The importance of Organizational Commitment to Knowledge Management

 

Felipe de Sequeira Rocha ¹

Leonor Cardoso ¹

Nuria Tordera ²

 

¹Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Coimbra

²Universitat de València, Facultad de Psicología

 

Abstract. In recent years, Knowledge Management (KM) has assumed great importance in the literature on business and management. However, we still have so little understanding of the human issues in KM processes. Thus, this research aims to contribute to analysing the importance of Organizational Commitment (OC) to KM. First, we used the Cardoso (2003) Knowledge Management Questionnaire (QGC) that embraces all organizational activities around knowledge processes and distinguishes four dimensions of KM. Secondly we applied the Quijano, Masip, Navarro and Aubert (1997) questionnaire (ASH-ICI) that distinguishes two types of commitment (personal and instrumental) into four dimensions. These two questionnaires were applied with 300 employees in the Portuguese industrial ceramics sector. Through multiple regression analysis we found that levels of organizational commitment are statistically important to KM dimensions. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that personal commitment is more important than need commitment. These results are discussed and Organizational Behaviour specialists and Work and Organizational psychologists are challenged to assume more responsibility and an active role in KM studies and practices and to explore human issues in this field.

Key words: Knowledge Management, Organizational Commitment.

 

Resumo. Nos últimos anos, a Gestão do Conhecimento (GC) tem assumido uma grande relevância na literatura da gestão e dos negócios. Contudo, persiste a escassa compreensão dos aspectos humanos nos processos de GC. Deste modo, esta investigação procura contribuir para a análise da importância do Comprometimento Organizacional (CO) para a GC. Em primeiro lugar, utilizámos o Questionário de Gestão do Conhecimento (QGC) de Cardoso (2003) que compreende em si todas as actividades organizacionais constituintes dos processos do conhecimento e que distingue quatro dimensões da GC. Em segundo lugar, aplicámos o questionário (ASH-ICI) de Quijano, Masip, Navarro e Aubert (1997) que distingue dois tipos de comprometimento (pessoal e instrumental) em quatro dimensões. Estes dois questionários foram aplicados a 300 colaboradores do sector industrial cerâmico português. Através da análise de regressão múltipla, verificámos que os níveis de comprometimento organizacional são estatisticamente importantes para as dimensões da GC. Para além disso, a nossa análise indica que o comprometimento pessoal é mais importante do que o comprometimento de necessidade. Estes resultados são discutidos e os especialistas do Comportamento Organizacional e psicólogos do Trabalho e das Organizações são desafiados a assumir uma maior responsabilidade e um papel mais activo nos estudos e práticas da GC, bem como a explorar os aspectos humanos neste campo.

Palavras-chave: Gestão do Conhecimento, Comprometimento Organizacional.

 

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