Exploring the effect of team climate on knowledge management in teams through team work engagement: evidence from knowledge-intensive firms

Abstract

Purpose Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this paper aims to investigate the impact of team climate (TC) supporting trust, cohesion and innovativeness on knowledge management (KM) in teams through the mediating role of teamwork engagement (TWEG). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 246 employees working in Tunisian knowledge-intensive firms (KIFs) and involved in 69 service R&D teams. The authors applied the partial least squares-structural equation modeling approach for data analysis using SMART PLS 3.2 software. Findings Findings provide evidence that TWEG mediates the link between TC characterized by trust, cohesion and innovativeness and KM in teams. In the line of the JD-R model, results also show that such TC provides job resources to team members that act as vitamins nurturing TWEG, which in turn boosts KM in teams. Originality/value To shed light on the micro-level foundations of KM, this paper enriches the KM literature through pioneering the examination of the effect of TC on KM in teams. It proposes an extension of the JD-R model through highlighting the TWEG’s mediating role in the motivational pathway leading teams to invest in KM activities under a supportive TC. It provides key insights into the importance for managers to implement team-oriented policies toward cultivating trust, innovativeness and cohesion within teams to create more dedicated, vigorous and absorbed teams in which intrinsically motivated knowledge workers are likely to collectively engage in KM activities.

Knowledge assets, innovation ambidexterity and firm performance in knowledge-intensive companies

“…In general terms, knowledge-intensive firms refer to those entities that provide intangible solutions to customer problems by using mainly the knowledge of their individuals (Ditillo, 2004; Berraies and Chouiref, 2022). The target population of this study is knowledge-intensive firms in Iran.…”

Knowledge acquisition from innovation failures: a study of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)

“…Individual-level variables influencing KAFIF include personal mastery (García‐Morales et al , 2009) and negative emotions (Shepherd et al , 2014). Scholars showcase that variables at the group level (Berraies and Chouiref, 2023), such as shared vision (García‐Morales et al , 2009), psychological safety (Weinzimmer and Esken, 2017), trust (Carmeli et al , 2011) and social capital (Duodu and Rowlinson, 2020) influence KAFIF. Further, variables at the organizational level, such as blaming approach (Tjosvold et al , 2004) and leadership (Zeng et al , 2020; Zhou et al , 2023), and finally, variables at the external environment level, such as turbulence versus stability (García‐Morales et al , 2009) influence KAFIF.…”

The effect of internal knowledge transfer on the relationship between personality traits and employee service performance: a multilevel model

“…While this study makes significant contributions to the knowledge management discipline by proposing and validating a multilevel model and providing managerial strategies to facilitate internal knowledge transfer and employee service performance, it still has some limitations. First, as the cross-sectional design of this study may limit the identification of causal relationships in the research model, future studies should consider using longitudinal research designs to explore these relationships (Berraies and Chouiref, 2022). Second, while quantitative results provide empirical evidence to support the model, qualitative methods can be used in future studies to provide more in-depth explanations of the concepts in the model (Creswell, 2009).…”