed entities were selected through purposive sampling. Employees took part in interviews to explore their perspectives on and experiences with digital KS and SL.

Findings

Findings first show that successful digital KS and SL hinges on the motivation, intentions, attitude and behaviour of employees to share and co-create knowledge embedded in supportive KS culture and climate. Second, findings show that the implementation of knowledge sharing platforms customised to the needs and preferences of employees within the case study organisation facilitated KS and SL, which in turn aided the development of individual and organisational capability, agility and adaptability required in the contemporary, digital knowledge economy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research limitations/implications

This research was a single case study of an organisation within one business sector, namely logistics, encompassing a small sample of 22 employees. Hence, this study does not permit statistical generalisation but only permits internal generalisation.

Practical implications

Forming and sustaining networks of influencers, i.e. employees who are role models of digital KS and SL, who serve as strong advocates and ambassadors for instilling a KS culture and climate within the organisation have a powerful influence on evoking digital KS and SL organisation-wide.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is that it presents an evidence-based “Digital Knowledge Sharing and Social Learning model” depicting the factors that influence digital KS and SL, the benefits and outcomes. This model aids researchers and practitioners to better understand the dynamics of digital KS and SL between organisational members in a cross-cultural business environment during times of crises.

Knowledge Sharing in R&D Teams: An Evolutionary Game Model

Knowledge sharing plays an important role in promoting innovation and helping improve R&D team performance in the digital age. Based on the evolutionary game theory, this study develops an evolutionary game model of knowledge sharing in R&D teams in order to explore its system evolution path, the evolutionary stability strategy, and the influencing mechanism in knowledge sharing. Then using a simulation model, this study examines the dynamic evolution process of knowledge sharing within R&D teams. The results show that the effectiveness of knowledge sharing in the R&D teams can be promoted by R&D team members’ cognitive ability, knowledge absorption ability, knowledge transformation ability, knowledge innovation ability, and the degree of knowledge complementarity within teams. The simulation results further show that reducing the environmental risk can also effectively improve R&D teams’ innovation performance. The findings of this study thus provide evidence for knowledge sharing as an important route to sustainable development.

Enablers of Patient Knowledge Empowerment for Self-Management of Chronic Disease: An Integrative Review

The non-development of the concept of patient knowledge empowerment for disease self-management and the non-development of the theory of patient knowledge empowerment in patients with chronic diseases, cause methodological inconsistency of patient empowerment theory and does not provide a methodological basis to present patient knowledge empowerment preconditions. Therefore, the aim of the present integrative review was to synthesize and critically analyze the patient knowledge enablers distinguished in the public health management theory, the knowledge sharing enablers presented in the knowledge management theory and to integrate them by providing a comprehensive framework of patient knowledge enablers. To implement the purpose of the study, in answering the study question of what patient knowledge empowerments are and across which levels of patient knowledge empowerment they operate, an integrative review approach was applied as proposed by Cronin and George. A screening process resulted in a final sample of 78 papers published in open access, peer-review journals in the fields of public health management and knowledge management theories. Based on the results of the study, the Enablers of Patient Knowledge Empowerment for Self-Management of Chronic Disease Framework was created. It revealed that it is important to look at patient knowledge empowerment as a pathway across the empowerment levels through which both knowledge enablers identified in public health management theory and knowledge sharing enablers singled out in knowledge management theory operate. The integration of these two perspectives across patient empowerment levels uncovers a holistic framework for patient knowledge empowerment.

Building intellectual structure of knowledge sharing

Purpose

This study aims to build the intellectual structure of knowledge sharing (KS) research by objectively and systematically capturing and sketching the content of research papers published in the KS research area.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a systematic literature review for data collection, and content analysis and bibliometric techniques of citation and co-citation analysis for data analyses and interpretation.

Findings

Based on the study, the intellectual structure of KS research consisting of five themes has emerged. The five themes identified are: models, frameworks and understanding for KS, the behaviour-oriented perspective of KS, technology-oriented perspective of KS, KS barriers and KS and firm’s performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study has used published literature extracted from selected journals using the web of science database. More journals and databases may be included in future studies.

Practical implications

This study will give future researchers a comprehensive understanding of KS discipline and serve as a quick reference and resource for those interested in KS research. It identifies major areas of KS for the practitioners to enable them to focus and apply various organizational interventions to derive a competitive advantage. The identified themes in the intellectual structure of KS will also provide a holistic view and give multiple perspectives to practitioners so that they can better manage KS in their organizations.

Originality/value

This is among early studies aiming to extract the intellectual structure of KS in the broad area of knowledge management research.

Preventing identity theft

Purpose

Knowledge-sharing (KS) for preventing identity theft has become a major challenge for organisations. The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature by investigating barriers to effective KS in preventing identity theft in online retail organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

A framework was proposed based on a reconceptualisation and extension of the KS enablers framework (Chong et al., 2011). A qualitative case study research method was used for the data collection. In total, 34 semi-structured interviews were conducted in three online retail organisations in the UK.

Findings

The findings suggest that the major barriers to effective KS for preventing identify theft in online retail organisations are: lack of leadership support; lack of employee willingness to share knowledge; lack of employee awareness of KS; inadequate learning opportunities; lack of trust in colleagues; insufficient information-sourcing opportunities and information and communications technology infrastructure; a weak KS culture; lack of feedback on performance; and lack of job rotation.

Practical implications

The research provides solutions for removing existing barriers to KS in preventing identity theft. This is important to reduce the number of cases of identity theft in the UK.

Originality/value

This research extends knowledge of KS in a new context: preventing identity theft in online retail organisations. The proposed framework extends the KS enablers framework by identifying major barriers to KS in the context of preventing identity theft.

Dilemma Between ‘It's My or It's My Organization's Territory'

In this research article, the authors attempted to compare how and to what extent knowledge base psychological ownership (KBPO), organization based psychological ownership (OBPO) and territoriality predict knowledge hiding behavior in different knowledge base industries in India. A sample of 429 employees from four knowledge base industries - Audio & Video, Machinery Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical and Telecom - was surveyed on the four constructs. A Hierarchical Regression method was used to determine whether KBPO and OBPO had direct effects on knowledge hiding, or indirect effects via Territoriality. The authors also tested whether OBPO moderated the indirect positive effect of KBPO on knowledge hiding. It has been found that KBPO has indirect effect on knowledge hiding behavior which is mediated by Territoriality in various knowledge base sectors except the Telecom Industry. Territoriality is antecedent to knowledge hiding in all knowledge base industries in India. OBPO does not have any direct or indirect effect on knowledge hiding but moderates positively the relationship between KBPO and knowledge hiding in the Machinery Manufacturing industry.

Knowledge sharing

Purpose

Academics research productivity is the pinnacle issue of higher learning institution (HLI) quest for providing the best service for the community and a country’s as a whole. Being productive in their area of expertise will determine how far HLI can challenge for the best education in the world. In lieu of this, knowledge sharing (KS) behavior determinants are assessed to determine what factors that can contribute to academic’s research productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

A quota sampling method was applied in selecting academics from public and private universities in Malaysia. A partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used for analysis.

Findings

The results show that academics productivity explained variance is 22.6 per cent. This suggests that academics KS behavior has substantial impact on research productivity. As for determinants of academic’s attitude, academics commitment, trust and social network constituted an explained variance of 36.4 per cent. Management support has an explained variance of 38.7 per cent towards subjective norm, while facilitating condition and social media has an explained variance of 26.5 per cent towards perceived behavioral control (PBC). Academics KS intention and KS behavior explained variance were 62.1 and 47.1 per cent, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

All the hypotheses result in significant relationship except for H1, commitment toward attitude. The impact of this study will be discussed in term of its theoretical and managerial perspectives.

Originality/value

The KS behavior in a multiracial and multinational country in Malaysia can be a benchmark for Asian countries in general.

Triggering absorptive capacity in organizations: CEO succession as a knowledge enabler

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce CEO succession (and subsequent TMT turnover) as a knowledge enabler. Focusing on absorptive capacity, an important dynamic capability involving the acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation of knowledge, this paper highlights the role of a new CEO in emphasizing specific facets of the knowledge management (KM) process to fulfill expected strategic mandates.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a conceptual framework that underscores the importance of CEO succession as a knowledge enabler by depicting its influence on the various dimensions of absorptive capacity. To this end, this paper develops an integrated set of propositions that unpack the influence of different types of CEO successions that trigger and enable different KM processes involved dimensions of absorptive capacity.

Findings

The theoretical framework presented in this paper suggests that given a certain succession context (forced or voluntary turnover of predecessor) different types of CEO succession, combined with possible executive turnover, will constitute a reorientation in top management experience and expertise. This will in turn trigger certain dimensions of absorptive capacity (potential or realized), to fulfill specific strategic mandates such as strategic change or strategic continuity.

Research limitations/implications

This paper presents a theoretical framework that underscores the importance of studying CEO succession in conjunction with their influence on different knowledge dimensions of absorptive capacity. CEO succession (and subsequent changes in top management team composition) is suggested to be a knowledge enabler. Based on the context of CEO turnover (forced vs voluntary) and the amount of change undergone in TMT composition, different types of CEO succession (based on their origin) are suggested to have different challenges to overcome and different strategic mandates to fulfill. Fulfilling these strategic mandates will require an emphasis on different facets of the KM process, which is encompassed in the dimensions of absorptive capacity. This will, in turn, resolve questions about which knowledge activities the organization needs to invest its resources in and resources allocation decisions may become easier.

Practical implications

Based on their origin, three kinds of CEO succession have been described in this paper – insider-follower, insider-contender and outsider succession. Each of these types of succession encounter different challenges and are expected to fulfill different kinds of strategic mandates. Accordingly, this paper proposes that each kind of CEO succession trigger and enable the knowledge components of absorptive capacity (knowledge acquisition, knowledge assimilation, knowledge transformation and knowledge exploitation) in different manners. This will in turn, allow firms to prioritize the allocation of resources toward different kinds of knowledge activities related to absorptive capacity.

Originality/value

This paper suggests that the CEO succession event, although broadly discussed in management research, has been overlooked when it comes to KM in organizations. Given that strategic leadership is one of the powerful enablers of organizational practices and outcomes, this paper emphasizes that different types of CEO succession may be able to influence the KM process by enabling the different dimensions of absorptive capacity (potential and realized).

EVALUATING BARRIERS TO KNOWLEDGE SHARING AFFECTING NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TEAM PERFORMANCE

Manufacturing and service organisations have repeatedly stressed the importance of knowledge management and sharing as an integral part of their growth and business strategy. Unfortunately, knowledge sharing (KS) barriers or factors can have a negative influence on a new product development (NPD) project team performance can make it difficult for the organisation to achieve sustained superior performance. The purpose of this research is to identify and explore a set of important KS barriers that might negatively affect the performance of a NPD project team. Specifically, this research focussed on identifying and evaluating the barriers to development and to offer guidelines to decision makers to improve KS to foster effective processes. This research can be utilised by decision-makers to design and develop effective processes and mitigation strategies to ensure effective KS.

A collaborative system to improve knowledge sharing in scientific research projects

As knowledge sharing is important for every sector, it should be encouraged among team members. Particularly, scientific research projects usually involve knowledge-intensive teams that require members to share various knowledge forms while working together. Although several collaborative systems exist on different platforms, the system features required to improve knowledge sharing between researchers are insufficient. A collaborative system, the Research Collaboration System, designed and developed based on identified collaborative activities and the SECI model, is evaluated by two scientific research projects. Preliminary results show that this system could serve all major research activities of scientific research projects and enhance knowledge sharing.

The effects of knowledge creation process on organizational performance using the BSC approach: the mediating role of intellectual capital

Purpose

Knowledge is a key success factor in achieving competitive advantage in the current fast-paced and uncertain economic environment. Several studies in the literature have analyzed the relationship between knowledge creation (KC) and organizational success; however, the mechanisms by which KC leads to accumulation of intellectual capital (IC) and thereby affects various dimensions of organizational performance are understudied. The purpose of this paper is to examine how KC and IC and their relationship influence key dimensions of organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A research model was developed and tested based on the literature in the areas of KC, IC and organizational performance. This study uses a survey sent to companies in an intensive knowledge-based industry. The balanced scorecard (BSC) approach was used to measure the key dimensions of organizational performance.

Findings

The results from structural equation modeling (SEM) on 470 completed questionnaires received from the pharmaceutical companies in Iran reveal that KC activities lead to the accumulation of organizational IC and IC has a crucial and positive impact on the BSC. Furthermore, the results from the path analysis indicate that IC mediates the effects of KC on the BSC.

Practical implications

The findings of this study contribute to the extant literature on the relationship between knowledge and organizational performance by demonstrating that knowledge and KC lead to performance when organizations utilize KC activities and leverage them to accumulate IC. Once used effectively, IC will result in a better performance in the knowledge-intensive environments.

Originality/value

This is the first study that investigates how KC contributes to firm performance by incorporating the mediating impact of IC on the BSC. The proposed model and results will help organizations to identify the mechanisms through which KC initiatives improve organizational performance.

Enablers of NPD financial performance

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine new product development (NPD) financial performance enablers through examining the roles of NPD capabilities improvement, NPD knowledge sharing and NPD internal learning in manufacturing organisations in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on relevant literature review on NPD performance, a structured questionnaire was developed to collect data related to NPD performance measures. Questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 558 manufacturing organisations in Jordan, out of which 355 were returned and valid for the analysis. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to reveal NPD performance success dimensions that manufacturing organisations use to assess NPD performance success. Then, path analysis was employed to examine the research model and test its hypotheses.

Findings

The study’s findings reveal that manufacturing organisations use a multidimensional construct for assessing NPD performance success, which consists of NPD financial performance, NPD internal learning, NPD capabilities improvement, NPD knowledge sharing, and NPD marketing performance. NPD capabilities improvement exerted a positive and significant effect on each of NPD internal learning, NPD knowledge sharing, and NPD marketing performance, respectively. NPD knowledge sharing exerted a positive and significant effect on each of NPD internal learning NPD marketing performance. Each of NPD internal learning and NPD marketing performance exerted a positive and significant effect on NPD financial performance. The structural findings also indicate that 38.1 per cent (R2 is 0.381) of NPD financial performance is explained by the path of NPD capabilities improvement, NPD knowledge sharing and NPD marketing performance, which is the strongest path in the empirical model.

Research limitations/implications

The paper’s focus on manufacturing organisations limits its contribution to the manufacturing sector only. The services sector is a rich field for understanding NPD financial performance enablers in various service industries. Further, the paper focusses on only five dimensions of NPD performance success, other dimensions of NPD performance success might add more insights to their effect on NPD performance success measures especially their effect on organisational performance.

Practical implications

The findings of this study provide managers of manufacturing organisations with empirical insights related to the multidimensionality of NPD and their complex relationships to enhance NPD financial performance. The empirical findings assist managers to assess their NPD strategies, processes and implementation based on a results-oriented approach. The major contribution of the study is identifying the strongest paths of NPD financial performance enablers which reveals the complexity and criticality of NPD capabilities improvement, NPD knowledge sharing and NPD marketing performance on NPD financial performance. The rationale is NPD financial performance is still the most important NPD performance success dimension amongst manufacturing organisations.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper stems from developing and testing a multidimensional model of NPD financial performance enablers for the first time in emerging markets, Jordan. NPD financial performance is a function of other areas of NPD performance dimensions, namely; NPD capabilities improvement, NPD knowledge sharing and NPD marketing performance. This empirical evidence is provided to managers for the first time by this study.

Social skills as a moderator between R&D personnel’s knowledge sharing and job performance

Purpose

Research and development (R&D) personnel are an organization’s ultimate source of creative knowledge. Thus, their job performance ensures an organization’s innovative capability. Focusing on the process nature of creativity and innovation in organizations, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of R&D personnel’s active knowledge sharing on their job performance and highlight the significance of social skills by examining their moderation effect.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted a survey of 252 R&D personnel in 60 R&D organizations in large South Korean firms. Data reliability and validity were confirmed, and regression analysis was performed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The authors found that R&D personnel’s knowledge sharing has a significant effect on their job performance. Furthermore, social skills significantly moderate the relationship between knowledge sharing and job performance.

Originality/value

This study addresses the existing literature’s limited understanding of the process nature of creativity and innovation by examining knowledge sharing as a personal engagement in the innovation process, which has a positive effect on job performance. The study also casts new light on the importance of social skills in fortifying personal engagement in the innovation process. The overall results will prove valuable in the selection of effective R&D personnel and the design of competency development programs for R&D organizations.

Trust and work place spirituality on knowledge sharing behaviour

Purpose

– This empirical research aims to, to add value in the existing research on knowledge sharing, investigate the antecedents of knowledge-sharing behaviour by embedding trust and workplace spirituality variable on non-academic staff from higher learning institution in Malaysia. The role of trust, perceived risk and workplace spirituality towards knowledge-sharing behaviour has attracted significant attention from researchers and practitioners to facilitate the culture of knowledge sharing in organization settings.

Design/methodology/approach

– The units of analysis include non-academic staffs who are currently working in different higher learning institutions in Malaysia. Apart from descriptive study, this research applied confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Findings

– The result revealed that there is a strong relationship between workplace spirituality and knowledge-sharing behaviour. On the other hand, the perceived risk variables partially mediate the association between trust and knowledge-sharing behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

– This research is a cross-sectional study. As a result, the limited sample size in this study may have an effect on the power of generalizability. Further research may be necessary to confirm the model across different industry to reveal the nature of the knowledge-sharing behaviour among the staff.

Practical implications

– The findings from this research could help the policymakers and the respective authorities of higher learning institutions to create a knowledge-sharing culture that is needed to support knowledge sharing and knowledge management within the higher learning institutions.

Originality/value

– This research not only adds value to knowledge-sharing literature but also used the variable like workplace spirituality under the context of Malaysian higher learning institution.

Deterrents to knowledge-sharing in the pharmaceutical industry: a case study

Purpose

– This study aims to explore deterrents to knowledge-sharing in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Effective knowledge-sharing is fundamental to stimulation of the process of knowledge absorption. The limited proximal communication between the employees in the pharmaceutical industry stifles their knowledge-sharing behaviour significantly.

Design/methodology/approach

– A cross-sectional case study, consisting of semi-structured interviews with managers and scientists, was conducted in a multinational pharmaceutical company in Australia. Respondents were asked to answer questions regarding their current knowledge-sharing practices and to identify organisational deterrents to knowledge-sharing. The data were condensed into themes according to the thematic analysis method.

Findings

– The pharmaceutical industry is extensively regulated and its excessive competitiveness is cultivating organisational reticence towards the development of a knowledge-sharing culture. Nine categories of deterrents to intra- (within) and inter-organisational (between organisations) knowledge-sharing have been identified. These categories include high cost of sharing knowledge, information technology limitations, knowledge-hiding, lack of socialisation, lack of trust culture, non-educational mindset, organisational politics, poor leadership and time pressure.

Research limitations/implications

– The population of this study consists of managers and practitioners working for a pharmaceutical company. Hence, the generalisability of the findings to other health-care settings is unknown.

Practical implications

– The findings have implications for leaders and managers who should be aware of these professional diversities, instigators as well as the ripple effects of limited knowledge-sharing to guide the organisation towards developing an optimal knowledge-sharing culture.

Originality/value

– A focussed investigation of knowledge-sharing behaviour within the pharmaceutical industry in Australia, considering the pressure applied to this industry over the past decade. This case study specifically focusses on the diversity of deterrents to knowledge-sharing in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

Knowledge Sharing, Social Relationships, and Contextual Performance

A firm's core competitiveness results primarily from its ability to innovate. Knowledge sharing plays an important role in promoting sustained innovation. This research examines two factors that enable employee knowledge sharing. Using responses from a questionnaire that was distributed to professionals in a research and development (R&D) department of a Chinese commercial elevator firm, the investigation examines whether social relationships and contextual performance influence knowledge sharing through the moderating effect of employee IT competence. Study findings reveal that social relationships—which include both the degree of centrality of the employee's social network and frequency of interpersonal interaction—and employee contextual performance have a significant positive impact on knowledge sharing. This association, however, is found to be positively moderated by employee IT competence. The findings provide managerial and future research insights pertaining to promoting knowledge sharing by enhancing employee social relationships, rewarding contextual performance, and providing regular IT training for employees.

How do R&D employees use their social networks to acquire user information?

Purpose

– This article aims to investigate how R&D employees use their social networks to acquire user information and how this information is used in the development of new products.

Design/methodology/approach

– A single case study was conducted within a business unit at a multinational medical technology company. Data were collected through a mixed method.

Findings

– The results show that many R&D employees lack social networks through which they can acquire information about the users’ needs. However, some R&D employees establish cost-efficient relationships to people with a direct experience of using the company’s products. These relationships are established over time and are often used in a rather informal way to acquire user information. Moreover, the results show how R&D employees are purposefully complementing these relationships with more occasional interactions with people who hold direct and indirect use experiences.

Research limitations/implications

– As with most single-case studies, it will be important to replicate this investigation in other contexts to clarify the generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

– The article shows how important it is that management provides R&D employees with opportunities to establish, nurture and utilize relationships conducive to information about the users’ needs. The article provides some advice on how this can be accomplished.

Originality/value

– This is one of the first articles that clearly explain how R&D employees use their social networks to acquire user information for the development of new products.

Nazari J, Akhavan P, Reza Rasekh H. Exploring the relationship between the knowledge creation process and intellectual capital in the pharmaceutical industry

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the relationship between knowledge creation and intellectual capital (IC) through an empirical study in the pharmaceutical industry. In the current economy, knowledge and IC are considered as the most important organizational assets and are the key resources in gaining competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper adopts the socialization, externalization, combination and internalization (SECI) model to examine the format of knowledge creation processes (KCP) and uses a model to demonstrate the relationship between KCP and IC and its components in the pharmaceutical industry. A valid instrument was adopted to collect the required data on KCP and and IC dimensions. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the measurement model and to test the research hypotheses using the data collected from 470 completed questionnaires.

Findings

– The results supported the research model and revealed that KCP has significant influence on the accumulation of human capital. The performance of human capital manifests significant impact on structural capital and relational capital.

Practical limitations/implications

– Given the strong association between KCP and IC, managers should define their own robust operations for knowledge creation to improve their IC accumulation.

Originality/value

– This research departs from the earlier research on KCP–IC by adopting the SECI model and a research model that facilitates the exploration of the relationship between KCP and IC dimensions in the pharmaceutical industry. The research results provided strong support for the KCP–IC relationship.

Do empowered employees absorb knowledge?

Purpose

– The present study aims to contribute to the limited empirical research regarding the individual level antecedents of absorptive capacity (AC). In this vein, the authors examined the impact of employees' psychological empowerment (PE) dimensions on their AC. Moreover, the authors explored the magnitude of the relationship between one of PE four dimensions, namely competence, and AC compared to that of the rest three dimensions of PE.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors collected data from 100 private employees working in two manufacturing organizations. In order to investigate the hypotheses, the authors conducted hierarchical regression and usefulness analysis.

Findings

– As predicted, the present results showed that all four PE dimensions affected employees' AC. Furthermore, competence demonstrated the strongest impact among all PE dimensions.

Research limitations/implications

– Data were drawn from two manufacturing organizations located in specific geographical area. Thus, this may constrain the generalizability of the results. Also, the cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality.

Originality/value

– To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study examining the relationship between PE and AC.

A Comprehensive Relational Model of Factors Influencing Knowledge Sharing

This article aims to get the main factors affecting knowledge sharing and their influencing route so that to promote knowledge implementation through theory analysis and empirical test. The paper collects almost all the factors that have significant influence on knowledge sharing from a large amount of relative researches, and classifies the effect of factors as direct, indirect, mediate and moderate effect. Based on the deep review and analysis, the paper selects top management support, organization culture, social relationship, attitude to knowledge sharing, self-efficacy, trust, motivation, intention to knowledge sharing, IT, and training as the major influential factors and proposes a comprehensive relational model according to the effects of the factors. Finally, the paper verifies the model and examines the effects of the factors by empirical test through the data collected from questionnaires. The findings can give some guidance to managers and scholars.

Dynamic Modeling in New Product Development

One of the main problems for medium-sized companies located in the city of Monterrey, Mexico, is how to establish an efficient way to develop new products which not only considers factors that involve technical aspects, but also those that concern cultural issues. Frequently, medium-sized companies in Latin America do not have a clear leadership policy for their staff, despite this factor being increasingly important inachieving better performance. The objective of this research is to create a simulation model that represents the process of new product development (NPD) in the food industry. For this purpose, a medium-sized company in Monterrey was analyzed. The main focus was to develop a systematic approach that could help reduce the time span of product development. As a result, a dynamic simulation model (DSM) based on sequential logic was built that can be used widely in the new product development process. The proposed model helped us monitor each stage of new product development at the company studied. In order to achieve this, the authors incorporated certain knowledge management elements, particularly leadership and trust within teams. The authors then observed and conceptualized their effects on response time inthe new product development process. This research intends to offer new ways to understand this process by considering other factors beyond technical ones.

Intention to Knowledge Sharing

Intention to knowledge sharing is a growing concern that has been largely discussed in extant literature using Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB). However, the studies have mostly neglected the influence of individual psychological needs of knowledge workers on intention to share knowledge. Combining the TPB with McClelland's three psychological needs approach, the study aims at uncovering such influence on intention to knowledge sharing. Survey data collected from 123 Information Technology (IT) based knowledge workers in Sri Lanka are analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) method. It was found that attitudes toward knowledge sharing behavior, subjective norms, and need for affiliation are influential in determining knowledge sharing intentions of knowledge workers. Moreover, the findings suggest the need for careful consideration of individual psychological needs of knowledge workers in understanding their intentions toward knowledge sharing.

An Empirical Investigation into the Influence of Knowledge Sharing Barriers on Knowledge Sharing and Individual Innovation Behaviour

Knowledge sharing barriers reduce the propensity of individuals to share knowledge and produce innovation behaviour. Thus, identifying barriers and their impact on knowledge sharing and individual innovation behaviour is a potential research area to study. Considering lack of studies in the literature, this study provides further evidence regarding the implications of knowledge sharing barriers in the workplace. Data was collected from eighty three academic staff in a higher education institution and analysed with Smart PLS. The results showed that organisation related knowledge sharing barriers are negatively related to knowledge collecting and knowledge donating. The result also indicates that individual knowledge sharing barriers have negative effect on individual innovation behaviours. There was no link found in this study between knowledge sharing and individual innovation behaviour. These findings provide empirical evidence to the further development of knowledge management and innovation research, and insights regarding how to better implement knowledge sharing and foster innovation behaviour in organisations.

A Multidimensional Structure for Describing the Influence of Supply Chain Strategies, Business Strategies, and Knowledge Management Strategies on Knowledge Sharing in Supply Chain

The main goal of this study is to present a multidimensional structure for relationship between Supply Chain Strategies, Business Strategies, and Knowledge Management Strategies with Knowledge Sharing in Supply Chain of the Automotive Industry of Iran. This is an applied research and has done as a Survey, Correlation and cause-effect research. In this research, confirmative factor analysis, correlation test, co-linearity test, and path analysis were used. Innovation aspect of the study is making a comprehensive view to relationship between supply chain strategies, business strategies, and knowledge management strategies with knowledge sharing in the supply chain. Another innovative aspect of the study is attention to supply chain strategies in context of knowledge management, because there are few researches about knowledge management in supply chain. The paper tries to describe quantitatively all the relations in multidimensional structure. Findings show that effective knowledge sharing in supply chain is influenced by the hierarchy of strategies. Therefore, supply chain strategies influence the business strategies and business strategies affects knowledge strategies and at least, knowledge strategies influence the effective and systematic knowledge sharing in the supply chain. Therefore, knowledge sharing is most of all influenced by knowledge management strategies; but is indirectly influenced by business strategies and supply chain strategies.