The impact of knowledge management on knowledge worker productivity

Abstract

Purpose The productivity of knowledge workers is crucial not only for organizational innovation and competitiveness but also for sustainable development. In the context of knowledge-intensive firms, implementation of knowledge management is likely to increase knowledge worker productivity. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of knowledge management on knowledge worker productivity. Design/methodology/approach A research framework on the effects of knowledge management processes on knowledge worker productivity is established and empirically tested with data from 336 knowledge workers at five mobile network operator companies in Pakistan. Findings The results indicate that knowledge creation and knowledge utilization impact knowledge worker productivity positively and statistically significantly. However, knowledge sharing does not have statistically significant impact on knowledge worker productivity. Demographic factors (gender, managerial position and formal education level) do not moderate the relationship between knowledge management and knowledge worker productivity statistically significantly. Research limitations/implications The key limitations are the cross-sectional nature of the data and the geographic limitation to telecom companies in Pakistan. Practical implications Irrespective of gender, education and managerial position, implementation of knowledge management can increase knowledge worker productivity. Therefore, knowledge management practices should be implemented to enhance the knowledge worker productivity via fostering the knowledge worker’s engagement in and propensity to knowledge management processes. Originality/value This study is among the first to examine the likely influence of knowledge management on the productivity of knowledge workers conclusively while controlling for three individual demographic factors. This study also addresses the effectiveness of knowledge management in the little-explored cultural context of Pakistan.

Trust in the Diffusion of Professional Knowledge

“…As the core of a modern enterprise's personnel (Aydogmus, 2019;Kianto et al, 2019;Toth et al, 2020), professionals using, and operating on knowledge, occupy various functions and positions in organizations. Therefore, there is an ongoing dispute of the knowledge worker term and concept.…”

“…This, in turn, depends on the knowledge management processes implemented in organizations (Kianto et al, 2019), the presence of an optimal knowledge environment (technical and social), which creates the desired comfort zone (Davenport, 2006;Butler, 2016;Olsen, 2016;Razzaq et al, 2019) and a properly constructed psychological contract (Jha et al, 2019). Recognizing knowledge workers' attitudes at an early stage will enable the organization to make better decisions and ensure end users, commitment throughout the whole development process (Al-Busaidi and Olfman, 2017), a high-quality employee motivation can contribute to an organization's long-term success by supporting employees' wellbeing and performance (Jabagi et al, 2019).…”

“…The process of knowledge diffusion among specialists includes both the absorption and desorption of knowledge (Kianto et al, 2019). Its essence, therefore, is its mutual, interactive exchange (Heo et al, 2019).…”

Mutuality, empowerment and fit in creative knowledge work performance

“…Knowledge Worker Productivity. Many researchers (Heynes, 2008;Bosch-Sijtsema, Ruohomäki, & Vartiainen, 2009;Palvalin, 2017;Palvalin, Van der Voordt, & Jylhä, 2017;Pashkevich, 2016Dahooie, Arsalan, & Shojai, 2018Iazzolino & Laise, 2018;Kianto et al, 2018) who investigates category of knowledge workers or issues related to their work state that the biggest problem is their productivity measurement. It is not surprising by knowing the legacy and influence of P. Drucker's seminal works through which this idea was spread out.…”

“…There is emerging research interest in combining these two managerial fields which would follow the works of e.g. Kianto, Shujahat, Hussain, Nawaz, F. and Ali (2018), Shujahat (2017), etc. Explaining this via different focus lenses, approaches and backgrounds could be useful, but from the holistic point of view to narrow and uninformative.…”