Fostering organizational learning through leadership and knowledge sharing

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among transformational leadership, knowledge sharing climate and behavior, interpersonal trust and organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach Data from 209 participants from a manufacturing company in Korea were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method. Findings The findings of the study indicated that transformational leadership directly affected the knowledge sharing climate and behavior, interpersonal trust and organizational learning of an organization. Transformational leadership also indirectly affected organizational learning through knowledge climate and behavior, and interpersonal trust. In addition, a knowledge sharing climate directly affected interpersonal trust and knowledge sharing behavior and indirectly affected organizational learning through interpersonal trust and knowledge behavior. Interpersonal trust directly affected knowledge sharing behavior and indirectly affected organizational learning through knowledge sharing behavior. Finally, knowledge sharing behavior positively affected organizational learning. Research limitations/implications The results highlight the important role of transformational leadership to enhance the knowledge sharing climate and behavior of employees, interpersonal trust and organizational learning. This study also indicated that transformational leadership, interpersonal trust and knowledge sharing behavior are antecedents of organizational learning. Practical implications The study’s findings could motivate practitioners to place more emphasis on leadership support, knowledge sharing and organizational learning in the manufacturing sector. Originality/value The study provided diverse paths indicating how transformational leadership can impact organizational learning by examining both the direct and indirect paths between transformational leadership, multiple mediators and organizational learning. It also suggested a research framework for supporting transformational leadership, knowledge sharing and organizational learning, as well as their relationships by examining the three variables in one research model.