Knowledge management in intra-coopetitive contexts: the role of knowledge-oriented leadership

Abstract

Organisations are increasingly paying attention to knowledge management to develop a competitive advantage. In coopetition literature is particularly relevant to analyse knowledge management because, among the numerous tensions arising, one of the most important is related to knowledge sharing and protection. This contradictory logic triggers tensions and complex relationships that require specific leadership skills, so leaders are knowledge brokers. Based on these considerations, this paper analyses what leader behaviours favour knowledge management in intracoopetive contexts. To this end, a qualitative case study was carried out at “The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC)”. We conducted 37 semi-structured interviews with managers, research line coordinators, research team leaders, and four focus groups. All interviews and focus groups information were transcribed and coded using Nvivo Release 1.6.1 software. The results of this study show that the main paradoxes involved in the knowledge management process are three: trust vs distrust, equity vs opportunism, and commitment vs rivalry. Likewise, this work has revealed that leaders contribute to managing the paradoxes and developing coopetition capability among their subordinates by carrying out the following behaviours: setting goals and distributing tasks, fostering communication and a teamwork environment, motivating and guiding employees, encouraging autonomy and learning from experience. These findings offer insights into how leaders can balance cooperative and competitive behaviours using a combination of transactional and transformational leadership styles as knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) does. Therefore, the results of this study highlight that KOL may be the appropriate leadership for knowledge management in an intracoopetitive context.