A study on the multidimensional information management capability of knowledge workers
| Published date | 21 March 2016 |
| Date | 21 March 2016 |
| Pages | 138-154 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-06-2015-0093 |
| Author | Yujong Hwang |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval |
A study on the multidimensional
information management
capability of knowledge workers
Yujong Hwang
DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USA and Kyung Hee University, Yongin,
Republic of Korea
Abstract
Purpose –Drawing upon the extant literature from information systems (IS), information science,
psychology, marketing, management, and IT training, the purpose of this paper is to propose
information management capability (IMC) construct and its sub-dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach –New instruments were developed and validated to measure the
proposed IMC constructs. The proposed model was empirically tested using the data collected from 120
knowledge workers using SPSS and partial least square.
Findings –This research proposes and confirms that IMC has formative sub-dimensions such as
sensing, collecting, organizing, processing, and maintaining.
Originality/value –The study findings provide important insights on enhancing knowledge workers’
information management practices and subsequent knowledge management practices. The new instruments
can be used as diagnostic tools for knowledge workers’recruiting, ongoing assessment, and training.
Keywords PLS, Survey, Information management, Knowledge management, Questionnaire,
Information processing
Paper type Conceptual paper
1. Introduction
Knowledge management (KM) starts from the effectiveness of personal information
management of knowledge workers in an organization (Grant, 1996a, b; Tsoukas, 1996).
The synergetic process of managing personalized information related to facts, procedures,
concepts, interpretations, ideas, observations, and judgment, among individual, groups,
and inter-groups in an organization is known as KM (Alavi and Leidner, 2001). The
knowledge worker brings in new knowledge from the outside, translates this to useful
information, and ultimately advances organizational performance in th e KM processes.
Research on identifying and leveraging the collective knowledge in an organization to
help the organization to compete(von Krogh, 1998) has made significant efforts to explain
the relationships between various KM organizational interventions and performance
(Sambamurthy and Subramani, 2005). However, there is no specific information
management capability (IMC) constructs for knowledge worker.
While the evidence mounts that we must improve the information management
effectiveness of employees, it could be argued that a disproportionate amount of information
systems (IS) scholarly energy has been directed at identifying salient characteristics of IT
rather than focussing on understanding the information management aspects of knowledge
workers. Supporters of this argument contend that technology is only a tool designed to
support the management of information while knowledge workers are the ultimate agents
who put information to use (Ragowsky et al., 2008; George et al., 2008; Mithas and Krishnan,
2009; Mithas et al., 2011; Hesamamiri et al., 2015; van Deventer et al., 2015).
People who are willing to use more formal patterns of information communication
are likely to achieve better efficiency in operations and process managemen t
Aslib Journal of Information
Management
Vol. 68 No. 2, 2016
pp. 138-154
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2050-3806
DOI 10.1108/AJIM-06-2015-0093
Received 15 June 2015
Revised 9 September 2015
Accepted 2 November 2015
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2050-3806.htm
138
AJIM
68,2
(Yigitbasioglu and Velcu, 2012). A recent model of KM motivation focussed on
knowledge sharing (Gagne, 2009) includes several motivation types such as engaging
in an activity voluntarily (autonomous) or due to external or internal pressures
(controlled), and argues that including psychological factors that address individuals’
needs for relatedness, competency and autonomy are also important. For example,
based on Gagne’s (2009) proposals, sharing knowledge may create a sense of self-worth
and feelings of value and connections to others. A person must have the ability to
properly process the information. Corroborating this perspective, Hwang et al. (2010)
provides a detailed literature review of the relationship between the motivation and
capability aspects of personal information use and their potential impact on
performance. Hwang et al. (2010) argue that the previous information behavior and
management literature, such as user competence (Marcolin et al., 2000), did not
completely show the relationship between information management behavior and
job performance.
This paper proposes that IMC, a person’s perceived evaluation of his or her ability to
manage information effectively over the information life cycle, is composed of sub-
dimensions that can be measured by survey. The objective of this research is to develop
and perform an initial test of the IMC of a knowledge worker.
2. Literature review
Knowledge workers are the ultimate agents who put information to use (Orna, 1996).
Janz and Prasarnphanich (2003) clarified the relationships among organizational
climate, the level of cooperative learning that takes place between knowledge workers,
and the resulting level of knowledge created by team performance and individual
satisfaction levels. The definitions of data, information, and knowledge have been
suggested and debated by researchers in many fields, such as IS, strategy, and
communication. Data are raw facts about events; information is the data that are
processed (e.g. classified, summarized, and transferred) to add meaning and value
within certain context (Grover and Davenport, 2001; Martz and Shepherd, 2003).
Knowledge has been argued based on different point of views (e.g. Tuomi, 1999;
Langefors, 1973), but this paper adopts the definition of knowledge as “justified belief”,
and recognizes it as a primary strategic resource which can be transferred, recombined,
and used to create value in organizations (Leonard-Barton, 1992; Nonaka, 1994; Kogut
and Zander, 1992; Grant, 1996a). Saberwal and Becerra-Fernandez (2003) proved that
internalization and externalization impact perceived effectiveness of individual-level
KM. Their results also supported the expected upward i mpact in perceived
effectiveness of KM, from individual to group level, as well as from group to
organizational level. Ko et al. (2005) also posit that knowledge transfer is influenced by
knowledge-related, motivational, and communication-related factors.
Substantial research has been dedicated to identifying different types of abilities
(e.g. Ackerman et al., 1995; Kanfer and Ackerman, 1989). The determinants of this
ability encompass the individual’s repertoire of knowledge and facility with “acquiring,
storing in memory, retrieving, combining, comparing, and using in new contexts
information and conceptual skills”(Humphrey, 1979). Attentional capacity has been
suggested as the comprehensive mechanism for cognitive ability in the human
information processing behavior (Kanfer and Ackerman, 1989; Ackerman, 1986;
Anderson, 1982; Kyllonen and Christal, 1990). Attentional capacity is the capability
aspect of individual’s cognitive resources whereas attentional effort is the motivation
aspect (Kanfer and Ackerman, 1989).
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Multidimensional
IMC of
knowledge
workers
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