Analysis of the Knowledge-Oriented Leadership Model in Knowledge-Based Enterprises

IntroductionEmployees are the major capital of knowledge-oriented enterprises that have particular and distinct characteristics compared to ordinary employees. Thus, it is not easy to retain them in an enterprise. For this reason, a special leadership style is required. Moreover, specific characteristics of knowledge-oriented enterprises including knowledge centrality in all their activities require an appropriate leadership style. In this regard, the present study aims to investigate a leadership model for knowledge-oriented enterprises in Isfahan City.  Materials and MethodsThis applied-developmental study is exploratory and mixed research (qualitative-quantitative). In the qualitative section, the grounded theory approach and Strauss and Corbin's systematic GTM scheme were used. The statistical population in the qualitative section included managers of knowledge-oriented enterprises at Isfahan Science and Technology Town. Theoretical sampling was employed in this section. Semi-structured interviews were utilized for data collection. The data were analyzed via a three-phase coding process (open, axial, and selective) and finally, it was classified into six classes, that is, causal factors, central phenomenon, underlying factors, intervening factors, strategies, and consequences. In the quantitative section, inferential statistics were employed. The tool of data collection was a researcher-made questionnaire extracted from the results of the qualitative section. The statistical population consisted of experts of knowledge-oriented enterprises in Isfahan City. Then, 220 questionnaires were distributed randomly. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through content validity and construct validity. The content validity was confirmed by the experts and construct validity was approved using the structural equation modeling with the help of Amos 22 software. Discussion of Results and Conclusions The interviews were examined thoroughly via the systematic method and conducting the three-phase coding. The obtained open codes were 765. The classification of codes continued and they were reduced to 258 codes in the central phenomenon phase. Then, they were reduced to 33 codes in the selective phase. While confirming the validity by experts, one code was omitted and finally 32 codes were considered in six main categories. In the end, the goodness of fit of all components of the conceptual model was explored using the confirmatory factor analysis.The findings of the present study indicated that increased professionalism and specialization, reinforcement of competitive advantage, survival of the enterprise, knowledge nature of the enterprise, environmental dynamism, and capability of the knowledge-oriented enterprise were in accordance with environmental changes of causal variables of the knowledge-oriented leadership style. The dimensions identified for the central phenomenon of knowledge-oriented leadership were guiding of learning by a knowledge-oriented leader, role model as the leader of knowledge-oriented enterprises, creating knowledge space, and support of knowledge-oriented leadership from learning. In the knowledge-oriented enterprises, the dimensions included weak economic grounds and limitation of financial resources, technological ground and infrastructures, interactive and communicative grounds, structural and control grounds, knowledge ground, knowledge employees, and cultural ground. In addition, the identified intervening factors in the knowledge-oriented leadership model were the government and affiliated institutions, social and cultural factors, economic factors and the market, and legal factors.Likewise, given the underlying and intervening variables which were effective on knowledge-oriented enterprises, strategies for implementation of knowledge-oriented leadership in such enterprises were identified including motivation-oriented strategies, education-oriented and cultural strategies, attraction and maintenance of competent labor force, financing based on the use of potential extra-organizational capacities, knowledge creation and knowledge acquisition, improving the atmosphere of participation and interaction, and infrastructure-oriented strategies. Knowledge-oriented leadership could have some consequences such as improved performance and competitive advantage of the firm, enhanced quality of working life and job satisfaction of employees, increased organizational belonging and improved emotional-mental engagement of employees, continuous improvement and development of employees' skills, retention of employees in the firm, and economic and social consequences.