The relationship between work environment factors and organizational knowledge creation process (Korea)

This study investigated the relationship between work environment and organizational knowledge creation process. The research question was: what are the work environment factors and demographic variables that enhance or impede organizational knowledge creation, and how are those factors related to the processes of organizational knowledge creation? This study was conducted in three corporate organizations in Korea. The response rate of the surveys was 67.9% (432/620).; Eight work environment factors and eight demographic factors comprised the independent variables. Work environment factors were assessed by Amabile's (1996) KEYS with some modification. Organizational knowledge creation process comprised the dependent variable, which were assessed by a researcher-developed measure using an exploratory factor analysis.; Key findings included: (1) males created more organizational knowledge than females; (2) the age group of 30–39 created more organizational knowledge than the age group of 20–29; (3) high performers created more organizational knowledge than low performers; (4) educational level did not make any difference in creating organizational knowledge; (5) employees working at Non-Research and Development (R&D), Engineering, and Manufacturing (REM) functions involved in organizational knowledge creation as much as those working at REM functions; (6) middle managers created more organizational knowledge than employees; (7) employees with 5–10 years of work experience in the current type of job created more organizational knowledge than those with 0–4 years of work experience; (8) employees with more than 5 years of work experience in the current organization created more organizational knowledge than those with 0–4 years of work experience; (9) six work environment factors explained 51 percent of variance in organizational knowledge creation, with Autonomy as the strongest predictor, followed by Supervisory Encouragement, Organizational Encouragement, Organizational Impediment, Performance Review Rating, and Work Group Support; (10) Performance Review Rating was the only significant demographic variable predicting organizational knowledge creation; and finally, (11) stimulant work environment factors (Autonomy, Organizational Encouragement, Supervisory Encouragement, and Work Group Support) showed positive significant relationships with organizational knowledge creation, whereas obstacle work environment factors (Workload Pressures and Organizational Impediments) showed no negative relationships with organizational knowledge creation.