Transformational and Transactional Leadership Behaviours and their Effect on Knowledge Workers' Propensity for Knowledge Management Processes

Abstract

This paper seeks to raise the question as to why knowledge management (KM) initiatives adopted by organisations fail to achieve the intended outcomes. Based on literature, it is argued, first, that internal leadership is the most critical antecedent which leads knowledge workers (KWs) propensity to engage in KM processes and second, that, transformational and transactional leader behaviours are the key predictors of KM propensity. Consequently, four types of transformational leader behaviours and two types of transactional leader behaviours are conceptualised as energisers of KWs propensity to KM processes and thus bring the KM success. Accordingly, the paper extends current understanding of the association between KM and leadership considering the specific leader behaviours in both transformational and transactional leadership theory where neither the KM nor the leadership field provides a detailed explanation of specific leader behaviours.