Strategic Management of Organizational Knowledge

Strategic Management of Organizational Knowledge

Investigating the relationship between teleworking and the knowledge management process during the Covid-19 outbreak

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors
Somaye Alemi Neisi 1
Navid Nezafati 2
1 PhD Student, Department of Industrial and Information Management, Management and Accounting Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 BPP University, Business School, London, UK
10.47176/smok.2021.1327
Abstract
Since the global COVID-19 outbreak and complete lockdown, teleworking seems the best option for organizations to sustain their business and get over this situation. Knowledge management is an important activity that helps organizations attain an excellent advantage, succeed in business, and improve performance. Teleworking and lack of face-to-face conversation and communication, a critical factor in knowledge management, can influence the knowledge management process. In the present study, we intend to better understand the relationship between teleworking and the knowledge management process. A deductive approach and positivist philosophy are utilized to achieve the study’s primary purpose. A quantitative approach is applied because this study refers to a causal relationship among variables. The statistical population is chosen to be the employees of the Government Trading Corporation of Iran who, due to the role of this company in supplying the basic commodities of the country, were teleworking during the quarantine period. The required sample size is estimated to be 246 people using G*POWER software. After confirming the validity and reliability of the questionnaire using confirmatory factor analysis, the average variance extracted (AVE), the composite reliability (CR), rho_A, and Cronbach's alpha, 295 samples are collected, which is more than the minimum required sample size. The collected data is analyzed by smart-pls software and the structural equation modeling method. Findings show that there is a significant direct relationship between teleworking and the knowledge management process. Only the components related to maintaining the balance between work and life and willingness to continue teleworking when the crisis is over, are lower than other components which are addressed in the practical recommendation. This model is designed to help the decision-makers and managers improve management skills and increase the performance of the knowledge management process while using teleworking during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Keywords
Teleworking
Knowledge Management Process
COVID-19
PLS-SEM
  • Abilash, K. M., & Mary Siju, N. (2021). Telecommuting: An Empirical Study on Job Performance, Job Satisfaction and Employees Commitment during Pandemic Circumstances. Shanlax International Journal of Management, 8(3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.34293/management.v8i3.3547
  • Abualoush, S., Masa’deh, R., Bataineh, K., & Alrowwad, A. (2018). The role of knowledge management process and intellectual capital as intermediary variables between knowledge management infrastructure and organization performance. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management, 13, 279–309. https://doi.org/10.28945/4088
  • Agrawal, N. (2020). Modeling enablers of knowledge management process using multi criteria decision making approach. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems. https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-08-2019-0122
  • Aguilera, A., Lethiais, V., Rallet, A., & Proulhac, L. (2016). Home-based telework in France: Characteristics, barriers and perspectives. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 92, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2016.06.021
  • Al Ahbabi, S. A., Singh, S. K., Balasubramanian, S., & Gaur, S. S. (2019). Employee perception of impact of knowledge management processes on public sector performance. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(2), 351–373. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-08-2017-0348
  • Alavi, M., & Leidner, D. E. (2001). Review: Knowledge management and knowledge management systems: Conceptual foundations and research issues. MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems, 25(1), 107–136. https://doi.org/10.2307/3250961
  • Ali, I., Musawir, A. U., & Ali, M. (2018). Impact of knowledge sharing and absorptive capacity on project performance: the moderating role of social processes. Journal of Knowledge Management, 22(2), 453–477. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-10-2016-0449
  • Allen, T. D., Golden, T. D., & Shockley, K. M. (2015). How effective is telecommuting? Assessing the status of our scientific findings. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(2), 40–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100615593273
  • Ansong, E., & Boateng, R. (2018). Organisational adoption of telecommuting: Evidence from a developing country. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 84(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/isd2.12008
  • Atapattu, A. W. M. M., & Jayakody, J. A. S. K. (2014). The interaction effect of organizational practices and employee values on knowledge management (KM) success. Journal of Knowledge Management, 18(2), 307–328. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-07-2013-0276
  • Baker, E., C.Avery, G., & Crawford, J. (2007). Home Alone: The Role of Technology in Telecommuting. Bmj, 334(7598), 854. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39188.434630.59
  • Baskaran, S. (2018). Mediation effect of knowledge management enablers on the relationship between organizational characteristics and entrepreneurial orientation. Gadjah Mada International Journal of Business, 20(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.22146/gamaijb.23323
  • Belzunegui-Eraso, A., & Erro-Garcés, A. (2020). Teleworking in the context of the Covid-19 crisis. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(9), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093662
  • Caballero-Anthony, M., Cook, A. D. B., & Chen, C. (2021). Knowledge management and humanitarian organisations in the Asia-Pacific: Practices, challenges, and future pathways. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 53(December 2020), 102007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.102007
  • Carillo, K., Cachat-Rosset, G., Marsan, J., Saba, T., & Klarsfeld, A. (2020). Adjusting to epidemic-induced telework: empirical insights from teleworkers in France. European Journal of Information Systems, 00(00), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2020.1829512
  • Choi, S. (2018). Managing Flexible Work Arrangements in Government: Testing the Effects of Institutional and Managerial Support. Public Personnel Management, 47(1), 26–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026017738540
  • Chuang, S. H., Liao, C., & Lin, S. (2013). Determinants of knowledge management with information technology support impact on firm performance. Information Technology and Management, 14(3), 217–230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10799-013-0153-1
  • Contreras, F., Baykal, E., & Abid, G. (2020). E-Leadership and Teleworking in Times of COVID-19 and Beyond: What We Know and Where Do We Go. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(December), 3484. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590271
  • Davidavičiene, V., Al Majzoub, K., & Meidute-Kavaliauskiene, I. (2020). Factors affecting knowledge sharing in virtual teams. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/SU12176917
  • Dávideková, M., & Hvorecký, J. (2017). Collaboration tools for virtual teams in terms of the SECI model. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 544(1), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50337-0_9
  • Diab-bahman, R., & Al-enzi, A. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on conventional work settings. 40(9), 909–927. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-07-2020-0262
  • Erdfelder, E., FAul, F., Buchner, A., & Lang, A. G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41(4), 1149–1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149
  • Even, A. (2020). The Evolution of Work: Best Practices for Avoiding Social and Organizational Isolation in Telework Employees. SSRN Electronic Journal, 850. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3543122
  • Fominykh, A. (2020). Telework challenges during pandemia of Covid-19. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2020112492898
  • Gajendran, R. S., & Harrison, D. A. (2007). The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown About Telecommuting: Meta-Analysis of Psychological Mediators and Individual Consequences. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(6), 1524–1541. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.6.1524
  • Gamal Aboelmaged, M., & Mohamed el Subbaugh, S. (2012). Factors influencing perceived productivity of Egyptian teleworkers: An empirical study. Measuring Business Excellence, 16(2), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1108/13683041211230285
  • Golden, T. D., & Raghuram, S. (2010). Teleworker knowledge sharing and the role of altered relational and technological interactions. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31(8), 1061–1085. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.652
  • Golden, T. D., Veiga, J. F., & Dino, R. N. (2008). The Impact of Professional Isolation on Teleworker Job Performance and Turnover Intentions: Does Time Spent Teleworking, Interacting Face-to-Face, or Having Access to Communication-Enhancing Technology Matter? Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(6), 1412–1421. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012722
  • Goswami, A. K., Agrawal, R. K., & Goswami, M. (2020). Influence of national culture on knowledge management process: literature review and research agenda. Benchmarking. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-04-2020-0171
  • Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). (2 ed.). In Sage.
  • Hair, Joseph F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203
  • Hanson, W. E., Plano Clark, V. L., Petska, K. S., Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2005). Mixed methods research designs in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 224–235. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.2.224
  • He, W., Qiao, Q., & Wei, K. K. (2009). Social relationship and its role in knowledge management systems usage. Information and Management, 46(3), 175–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2007.11.005
  • Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
  • Hortovanyi, L., & Ferincz, A. (2015). The impact of ICT on learning on-the-job. Learning Organization, 22(1), 2–13. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-06-2014-0032
  • Iacuzzi, S., Fedele, P., Garlatti, A., Fedele, P., & Garlatti, A. (2020). Beyond Coronavirus : the role for knowledge management in schools responses to crisis responses to crisis. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 00(00), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2020.1838963
  • Iscan, O. F., & Naktiyok, A. (2005). Attitudes towards telecommuting: The Turkish case. Journal of Information Technology, 20(1), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jit.2000023
  • Jeong, J. G., Kang, S. W., & Choi, S. B. (2020). Employees’ weekend activities and psychological well-being via job stress: A moderated mediation role of recovery experience. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17051642
  • Jin, M., McDonald, B., & Park, J. (2016). Followership and job satisfaction in the public sector: The moderating role of perceived supervisor support and performance-oriented culture. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 29(3), 218–237. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-05-2015-0101
  • Kapoor, V., Yadav, J., Bajpai, L., & Srivastava, S. (2021). Perceived stress and psychological well-being of working mothers during COVID-19: a mediated moderated roles of teleworking and resilience. Employee Relations: The International Journal, ahead-of-p(ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/er-05-2020-0244
  • Khoa, B. T., & Hoa, L. T. K. (2021). The effect of knowledge management process on the employee commitment: Evidence from digital marketing industry. Management Science Letters, 11, 1557–1564. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.12.017
  • Kianto, A., Vanhala, M., & Heilmann, P. (2016). The impact of knowledge management on job satisfaction. Journal of Knowledge Management, 20(4), 621–636. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-10-2015-0398
  • Kirchner, K., Ipsen, C., & Hansen, J. P. (2021). COVID-19 leadership challenges in knowledge work. Knowledge Management Research and Practice, 00(00), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2021.1877579
  • Kowalski, K. B., & Swanson, J. A. (2005). Critical success factors in developing teleworking programs. Benchmarking, 12(3), 236–249. https://doi.org/10.1108/14635770510600357
  • Kwon, M., Cho, Y. J., & Song, H. J. (2019). How do managerial, task, and individual factors influence flexible work arrangement participation and abandonment? Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, September. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12251
  • Lang, J. C. (2001). Managerial concerns in knowledge management. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5(1), 43–59. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270110384392
  • Lebopo, C. M., Seymour, L. F., & Knoesen, H. (2020). Explaining factors affecting telework adoption in South African organisations pre-COVID-19. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, 94–101. https://doi.org/10.1145/3410886.3410906
  • Lee, C. S., & Wong, K. Y. (2017). A Fuzzy Logic-Based Knowledge Management Performance Measurement System for SMEs. Cybernetics and Systems, 48(4), 277–302. https://doi.org/10.1080/01969722.2017.1284532
  • Lee, H. G., Shin, B., & Higa, K. (2007). Telework vs. central work: A comparative view of knowledge accessibility. Decision Support Systems, 43(3), 687–700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2006.11.007
  • Leung, L., & Zhang, R. (2017). Mapping ICT use at home and telecommuting practices: A perspective from work/family border theory. Telematics and Informatics, 34(1), 385–396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2016.06.001
  • Lin, H. F. (2015). Linking knowledge management orientation to balanced scorecard outcomes. Journal of Knowledge Management, 19(6), 1224–1249. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-04-2015-0132
  • Lin, H. F., & Lee, G. G. (2005). Impact of organizational learning and knowledge management factors on e-business adoption. Management Decision, 43(2), 171–188. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740510581902
  • Matsuo, M. (2015). Human resource development programs for knowledge transfer and creation: the case of the Toyota Technical Development Corporation. Journal of Knowledge Management, 19(6), 1186–1203. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-03-2015-0108
  • McElroy, M. W. (2017). A FRAMEWORK FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN TELEWORKING AND THE EFFECT TO THE ORGANIZATION. Cutter IT Journal, 15(3), 12. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59140-180-3.ch006
  • Mohalik, S., Westerlund, M., Rajala, R., & Timonen, H. (2019). Increasing the adoption of teleworking in the public sector. April.
  • Mohamad Sadegh Sangari, R. H. et al. (2015). The impact of knowledge management processes on supply chain performance An empirical study. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd., 34(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-09-2012-0100
  • Nakrošienė, A., Bučiūnienė, I., & Goštautaitė, B. (2019). Working from home: characteristics and outcomes of telework. International Journal of Manpower, 40(1), 87–101. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-07-2017-0172
  • Ndubisi, N. O., & Kahraman, C. (2005). Teleworking adoption decision-making processes: Multinational and Malaysian firms comparison. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 18(2), 150–168. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410390510579891
  • Obeidat, B. Y., Al-Suradi, M. M., Masa’deh, R., & Tarhini, A. (2016). The impact of knowledge management on innovation: An empirical study on Jordanian consultancy firms. Management Research Review, 39(10), 1214–1238. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-09-2015-0214
  • Ollo López, A., Goñi Legaz, S., & Erro Garcés, A. (2020). Home-based telework: usefulness and facilitators. International Journal of Manpower. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-02-2020-0062
  • Organização Mundial da Saúde. (2020). WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. In WHO Director General’s speeches (Issue March, p. 4). https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020
  • Park, S., & Cho, Y. J. (2020). Does telework status affect the behavior and perception of supervisors? Examining task behavior and perception in the telework context. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 0(0), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2020.1777183
  • Payal, R., Ahmed, S., & Debnath, R. M. (2019). Impact of knowledge management on organizational performance: An application of structural equation modeling. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, 49(4), 510–530. https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-07-2018-0063
  • Pérez, M. P., Sánchez, A. M., De Luis Carnicer, P., & Vela Jiménez, M. J. (2005). The differences of firm resources and the adoption of teleworking. Technovation, 25(12), 1476–1483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2005.04.002
  • Pérez Pérez, M., Martínez Sánchez, A., de Luis Carnicer, P., & José Vela Jiménez, M. (2004). A technology acceptance model of innovation adoption: The case of teleworking. European Journal of Innovation Management, 7(4), 280–291. https://doi.org/10.1108/14601060410565038
  • Pérez Pérez, M., Martínez Sánchez, A., Pilar de Luis Carnicer, ma, & José Vela Jiménez,  (2002). Knowledge tasks and teleworking: A taxonomy model of feasibility adoption. Journal of Knowledge Management, 6(3), 272–284. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270210434377
  • Persson, P., & Pauget, B. (2020). Knowledge sharing while teleworking. 1–42.
  • Peters, P., Tijdens, K., & Wetzels, C. (2001). Factors in Employees ’ Telecommuting Opportunities , Preferences and Practices. 008(008).
  • Popa, I., Ştefan, S. C., Morărescu, C., & Cicea, C. (2018). Research regarding the influence of knowledge management practices on employee satisfaction in the Romanian Healthcare System. Amfiteatru Economic, 20(49), 567–582. https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2018/49/553
  • Raghuram, S., Garud, R., Wiesenfeld, B., & Gupta, V. (2001). Factors contributing to virtual work adjustment. Journal of Management, 27(3), 383–405. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063(01)00097-6
  • Rhoads, M. (2010). Face-to-face and computer-mediated communication: What does theory tell us and what have we learned so far? Journal of Planning Literature, 25(2), 111–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885412210382984
  • Sánchez, A. M., Pérez, M. P., De Luis Carnicer, P., & Jiménez, M. J. V. (2007). Teleworking and workplace flexibility: A study of impact on firm performance. Personnel Review, 36(1), 42–64. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480710716713
  • Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Hair, J. F. (2020). Handbook of Market Research. In Handbook of Market Research (Issue September). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05542-8
  • Scott, D. M., Dam, I., Páez, A., & Wilton, R. D. (2012). Investigating the effects of social influence on the choice to telework. Environment and Planning A, 44(5), 1016–1031. https://doi.org/10.1068/a43223
  • Shah, J. A., & Manna, I. (2020). AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF TELEWORK READINESS ON INDIAN. Journal of Organisation & Human Behaviour, 9, 50–60. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3710185
  • Shahzad, M., Qu, Y., Zafar, A. U., Rehman, S. U., & Islam, T. (2020). Exploring the influence of knowledge management process on corporate sustainable performance through green innovation. Journal of Knowledge Management, 24(9), 2079–2106. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-11-2019-0624
  • Shamim, S., Cang, S., & Yu, H. (2019). Impact of knowledge oriented leadership on knowledge management behaviour through employee work attitudes. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(16), 2387–2417. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2017.1323772
  • Sharma, P. N., Shmueli, G., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N., & Ray, S. (2018). Prediction-Oriented Model Selection in Partial Least Squares Path Modeling. Decision Sciences, 00(0), 1–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/deci.12329
  • Shujahat, M., Sousa, M. J., Hussain, S., Nawaz, F., Wang, M., & Umer, M. (2019). Translating the impact of knowledge management processes into knowledge-based innovation: The neglected and mediating role of knowledge-worker productivity. Journal of Business Research, 94(November 2017), 442–450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.11.001
  • Smith, S. A., Patmos, A., & Pitts, M. J. (2018). Communication and teleworking: A study of communication channel satisfaction, personality, and job satisfaction for teleworking employees. International Journal of Business Communication, 55(1), 44–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488415589101
  • Tanpipat, W., Lim, H. W., & Deng, X. (2021). Implementing remote working policy in corporate offices in Thailand: Strategic facility management perspective. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(3), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031284
  • Taskin, L., & Bridoux, F. (2010). Telework: A challenge to knowledge transfer in organizations. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(13), 2503–2520. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2010.516600
  • Tong, C., Tak, W. I. W., & Wong, A. (2015). The Impact of Knowledge Sharing on the Relationship between Organizational culture and Job Satisfaction: The Perception of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Practitioners in Hong Kong. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 5(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijhrs.v5i1.6895
  • Topi, H. (2004). Supporting telework: Obstacles and solutions. Information Systems Management, 21(3), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.1201/1078/44432.21.3.20040601/82481.12
  • Tseng, S. M. (2008). The effects of information technology on knowledge management systems. Expert Systems with Applications, 35(1–2), 150–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2007.06.011
  • Tubigi, M., & Alshawi, S. (2015). The impact of knowledge management processes on organisational performance: The case of the airline industry. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 28(2), 267–285. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-01-2014-0003
  • Turetken, O., Jain, A., Quesenberry, B., & Ojelanki, N. (2011). An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Individual and Work Characteristics on Telecommuting Success. 54(1), 56–67. https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2010.2041387
  • Van Der Merwe, F. I., & Smith, D. C. (2014). Telework: Enablers and moderators when assessing organisational fit. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, 28-Septemb, 323–333. https://doi.org/10.1145/2664591.2664599
  • Yang, L. R., Chen, J. H., & Wang, H. W. (2012). Assessing impacts of information technology on project success through knowledge management practice. Automation in Construction, 22, 182–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2011.06.016
  • Ye, L. R. (2012). Telecommuting : Implementation for Success. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(15), 20–30. http://www.ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_15_August_2012/4.pdf
  • Zaim, H., Muhammed, S., & Tarim, M. (2019). Relationship between knowledge management processes and performance: critical role of knowledge utilization in organizations. Knowledge Management Research and Practice, 17(1), 24–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2018.1538669

  • Receive Date 13 October 2021
  • Revise Date 08 December 2021
  • Accept Date 01 January 2022