Knowledge Management as a Catalyst for Innovative Work Behaviour of Healthcare Middle Managers

Innovative work behaviour (IWB) may be crucial to enable middle managers of public healthcare organizations (PHOs) to effectively fulfil their role of doctor-managers. However, psychological and cognitive boundaries associated with hybridization can inhibit IWB. To overcome these criticalities, knowledge should be dynamically managed within PHOs. Grounded in the social identity theory, the study aimed to explore the development of knowledge management (KM) transfer at the individual-level of analysis by investigating the influence of doctor-managers’ organizational identification (OI) on their IWB, through the indirect effect of satisfaction with the managerial role. A survey was adminis-tered to doctor-managers working in Italian PHOs. A linear regression analysis was performed to test the research design. The findings demonstrated that doctor-managers’ OI address a greater satisfaction with the managerial role; in turn, this latter positively influences doctor-managers’ IWB. This study provides new insights into the individual determinants of IWB in knowledge-intensive public organizations like PHOs. It contributes to the discussion on the role of KM transfer dynamics as a precursor of IWB by unleashing the potential of OI. Top manage-ment should regulate doctor-managers’ identity by providing an environment that fosters the transfer of knowledge, thereby supporting them in performing their hybrid role. This may be achieved through managerial practices that facilitate vertical and horizontal integration and knowledge exchange.