Knowledge acquisition and organisational performance in project-focused companies

Abstract

The temporary nature of employment contracts can negate allegiance of workers to construction and engineering companies that are project-focussed. This affects the employee’s willingness to share knowledge and permit its institutionalisation. Similarly, such a short-term relationship often implies that the employer would scarcely invest in employee-development. The nature of the relationship can, therefore, bode negative consequences for knowledge acquisition and its ability to affect organisational performance in a project-focused environment. The purpose of this study, which was conducted from a positivist philosophical perspective, was to explore the relationship, if any, between knowledge acquisition and organisational performance. A mixed method research design was adopted. Self-administered questionnaires and follow-up telephonic interviews were utilised to collect data from a non-random sample of employees drawn from all construction companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The study revealed that in the project-focused companies researched, high knowledge acquisition scores were associated with sound organisational performance. Consequently, companies ought to invest in mechanisms that enable the acquisition of knowledge from individuals and its transfer to institutional repositories. This, if done, is likely to benefit organisational performance.