Uncontrolled counter-knowledge: its effects onknowledge management corridors

Abstract

Disinformation and misconceptions based on unverified information (e.g., hoaxes, exaggera-tions, or gossip) is what is called“counter-knowledge”. Knowledge management corridorsestablish a framework for relationships between the external and internal knowledge pro-cesses to enhance organisational performance. This study proposes three knowledge man-agement processes (i.e., realised absorptive capacity, organisational memory, and knowledgeapplication) as those that constitute such critical corridors. The analysis of the role ofuncontrolled counter-knowledge in the relationship between those knowledge managementprocesses is the value of this paper. Hypotheses were tested using a SEM approach based oncomposites (PLS-SEM). Data were collected from 151 branch-office managers belonging tothe Spanish banking industry. The results show that counter-knowledge is only related torealised absorptive capacity and knowledge application, being the influence negative. Thelink between counter-knowledge and the other two constructs (i.e., organisational memoryand organisational performance) provides surprising results being statistically insignificant.