How Knowledge Sharing Impacts Product Innovation through Employees’ Creativity and Top Management Support? An Integrative Framework on E-commerce Industry of Pakistan.

Abstract

Product Innovation is a significant aspect for survival in hyper-competitive corporate environment. However, it is a complex process, which requires simultaneous capabilities. Per most scholars and practitioners, knowledge sharing is considered as one of the most importance source of product innovation by contemporary organizations. Thus, this research intends to examine the impact of knowledge sharing on product innovation and its interlinking mechanisms. In this regard, an integrative framework has been developed for empirical investigation. Employees’ creativity is proposed as a mediator on knowledge sharing and product innovation’s relation, as creativity within business environment is considered vital for achieving innovation. Furthermore, moderated impact of top managements support has been tested, as management has a key strategic role in an increasingly global and fast-changing business environment. A survey-based quantitative research design is adopted for collecting data from employees of Pakistan’s E-commerce organizations. Approximately, 350 questionnaires were distributed. The results revealed a positive significant relationship between knowledge sharing and product innovation. Furthermore, findings divulge that employees’ creativity partially mediates the relationship between knowledge sharing and product innovation. On the contrary, moderated mediation impact of top management support failed to substantiate the propose hypothesis. In the end, results are discussed in the light of the literature review followed by the study’s limitations and future directions to conclude the study.