Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Saleh Talebi Kelishmi ¹
• Ghodratallah Mohammadi ²
• Mohammad Razzaghi ³

¹ M.A. in Educational Administration, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

² Ph.D. in Educational Administration, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

³ Ph.D. in Educational Administration, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

Abstract

1. Introduction

In today's organizational world, different generations of employees work and engage in activities alongside each other. Generations that differ from each other mainly in terms of knowledge, values, and skills, and these differences have also affected their behaviors. Some believe that the existence of intergenerational differences in organizations can be a source of tension and conflict and have a negative impact on organizational performance. However, studies show that today, a successful organization is one that is able to manage the diversity of generations in the organization and create an environment of cooperation by creating an intergenerational culture and responding to the diverse needs of each generation of employees. Intergenerational culture means creating values and beliefs among people in an organization that enable them to tolerate people of different ages from different generations, so that they can respect each other's opinions, interact and communicate positively, and use each other's abilities to improve organizational work and activities. Innovation is an important and vital factor for organizations to create value and sustainable competitive advantage in today's complex and changing environment. It seems that one of the effective factors in the emergence of innovation is knowledge and information, which can be created in various ways, including knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing should occur between employees of different generations. Generations that are mainly different from each other in terms of knowledge, values, and skills, and effective interaction between them requires the existence of an intergenerational culture in the organization. Therefore, due to the importance of the subject, the present study seeks to answer the question: Does the intergenerational culture of the organization affect innovation with the mediating role of knowledge sharing among Shiraz University employees?

2. Literature Review

So far, various studies have been conducted on each of the variables studied in the study, and some of the most important ones have been briefly mentioned. Research by Cohen (2006) and Ropes (2011) showed that dimensions of intergenerational culture have a positive and significant effect on the growth of individuals' innovation. Also, Chen et al. (2014) and Li and Hong (2014) concluded in their research that knowledge sharing has a positive and significant effect on individuals' innovation. Sivén and Ivantsova (2017), Brčić and Mihelič (2015), Harvey (2012), and Burris (2012) found that different dimensions of intergenerational culture can have a positive and significant impact on knowledge sharing. The findings of Al-Ahmad, Easa, and Mostapha (2020) indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between knowledge sharing and knowledge and innovation in production and process.

3. Methodology

The research method is a descriptive correlation type. The statistical population of the research included all the employees of Shiraz University, a total of 700 people, of which 248 people were selected using a simple random sampling method. The tools of this research included the intergenerational culture questionnaire of King and Brandt (2017), knowledge sharing by van den Hoof and de Ryder (2004), and Holman et al.'s (2012) innovative behavior. The content validity of the questionnaires was approved by the experts, and the reliability of the questionnaires was estimated by Cronbach's alpha method as 0.91, 0.81 and 0.84, respectively. Data analysis was done at two descriptive and inferential levels, including the Pearson correlation coefficient and the structural equation model.
 

4. Results

The results of the research showed that the existence of an intergenerational constructive culture has a positive and significant effect on the growth of knowledge-sharing behavior. In addition, knowledge-sharing behavior also has a positive and significant effect on the growth of employees' innovation. Also, intergenerational culture in the university has a positive but insignificant effect on employee innovation. Therefore, the intergenerational culture in the university can influence the innovation of the employees due to the knowledge-sharing behavior.

5. Discussion

Today, in organizations, different generations of employees with different beliefs and values work together. Failure to properly manage such differences can cause disruption and create tension and conflict in organizations. However, the existence of a correct intergenerational culture in the organization can not only prevent such conflicts from occurring, but can also guide such diversity in organizations in a way that leads to improved work and organizational activities. Based on the results obtained, intergenerational culture has a positive and significant effect on the development of knowledge-sharing behavior. This finding means that the more the values and beliefs among the organization's people tend toward tolerance of people of different ages and generations, respect for each other's opinions, positive interaction and communication between different generations, avoidance of intergenerational stereotypes, and creating a platform for the growth, promotion, and retention of employees from different generations, the more the platform for constructive interaction and knowledge sharing between individuals is provided. Another finding of this research is the positive and significant impact of knowledge-sharing behavior on the growth of employee innovation. Therefore, knowledge sharing can provide the basis for creating and implementing new ideas and benefiting the organization by providing individuals with a set of necessary and up-to-date knowledge and information. Another finding of this research is the positive but insignificant effect of intergenerational culture in the university on employee innovation. Based on this and other research findings, although intergenerational culture can have a positive impact on the innovation of university employees, this impact is not direct but occurs indirectly through knowledge sharing. The reason for this finding may be in the nature of innovation, because innovation requires up-to-date knowledge and information. Therefore, knowledge sharing can facilitate this. However, knowledge sharing also requires cooperation and interaction between individuals and their willingness to share their knowledge with others, which can also be influenced by the existence of an intergenerational culture.

6. Conclusion

Considering the above, it can be concluded that the existence of an intergenerational culture in the university, i.e. a culture in which respect for the values and beliefs of all generations, intergenerational interactions and collaborations, acceptance and promotion of employees of different generations, and retention are valued, can pave the way for the growth of knowledge sharing behavior and have a positive and meaningful impact on knowledge sharing. Also, the growth of knowledge-sharing behavior among university employees can have a positive and significant impact on the emergence of innovation among employees. In addition, intergenerational culture in universities can affect the growth of innovation through knowledge-sharing behavior.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful for the kindness and cooperation of the staff of Shiraz University, who paved the way for this research with their mutual understanding and support.
 

Keywords

• intergenerational culture
• knowledge sharing
• employees' innovation
• Shiraz University

Main Subjects

• Knowledge Management