| A firm's knowledge base is a valuable asset that can lead to sustained competitive advantage. Given that a great deal of a firm's knowledge resides in its people, its deployment of contingent workers may alter how knowledge flows throughout the firm. Contingent labor usage has increased markedly in the United States, but the organizational implications of this practice remain largely unexplored. In particular, there is a dearth of research on how contingent workers influence intrafirm knowledge transfer. The expanding contingent workforce, coupled with the importance of knowledge in today's economy, suggests a pressing need to address this shortcoming.; This dissertation is a step toward closing this gap in the organizational literature. Case studies were conducted at a large high technology firm that competes in a knowledge intensive, highly cyclical industry. Case studies of nine work units—each based on quantitative and qualitative methods—were analyzed to generate inferences about effective uses of contingent labor and to shed light on the micro-underpinnings of knowledge transfer. Findings indicate that overall, contingent workers impede knowledge flow within the firm. Although contingent workers often have knowledge well worth sharing, in general they are less involved in knowledge transfer and less likely to be considered by their co-workers as knowledge sources.; Regression analysis of survey data helps explain this outcome. Specifically, contingent workers' short firm tenure, high level of newcomerness, and sheer temporary status shape their role in knowledge transfer. Additional analysis conducted at the work unit level reveals the performance implications of contingent labor usage. Findings demonstrate how socialization, transactive memory, knowledge transfer, and temporary status salience come to bear upon performance. High performing work units displayed evidence of rapid socialization, strong transactive memory, and effective knowledge transfer, while low performers were hindered by problems such as insufficient training and withheld knowledge. These effects were amplified in work units that used contingent workers interchangeably with “permanent” employees rather than in narrow, peripheral roles.; Taken together, these findings suggest it may be challenging to realize the purported advantages of contingent labor without negative consequences. Practical implications of this conclusion and its theoretical contributions are discussed. |
