How to Attract Experts to and how to Make Them Productive in Knowledge-based Organizations?

back to overview

Type and Duration

PhD-Thesis, October 2008 until October 2013 (finished)

Coordinator

Chair in International Management

Main Research

Growth and Complexity

Field of Research

Enterprise
Knowledge Work and Knowledge Management

Description

Management in the industrial economy focused on increasing the productivity of single manual workers, because it was easy to determine individual contributions to tangible outputs. Hence carrot-and-stick motivational schemes did a good job in spurring individual work effort. Nowadays however, that motivational approach is outdated and counterproductive, due to the intangibility of knowledge work in- and output. Fostering of non-reward-contingent voluntary efforts to deliver outstanding results is therefore decisive for making management of knowledge a success in these days. At the same time group processes must be considered, due to the growing importance of expert teams for complex problem solving. To become an attractive organization for experts is therefore an important toehold to gain sustainable competitive advantage, since it allows for attracting and retaining the 21st century's most valuable asset. This research project takes a socio-cognitive view on knowledge work motivation, by combining facilitation of an emotional bond to and a sense of community with the knowledge worker collective, to overcome the Tayloristic relict, meaning focusing in productivity enhancement initiatives on experts as isolated individuals whose productivity must be improved.

Keywords

Knowledge Management, Leadership, motivation and incentive schemes, Human Resources, Strategic Management, Culture

Publications

  • Bildstein, I., Güldenberg, S., & Tjitra, H. (2013). Effective Leadership of Knowledge Workers: Results of an Intercultural Business Study. Management Research Review: Drucker Conference Special Issue, 36(8), 788-804. (ABDC_2022: C; ABS_2021: 1; VHB_3: C)

    more
  • Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2011). A Proposal for a new Framework for a Great Place to Work: A Cognitive-collective View on Knowledge Work Motivation. GI-Edition - Lecture Notes in Informatics - 6th Conference on Professional Knowledge Management: From Knowledge to Action, 254-261.

    more
  • Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2013). How Court Jester Attributes in the Knowledge Worker Collective Facilitate Effective Shared Leadership and Truly Dynamic Capabilities in Outlier Organizations. Paper presented at the Strategic Management Society - Lake Geneva Special Conference: Strategizing Practices from the Outliers: Enabling “Big Bang” Innovations, Lausanne, Switzerland.

    more
  • Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2012). How Effective Shared Leadership Supersedes Holding the Knowledge Wolf by the Ears Management - A Cognitive-collective Approach to Overcome Three Major Tensions Inherent in the Knowledge-based View. Paper presented at the 12th European Academy of Management Conference: Social Innovation for Competitiveness, Organizational Performance and Human Excellence, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

    more
  • Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2012). How Routinely Having a Look at the Jester’s Mirror Introduces the Missing Dynamic Component into Organizational Capabilies. Paper presented at the 32nd Annual Strategic Management Conference - Strategy in Transition, Prague Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic.

    more
  • Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2011). A Proposal for a new Framework for a Great Place to Work: A Cognitive-collective View on Knowledge Work Motivation. Paper presented at the 6th Conference on Professional Knowledge Management: From Knowledge to Action / Workshop MSKWM2011 - Motivationale, soziale und kulturelle Aspekte im Wissensmanagement, University of Innsbruck, SOWI Building, Innsbruck, Austria.

    more
  • Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2011). Is Holding the Knowledge Wolf by the Ears Conductive to Knowledge Sharing? A Cognitive-collective Approach to Overcome Three Major Tensions Inherent in the Knowledge-based View. Paper presented at the Strategic Management Society 31st Annual International Conference, Loews Hotel, 1601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida, United States.

    more
  • Bildstein, I. (2010). Tackling the 21st Century's Most Important Management Challenge by Seizing Innovative Psychological Considerations to Boost Knowledge Work Results. , Peter Drucker Challenge 2010 Winning Essay. The Second Global Peter F. Drucker Forum.

    more
  • Bildstein, I. (2012, 11.05.2012). Development of Intercultural Leadership Skills: How to Successfully Bridge the Tension Between Western Leadership Understanding and Actual Leadership Behavior in South-East Asia. Research Colloquium, University of Liechtenstein.

    more
  • Bildstein, I. (2012, 08.03.2012). Description of the PhD Project "How to Attract Experts to and How to Make Them Productive at Knowledge-based Organizations?". Team Meeting Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Xixi Campus, Hangzhou, China.

    more