Investigating the Impact of Knowledge Management Capabilities and Human Resources Practices on Knowledge Management Benefits with the Lens of Organizational Learning: Empirical Evidence from a Policing Organization

Abstract

Organizations need to increase their ability to build a knowledge-intensive society. They must effectively manage the powerful factor of “knowledge” to thrive. Existing literature on this topic has recognized the impact of knowledge management on organizational success. This study is the first in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to integrate knowledge management benefits and organizational learning based on the resource-based view of organizations and organizational learning theories in a policing organization. It examines the effect of knowledge management capabilities, and human resources practices for knowledge sharing, on knowledge management benefits. The human resources practices are based on four sub-constructs, extrinsic motivation-enhancing, intrinsic motivation-enhancing, opportunity-enhancing, and ability-enhancing HR practices. The model also analyzed other relationships, for example the mediation effect of organizational learning between knowledge management capabilities and benefits. In this quantitative research, data were collected from a policing organization using questionnaires received from 693 managerial-level employees from various organizational units. Various statistical tools, including confirmatory factor analysis, and descriptive analysis, were used to explore relationships and test 11 hypotheses. The study found that knowledge management capability has a positive effect on knowledge management benefits. However, of the four types of HR practices, only intrinsic motivation-enhancing practices played a major role in increasing benefits from knowledge management practices. This study also showed that the policing organization was not benefiting from adopting HR practices designed to enhance either extrinsic motivation or ability unless they were mediated by organizational learning. The study contributes to the knowledge management literature by proposing a new model that may be applicable to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, building on previous theories including the resource-based view. The study will assist managers to create successful strategies for managing knowledge, particularly in policing organizations in the region. It will also help the police force to strengthen its knowledge management strategy, which will support the achievement of the UAE’s Vision 2030 of building a knowledge-based economy. However, the study had a number of limitations that create opportunities for future research. Firstly, there are opportunities for other researchers to extend this model by adding more variables. They may also wish to improve other frameworks that include the benefits of knowledge management or organizational learning as dependent variables. More knowledge management benefits could be investigated at individual, team, and organizational levels.

Keywords Confirmatory factor analysis, Composite reliability , Geodesic discrepancy, Unweighted least squares, Gulf Cooperation Council ,Human resources