Impact of Knowledge Management Process on Knowledge-Worker Productivity in state Universities in Sri Lanka: a mediating role of Employee Engagement

Abstract

Knowledge management process (KMP) is one of the main sources of knowledge-worker productivity (KWP).  However, the impact of KMP on KWP in higher education has received less attention in Sri Lanka and the previous studies in the same area found varying results regarding the impact of KMP on KWP. Hence, this study examines the impact of KMP (knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization) on KWP (timeliness of workers, their tasks efficiency, and the autonomy) in Sri Lanka. It also investigates the mediating effect of employee engagement (EE) (intellectual engagement, social engagement and affective engagement) on the relationship between KMP and KWP. Data was collected using the survey method and 264 usable questionnaires were received from knowledge-workers of universities (Lecturers, Senior Lectures and Professors). Path analysis and boostrapping technique in AMOS were conducted to test the relationships among KMP, EE and KWP. The results show a positive relationship between KMP, EE and KWP. They also indicate that EE partially mediates the relationship between KMP and KWP. The study concludes that the KWP of a firm is influenced by the firm's ability to improve EE through KMP. Universities in Sri Lanka, to fully enhance their KWP, need EE that consists of intellectual engagement, social engagement and affective engagement.