Exploring the relationships among tacit knowledge sharing, mentoring and employees’ abilities. The case of Al-Hikma pharmaceutical company in Jordan
| Published date | 14 October 2019 |
| Date | 14 October 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-04-2019-0048 |
| Pages | 34-56 |
| Author | Mohammad Orsan Al-Zoubi,Ala’aldin Alrowwad,Ra’ed Masa’deh |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Knowledge management,Knowledge management systems |
Exploring the relationships among
tacit knowledge sharing,
mentoring and employees’abilities
The case of Al-Hikma pharmaceutical
company in Jordan
Mohammad Orsan Al-Zoubi
Department of Business Management, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
Ala’aldin Alrowwad
Department of Business Management, University of Jordan –Aqaba Campus,
Aqaba, Jordan, and
Ra’ed Masa’deh
Department of Management Information Systems,
University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to assess the relationships among tacit knowledge sharing, mentoring and
employees’abilities in the areas of solving the work problems, adaptation to environments and creation of
new innovativeideas.
Design/methodology/approach –This study applied quantitative research methods to examine the
causal relationshipsamong the key study variables. A questionnaire-based survey developedto evaluate the
research model by drawing a conveniencesample includes 123 employees working in the selected company
headquartersin Jordan. Surveyed data were examined following the structuralequation modeling procedures.
Findings –Results revealed that tacit knowledge sharing had a positive effect on employees’
abilities in the areas of adaptation to the work environments and creation of innovative ideas, while
there was no an affirmative effect on employees’abilities in the area of solving the work problems. In
addition, the study showed that mentoring had a positive effect on employees’abilities in terms of
solving work problems, adaptation to work environments and creation of new innovative ideas.
Furthermore, mentoring had mediated the relationship between tacit knowledge sharing and
employees’abilities.
Research limitations/implications –The findings of thisstudy lay a basis for future studies pertainto
the effect of tacit knowledgesharing and mentoring on the employees’abilities as preconditionsfor improving
organizationalperformance. These findings would be supported by future research studies,the examining of
larger samples of pharmaceutical companies to give deeper meanings and more understandings of the
relationship,among key study variables. The authors argue that it is useful to expand the current researchby
conducting futurestudies, examining the mediating role of other social learning methodssuch as storytelling
and communityof practices on relationship betweentacit knowledge sharing and employees abilities.
Practical implications –The current research modelwill assist knowledge managers and practitioners
to take serious decisions pertaining employees’involvement in the process oftacit knowledge sharing and
mentoring as preconditions for superior organizational. As well as, it can be a step forward for conducting
furtherresearch studies on relationships among tacit knowledge sharing,mentoring and employees abilities.
Social implications –This suggested model may act as a catalyst for continuous improvements to the
Jordan pharmaceuticalindustry in terms of producing high-quality medicinesthat improve health of humans
and the society at large.
VJIKMS
50,1
34
Received6 April 2019
Revised8 August 2019
Accepted21 August 2019
VINEJournal of Information and
KnowledgeManagement Systems
Vol.50 No. 1, 2020
pp. 34-56
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2059-5891
DOI 10.1108/VJIKMS-04-2019-0048
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2059-5891.htm
Originality/value –Although academic studies on knowledge management showed a positive
relationship between tacit knowledge sharing and organizational performance, few studies examined the
relationships between tacit knowledge sharing and employees’abilities as preconditions for superior
organizational performance.Furthermore, they ignored to examine the effect of the crucial mediatingrole of
mentoring on the relationship between the two constructs. Therefore, this research tries to fill these gaps
appropriately.
Keywords Tacit knowledge sharing, Mentoring, Employees’abilities, Solving problems,
Adaptation, Innovation
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Recently, knowledge management has become a valuable asset for organizations that look
for sustainability and competitive position in markets. In today’s economy-based
knowledge, successful companies have been focusing on intellectual capital more than
physical capital or low-skilled workers. Jashapara (2011) and Abualoush et al. (2018a)
emphasized that the only certain thing in today’suncertain environment is that “knowledge
is the prime source for organization competitive advantage.”This notion is consistentwith
the knowledge-based view, which states that an organization that focuses on knowledge
sharing and which is intangible and dynamic would be more effective in creating economic
and noneconomic valuesthan others (Jafari and Rezaee, 2014).
At present, innovative companies do not only focus on producing products or services
that offer high values to the customers and stakeholders but also encourage sharing of
knowledge betweenemployees to maintain and improve their own abilities (Yesiland Dereli,
2013). Thus, the organization that facilitates the sharing of tacit knowledge between its
members can enjoy competitive advantagebased on the type of acquired knowledge which
is unique, rare and not easy to be transferred or imitated by competitors (Mahroeian and
Forozia, 2012).
Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) classified the knowledge into two distinct categories,
explicit and tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge can be coded and communicated with
others easily through technology. On the other hand, tacit knowledge is personal and
implies insights, experience, know-howand intuition that makes it difficult to communicate
or share with othersthrough technology (Spender, 1994).
This study mainly focuses on tacit knowledge sharing and methods used for this
purpose to increase individuals’abilities as a prerequisite for good organization
performance. Polanyi introducedthe concept of tacit knowledge to make strong connections
between the idea of intellectual capital and values added to organizations (Edvinsson and
Malone, 1997).
Previous studies showed that 90 per cent of the organizations’knowledge is tacit in
nature, embedded and assembled in the mindsand hands of employees, and often it implies
the technical and cognitive aspects of knowledge (Mongkolajala et al., 2012). The
organization which manages tacit knowledge in adequate ways is qualified to solve work
problems, adapt to work environments and create new innovative ideas which, in result,
enable the organization to enjoy competitive advantage. In the knowledge context, several
scholars in the fields of the organization theory and human resources management have
extensively approved and investigated some factors that facilitate transfer of tacit
knowledge within the organization, such as, flexible organization structure, an attractive
work environment,fair reward systems and adequate social learning methods(Teece, 2007).
Holste and Fields (2010) indicated that many social learning methods can be used for
sharing tacit knowledge in the organization, include:on-job training, mentoring, internship,
Al-Hikma
pharmaceutical
company
35
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