Knowledge Management in the Context of an Ageing Workforce: Organizational Memory and Mentoring A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology by Annette Heather Dunham Department of Psychology University of Canterbury 2010 ii CONTENTS Page Dedication viii Acknowledgements ix Abstract xi Introduction 1 An Ageing Workforce and Risks to Knowledge Management 1 Research Aim and Objectives 5 Thesis Outline 7 Chapter One: Organizational Memory 9 Organizational Memory: Background 9 Organizational Memory and Measurement 11 Construct Definition 14 Chapter Two: Development of an Organizational Memory Scale 26 Generation of Item Pool for the Organizational Memory Scale 26 Study 1: Exploratory Factor Analysis 31 Method 32 Results 35 Discussion 47 Study 2: Confirmatory Factory Analysis 48 Study 2 (a) Employee Sample 53 Method 53 Results 55 Study 2 (b) Retiree Sample 60 Method 60 Results 62 Discussion 68 iii CONTENTS continued Page Chapter Three: Organizational Memory and Empowerment 71 The Organizational Memory and Empowerment Model 72 Method 79 Results 85 Discussion 98 Chapter Four: Organizational Memory and Mentoring 104 Mentoring Definitions and Research 105 Mentoring to Transfer Organizational Memory 105 Experienced Workers and Willingness to Mentor 107 A Model of Organizational Memory and the Intention to Mentor 107 Organizational Memory and Mentoring Functions 118 Method 120 Results 126 Discussion 141 Chapter Five: The effects of Mentoring Experience on Career Satisfaction 149 and Work Ruminations in Retirement The Transition to Retirement and the Benefits of Mentoring Experience 150 Method 156 Results 161 Discussion 167 Chapter Six: Experienced Workers and Mentoring: Willing and Able? 171 The Potential Loss of Organizational Memory: A Continuing Concern 171 Main Research Findings: Testing Assumptions 172 Implications of the Findings for Future Research 176 Implications of the Findings for Organizations 178 Contribution of the Research 180 References 184 iv CONTENTS continued Page Appendices Appendix A: Organizational Memory EFA Study Questionnaire 205 Appendix B: Organizational Memory and Empowerment Questionnaire 213 Parts I and II (Test-Retest Reliability) Appendix C: Organizational Memory and Mentoring Online Questionnaire: 226 Parts I and II Appendix D: Retirement Study Questionnaire 249 Appendix E: Factor Analysis: Requests to Share Knowledge 259 Appendix F: Factor Analysis Expected Costs of Mentoring 261 v Table LIST OF TABLES Page 1.1 Definitions and Sources of Organizational Memory and Related Constructs. 16 2.1 General Conceptual Categories and Initial Organizational Memory Scale Items 29 2.2 Factor Analysis Pattern Matrix with Subscale Item-Total Correlations for the Seven-Factor Organizational Memory Scale 38 2.3 Factor Analysis Pattern Matrix with Subscale Item-Total Correlations for the Five-Factor Organizational Memory Scale 44 2.4 Means, Mean Item Scores (Scales), Standard Deviations, Coefficient Alphas, and Intercorrelations of Study 1 Variables (N=143) 46 2.5 Confirmatory Factor Analysis Fit Indices for Organizational Memory Scale (Five Factors) with Employee Sample (N= 287) 56 2.6 Study 2(a) Means, Mean Item Scores (Scales), Standard Deviations, Coefficient Alphas, and Correlation Matrix (Employee Sample, N=287) 59 2.7 Confirmatory Factor Analysis Fit Indices for Organizational Memory scale (Five Factors) with Retiree Sample (N=115) 63 2.8 Study 2(b) Means, Mean Item Scores (Scales), Standard Deviations, Coefficient Alphas, and Correlation Matrix (Retiree Sample, N=115) 67 3.1 Mean Item Scores and Standard Deviations for Study 3 Scales 86 3.2 Intercorrelations of Study 3 Variables (N=134) 87 3.3 Mean Item Scores, Standard Deviations, and Intercorrelations (Test- Retest Reliability) for the Organizational Memory Scales (N=74) 88 3.4 Multiple Regression: Organizational Memory Subscales Predicting Empowerment 92 3.5 Hierarchical Regression Predicting Empowerment (N=112) 93 3.6 Multiple Regression: Organizational Memory Predicting Requests to Share Knowledge 94 3.7 Hierarchical Regression: Predicting Total Requests and Requests to Train/Mentor 95 vi Table List of Tables continued Page 3.8 Hierarchical Regression: Predicting Organization-Based Self-Esteem 97 (N=110) 4.1 Mean Item Scores and Standard Deviations for Scale Variables 127 4.2 Intercorrelations of Study 4 Variables 128 4.3 Multiple Regression: Organizational Memory Predicting Intention to Mentor (N=75) 130 4.4 Hierarchical Regression: Testing Socio-Political Knowledge as Predictor of Intention to Mentor (N=73) 131 4.5 Hierarchical Regression: Testing Perceived Organizational Support and Occupational Self-efficacy as Moderators of the Socio-Political Knowledge and Intention to Mentor Relationship 133 4.6 Hierarchical Regression Predicting Intention to mentor (N=71) 135 4.7 Hierarchical Regression: Socio-Political Knowledge Predicting Cost of Time and Effort (N=72) 138 4.8 Hierarchical Regression: Testing Perceived Organizational Support (POS) and Occupational Self-Efficacy (OSE) as Moderators of the Socio- Political Knowledge and Cost of Time and Effort Relationship 139 4.9 Multiple Regression: Organizational memory Predicting Mentoring Functions (Mentors only, N=57) 141 5.1 Means, Mean Item scores (Scales), Standard Deviations, and Intercorrelations of Study 5 Variables (N=96) 162 5.2 Chi-Square Analysis: Differences Between Mentor and Nonmentor Groups across Categorical Dependent Variables 163 5.3 Independent t tests for Mentor and Nonmentor Groups (N=96) 164 vii Table LIST OF FIGURES Page 2.1 Scree plot for organizational memory scale with 72 items. 36 2.2 Alternative factor structure models of the organizational memory scale for comparison by confirmatory factor analysis. 50 2.3 Confirmatory factor analysis diagram of five correlated first-order factors of organizational memory (Model 3), for employee sample (N=287). 57 2.4 Confirmatory factor analysis diagram of five first-order factors and one second-order factor of organizational memory (Model 4) for employee sample (N=287). 58 2.5 Confirmatory factor analysis diagram of five correlated first-order factors of organizational memory (Model 3) for retiree sample (N=115). 64 2.6 Confirmatory factor analysis diagram of five first-order factors and one second-order factor of organizational memory (Model 4) for retiree sample (N=115). 65 3.1 A model of organizational memory and empowerment incorporating total requests to share knowledge, and organization-based self-esteem. 73 3.2 Path diagram showing organizational tenure as mediator of the age and organizational memory relationship. 91 3.3 Path diagram showing organizational memory as mediator of the age and requests to train/mentor relationship. 96 4.1 The organizational memory and intention to mentor model. 108 4.2 Occupational self-efficacy (OSE) as moderator of the socio-political knowledge (SP) and intention to mentor relationship. 134 4.3 Path diagram showing generativity as a mediator of the socio-political knowledge and intention to mentor relationship. 136 4.4 Path diagram showing time and effort as a mediator of the socio-political knowledge and intention to mentor relationship. 141 4.5 Occupational self-efficacy (OSE) as moderator of the socio-political knowledge (SP) and cost of time and effort relationship. 140 5.1 Flow of participants through each stage of the quasi-experiment. 157 5.2 Comparison scatterplots involving mentor and nonmentor groups for (a) career satisfaction and (b) work ruminations x length of retirement. 166 viii Dedication This thesis is dedicated with love and gratitude to my parents. To my father, Owen Smith, a chartered accountant who finally fully retired in 2009 after a long and happy career; and in memory of my mother, Shirley Smith, who once worked as a talented designer and dressmaker of glamorous gowns (later transferring her skills to making dresses for her three daughters), but who didn’t even get a certificate to say she was qualified to do so. ix Acknowledgements Firstly I would like to acknowledge with immense gratitude the support of a New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship which generously supported my research and attendance at a number of national and international conferences. My thanks to the companies and clubs that gave me access to their employees/members for the purposes of the research in this thesis. Thanks also to those individuals who gave their valuable time to participate in the studies. I would like to acknowledge with gratitude my senior supervisor, Associate Professor Christopher Burt for his astute feedback, challenge, and encouragement throughout the PhD process. My thanks also go to Professor Simon Kemp for acting as a second supervisor. Thanks to the Department of Psychology for the support of the academic and administrative staff, and for the financial support to attend two conferences. Thanks to my fellow postgraduate students in the psychology department, particularly my room-mates over for duration of the thesis for good conversation and support. My thanks go to my family who provided so much support and encouragement throughout the course of the PhD. To Laura and Susannah Dunham for both being okay with having a mother studying at the same time they were and for each inspiring me with their own love of learning. My deep gratitude to Geoffrey Dunham for his enduring support and dedication, for the sacrifices made, the practical help given, and the encouragement provided. x Acknowledgements