Interactive mechanisms between formal and informal knowledge governance mechanisms in predicting knowledge processes in China

ABSTRACT

Knowledge quality and knowledge creation refer to two distinct but continuous processes that are critical to the success of Chinese knowledge-intensive firms (KIFs) and should be effectively governed through appropriate knowledge governance mechanisms (KGMs). This study – aiming to examine this topic – draws on the KBV theory and tests the indirect relationship among KGMs, knowledge quality, and knowledge creation, as well as formal and informal KGMs’ complementary roles. We collected data from 192 KIFs in Chinese knowledge-intensive industries. Our results demonstrated that formal and informal KGMs positively influenced knowledge quality and exhibited an indirect positive effect on knowledge creation. Moreover, the product item between formal and informal KGMs exhibited a positive effect on knowledge quality and indirectly influenced knowledge creation via knowledge quality, demonstrating formal and informal KGMs’ complementary roles in managing knowledge processes. Finally, we present this study’s theoretical and practical implications and limitations.

KEYWORDS:

• Knowledge governance mechanisms
• formal mechanisms
• informal mechanisms
• knowledge quality
• knowledge creation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [71902107]