Knowledge management: does gender matter? A systematic review of literature

Determinants of factors affecting readiness of academic institutions to conduct knowledge translation in low- and middle-income countries

Introduction

Capacity building strategies have been used to improve uptake of knowledge translation (KT) activities among academic institutions, but little is known about their effectiveness, contextual responsiveness, and adaptability. Many of these strategies target individuals while few address institutional gaps. This research describes the determinants for conducting KT (or readiness to conduct such activities) at the institutional level across diverse LMIC contexts to inform the development of capacity building strategies.

Methods

We conducted a survey to assess organizational readiness to conduct KT to public health researchers and practitioners from six academic institutions in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, DRC, India, Indonesia and Nigeria and members of a global knowledge-to-action working group. We assessed the frequency of barriers and facilitators to KT and their relationship to age, gender, country, and KT experience. We then performed logistic regression to identify determinants of five underlying factors demonstrated to influence KT readiness in LMICs (Institutional Climate, Organization Change Efficacy, Prioritization and Cosmopolitanism, Self-Efficacy and Financial Resource) along with their composite score, which represented an overall readiness score to conduct KT.

Results

A total of 111 responses were included in the final analysis. Participants represented 10 LMICs; a majority were 30-49 years old (57%) and most were male (53%). Most participants had professional foci in research (84%), teaching (62%), and project coordination (36%) and 59% indicated they had experience with KT. Common facilitators included motivated faculty (57%) and dedicated personnel (40%). Funding (60%), training (37%), and time (37%) were the most frequently reported barriers. In the adjusted model, age, gender, country, and professional focus were significantly associated with at least one factor. Prior experience with KT was significantly and positively (OR = 9.07; CI: 1.60-51.58; p < 0.05) associated with the overall KT readiness to conduct KT.

Discussion

Different KT readiness factors are relevant for younger (institutional climate) vs. older (self-efficacy) academic professionals, suggesting value in cross-generational collaborations. Leadership and gender were both relevant for organizational change efficacy indicating a need to engage leaders and promote women to influence organizational change. Institutions in different countries may be at different stages of change; readiness assessments can be used to systematically identify needs and develop targeted strategies.

Teacher Knowledge Sharing and Reflection as Predictors of Teacher Professional Development: A Case of Iranian TEFL Faculty Members

Despite the accumulated body of research on teachers' professional development few have offered a relationship between professional development and knowledge sharing or reflective practice. We investigated whether Iranian Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) teachers' reflective teaching and their knowledge sharing can predict their professional success. To answer the research questions a quantitative approach was utilized. Then, 264 faculty members through available sampling were recruited using three questionnaires, namely reflective teaching measurement scale by Akbari et al. (System, 38(2): 211-227, 2010), teacher professional development scale by Soodmand Afshar and Ghasemi (J Teach Lang Skills 37: 169-210, 2018), and Teachers' knowledge sharing behavior by Ramayah et al. (Eval Rev 38(2): 1-28, 2014). Findings showed that knowledge sharing has a significant relationship with professional development (P < 0.001). In addition, teachers' reflective practice has a significant relationship with professional development (P < 0.001). Based on the findings we suggest that TEFL teachers should promote their knowledge sharing and reflection to improve their professional development.

Demographic differences in attitude, subjective norms, behavioral intention, and knowledge sharing behavior: an empirical study of non-academic staff from India and the UAE

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to understand knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff. In relation to the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the study investigated demographic characteristic differences in attitude, subjective norms, behavioral intention and knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff from India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a survey method and questionnaire instrument to collect data from 467 participants. The participants were nonacademic staff working for two academic universities in India and the UAE. The two universities were Pondicherry University (266 respondents) and Al Ain University (201 respondents). The collected data were treated and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software for statistical analyses and frequency distributions.

Findings

The findings of the study showed that nonacademic staff from India and the UAE have a positive attitude toward knowledge-sharing, subjective norms and positive behavioral intention and are frequently involved in knowledge-sharing behavior. In addition, the study’s findings indicated statistically significant demographic differences in attitude, subjective norms and behavior intense knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff from India and the UAE. Nonacademic participants from India expressed a higher positive attitude toward knowledge-sharing and demonstrated more involvement in knowledge-sharing behavior than the respondents from the UAE. The findings of the study accepted 8 out of 20 stated hypotheses. The accepted hypotheses support the TRA theory and suggest the impact of age, job position, tenure of work and geographical diversity on attitude, subjective norms, behavioral intention and knowledge-sharing behavior. The study’s results suggested that nonacademic staff of 50 and above age groups are more likely to share knowledge than the nonacademic staff of 49 and fewer age groups. Likewise, the findings of the study suggested that nonacademic staff with a long tenure of work experience are more likely to share their knowledge with their coworkers than those with a short tenure of work experience.

Originality/value

Studies targeting knowledge sharing among nonacademic staff are scarce as compared to academic staff and students. Nonacademic staff are different from students and academic staff in attitudes and behavior. This study contributes to the expansion of knowledge sharing through the investigation of knowledge-sharing behavior of nonacademic staff. Moreover, the study expands the understanding of knowledge-sharing behavior through the use of demographic characteristics in relation to the TRA theory. In addition, most of the previous studies are based on data collected from one country, and this study is based on data collected from two countries.

The impact of gender diversity on corporate social responsibility knowledge: empirical analysis in European context

Purpose

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated social risks around the world, highlighting inequalities and eroding social cohesion in and between nations. The challenges posed by this global crisis to world governments can be overcome with cooperation between the public and private sectors. Several studies support the importance of external corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in sharing knowledge with citizens and external stakeholders, with benefits for the company and for society. Few studies have investigated the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and sustainability. This work aims to investigate the influence of the gender variable in the sharing of CSR knowledge, focusing on the area of human rights.

Design/methodology/approach

The panel regression analysis was performed on a sample of 660 European companies listed over the years 2017–2020. The hypotheses tested in panel regression were then corroborated by a further test.

Findings

The results show a positive influence of women directors in the external disclosure of human rights. Evidence would assign a positive role to gender in sharing knowledge.

Practical implications

The findings offer new insights into the role of gender on KM and sharing. The results show that gender can be a factor that stimulates CSR knowledge. The presence of women directors can be a useful tool to increase the relational capital of the companies and to share knowledge outside the company.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the poor literature between knowledge sharing and sustainability. Evidence would assign a positive role to gender in sharing knowledge.

The effect of knowledge transfer theory on the selection of crossover winter sports athletes: A systematic literature review

This article reviews studies on the knowledge transfer theory (KTT) in sport psychology using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to identify any existing research gaps. This review utilizes a systematic process that involves searching for studies aimed at clarifying the relationship between KTT and crossover selection, promoting crossover development of winter sports, and cultivating outstanding athletes across six different databases. This work provides the foundation for future research on KTT in the field of selection of athletes for professional sports and those intending to showcase KTT's success in the selection of winter sports athletes. This review found that crossover selection of qualified athletes helps solve the issue of the shortage of professional athletes in specific sports.

Mitigating knowledge hiding behaviour through organisational social capital: a proposed framework

Purpose

This study aims to develop a framework that demonstrates the role of social capital in alleviating knowledge hiding behaviour in organisations while also considering the moderating roles of perceived organisational politics and the perceived value of knowledge in this process.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a systematic literature review of research papers on the topic of knowledge hiding to develop a framework for mitigating knowledge hiding.

Findings

This paper conceptualises social capital into three interrelated dimensions (e.g. structural, cognitive and relational). Based on the findings of the review, all the three social capital dimensions can potentially mitigate an individual’s propensity towards knowledge hiding. Additionally, the paper integrates two potential moderators: perceived organisational politics and perceived value of knowledge, which could undermine the outcomes of social capital in mitigating knowledge hiding.

Research limitations/implications

Although the proposed framework may provide preliminary insights to practitioners and scholars, one of its key limitations is that it is conceptual. Future empirical research is needed to validate the proposed framework.

Originality/value

Existing research has focused on studying the antecedents and consequences of knowledge hiding. However, scant scholarly work explores how such behaviour can be mitigated. This paper addresses this gap and contributes to understanding how organisations can alleviate the prevalence of knowledge hiding by developing their social capital and by focusing on contextual factors.

Towards a foundational KM theory: a culture-based perspective

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence knowledge processes and by extension organisational knowledge culture (KC).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a systematic model development approach based on an extensive literature review, the authors explore the notion of organisational KC and conceptualise a model that addresses the following research question: what factors affect employees’ values and beliefs about knowledge processes and by extension organisational KC?

Findings

This paper proposes that knowledge processes are interrelated and mutually enforcing activities, and that employee perceptions of various individual, group and organisational factors underpin employee values and beliefs about knowledge processes and help shape an organisation’s KC.

Research limitations/implications

The findings extend the understanding of the concept of KC and may point the way towards a unifying theory of knowledge management (KM) that can better account for the complexity and multi-dimensionality of knowledge processes and KC.

Practical implications

The paper provides important practical implications by explicitly accounting for the cultural aspects of the inextricably interrelated nature of the most common knowledge processes in KM initiatives.

Originality/value

KM research has examined a long and varied list of knowledge processes. This has arguably resulted in KM theorizing being fragmented or disintegrated. Whilst it is evident that organisational culture affects persons’ behaviour in the organisation, the impact of persons’ values and beliefs on knowledge processes as a whole remain understudied. This study provides a model of KC. Moreover, the paper offers a novel systematic approach to developing conceptual and theoretical models.

Knowledge Sharing Enablers in Small Business Networks

In an increasingly knowledge-based global economy, social capital and knowledge sharing, particularly amongst small business, have become critical sources of competitive advantage, but how can such knowledge sharing be enabled? The objective of this research was to explore the effect of knowledge sharing enablers on knowledge sharing in female small business networks. This research addresses the call for research into the antecedents of social capital. Specifically, Trust, Social Identity, Social Media Usage and Shared Goals were included in the conceptual model for the study. Together these social capital enablers were found to be significant predictors of knowledge sharing behaviour although unique contributions varied. The research contributes to the growing body of literature on the dimensions of social capital and how they affect knowledge management, and is of use to practitioners involved in supporting female entrepreneurial networks.

Knowledge management in family business succession: current trends and future directions

Purpose

This paper aims to review the literature on knowledge management in the family business, addressing the research question as follows: “How is knowledge managed across generations in the family business?” This study synthesizes the literature, highlighting the role of multiple stakeholders who affect knowledge management along with the phases of the succession process. Stemming from these findings and embracing a practice-based view, this paper offers research directions to guide future contributions on knowledge construction in the family business. The purpose of this study is not only to conclude the previous research but also to provide insights for future research directions and to provide practical implications.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a systematic integrative literature review, this paper collects map and analytically examine 63 published peer-reviewed articles related to knowledge management in the family business from 39 academic journals. This paper applies a rigorous approach to identify the sample of articles, map descriptive information of the reviewed literature and map theoretical contributions according to a multi-stakeholder and multi-stage framework.

Findings

The sampled articles are analyzed according to a multi-stakeholder and multi-stage framework inspired by Daspit et al. (2016). This study identifies critical gaps emerging from the analysis, thus opening the way to future research directions. In particular, this paper prompts scholars to advance the understanding of family-related knowledge and to clarify the assumptions on knowledge in their research.

Research limitations/implications

This paper contributes to the debate on knowledge management in the family business, by systematizing the current literature. In addition, this study embraces a “knowledge from practice perspective” and offers research directions to guide future contributions on knowledge construction in family business succession and potential areas to further management research investigating the role of family-related knowledge. Practical implications are also provided to benefit family businesses, consultants and policymakers.

Originality/value

This study provides a systematic integrative literature review of the articles published on knowledge management in family business according to a multi-stakeholder and multi-stage framework. Moreover, it draws an agenda for future research advancing a “knowledge from a practice perspective” in the family business literature.

Human resource management practices in creating a committed workforce for fostering knowledge transfer: a theoretical framework

Purpose

This paper aims to review existing literature on the role of human resource management (HRM) practices in nurturing employee’s organisational commitment (OC), which subsequently promoting knowledge transfer (KT) within an organisation and propose a conceptual framework for future empirical research.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive review of existing literature was undertaken in an attempt to build the conceptual model for KT.

Findings

The proposed conceptual framework illustrates the role of OC as a focal mediating mechanism in fostering KT. This paper identifies “high commitment” HRM (HCHRM) (e.g. staffing, job design, training and development, performance appraisal and reward system) as the factors influencing the development of OC, which subsequently affecting KT (i.e. knowledge sharing and application). Also, this paper integrates the potential moderating roles of leader-member exchange (LMX) between HCHRM practices-OC, as well as information and communication technology support in the OC-KT linkage into the proposed framework.

Research limitations/implications

This paper presents a comprehensive view of fostering KT. However, the major limitation of this paper is that it remains at a conceptual level. Further empirical investigations would be helpful to test propositions, hence validating the proposed conceptual framework.

Practical implications

The proposed conceptual framework could serve as practical guidance for managers and/or practitioners in developing policies that will facilitate KT in business organisations.

Originality/value

While KT is often viewed as a single phenomenon, this paper considers the KT into two components (i.e, sharing and application) in accordance with the practice-based perspective on knowledge and behavioural approach to KT. In addition, the adoption of the general workplace commitment model in conceptualising KT could further validate its applicability in knowledge management research. Also, the integration of LMX as a moderator in the proposed framework could contribute to the scant research on LMX-related moderation models upon validation.