Nexus of knowledge management between industry and academia via third space hybridity and career attitudes

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the relationship between Protean Career Attitude, Boundaryless Career Attitude and Task and Contextual Performance mediated by Knowledge Management (KM). In this paper, KM is taken as a boundary process view, namely, Knowledge Sharing, Knowledge Integration and Knowledge Transformation. KM is taken as a mediator and the perspective of Third Space Hybridity and Knowledge Brokers have been tested. The role of boundary spanners has been investigated by empirically examining 104 employees teaching as adjunct faculty along with working in their respective fields in Karachi, Pakistan. These visiting faculties are performing the role of Boundary Spanners or Artists-Academic (Lam, 2017) and work using the knowledge from academia and organizations. A measurement model and Structural Equation Model using Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique have been applied using SMART-PLS software to test the hypotheses. While the bootstrapping method has been applied to test the mediation. The results showed that Protean Career Attitudes play a significant role in effecting both Task Performance and Contextual Performance through KM. Specifically, self-driven values (sub-dimension of Protean Career Attitudes) effect the relationship. Task Performance has a stronger effect than Contextual performance. This study discusses how the model works across different boundaries and how sharing, integration and transformation of knowledge occurs. This study will help top management in different organizations to understand the role of these boundary spanners and utilize them in the development of new products and services. The management needs to identify such individuals as they are better suited to take up the role of entrepreneurs in their organizations.