Purpose Drawing upon the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) Model, the study examines the direct and mediated linkages between change fatigue (CF), mental health (MH) and intention to leave (ITL) in the context of “reboarding mothers” – mothers returning to work after maternity leave or a prolonged child-rearing absence. This study aims to further examine whether training comprehensiveness (TC) functions as a moderating resource in the relationships among CF, MH and ITL. Design/methodology/approach Using convenience and quota sampling methods, data from 313 reboarding mothers were collected and analysed by applying the partial least squares-structural equation modelling method to identify the linkages between the studied variables using SmartPLS-4 software. Findings The findings indicate that CF is positively related to ITL and negatively related to MH among reboarding mothers. MH was also found to be negatively associated with ITL. Further, analysis revealed that MH partially mediated the relationship between CF and ITL. In addition, training comprehensiveness moderated the indirect relationship, suggesting that mothers who perceived their reboarding training to be more comprehensive experienced weaker adverse effects of CF on MH and subsequent intentions to leave. Practical implications The findings highlight the importance of comprehensive reboarding training as a workplace resource that may support mothers’ workforce reintegration. The study offers practical insights for organisations seeking to strengthen reboarding initiatives by enhancing role clarity, workplace adaptation and employee support during the transition back to work. Originality/value The study extends the application of the JD-R model, wherein CF is related to job demand and training comprehensiveness as job resources. These linkages provide sensitisation about the transition challenges that reboarding mothers face; at the same time, the study offers mitigation strategies through comprehensive training. Such a model is significantly different from the existing JD-R model, which explains the transition of reboarding mothers.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between work engagement (WE) and solving problems creatively (SPC) among middle managers. It conceptualizes training and learning effort (TLE) as a proactive behavioral mediator and examines the moderating role of gender as a culturally embedded contextual filter. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey was conducted with 197 middle managers in the Tunisian private-banking sector. Hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling via WarpPLS (version 8.0), combining global moderated mediation modeling with multigroup analysis (MGA) to compare structural pathways across genders. Findings WE directly and indirectly boosts SPC via the partial mediation of TLE. The global interaction model confirmed that gender significantly moderated the direct WE–SPC relationship. Although the MGA lacks the statistical power to detect significant differences between subgroup slopes on this direct path, it reveals that the WE–TLE link is significantly stronger for male managers. These results highlight differentiated pathways: engaged female managers rely on direct creative agency to navigate organizational boundaries, whereas engaged male managers channel their motivation into structured learning to enhance their creativity. Originality/value By integrating global moderation with MGA in a transitional Arab context, this study challenges the universalist and gender-neutral assumptions of the job demands-resources framework. This positions the Tunisian banking sector as a unique theoretical laboratory, demonstrating how cultural boundaries and gendered expectations actively redirect the behavioral translation of motivational resources into adaptive outcomes in this sector.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the well-being of public school assistant principals (APs) by examining how sociocognitive mindfulness (SCM), psychological capital (PsyCap), tenure and perceived supervisor support (PSS) – contribute to their experience of thriving, a construct reflecting overall well-being. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional quantitative study explored the mediating role of PsyCap, PSS and tenure in the relationship between SCM and thriving among public school APs in Texas. Findings SCM, PsyCap and PSS were all positively associated with holistic thriving. PsyCap fully mediated the relationship between SCM and thriving, but PSS did not mediate it. This study identified a portable resource-building route (SCM → hope/efficacy/resilience/optimism) by which individuals can maintain well-being while navigating identity disruption, increased accountability and ambiguous authority typical of “sandwiched” middle management roles. Originality/value This study addressed a gap in educational leadership and human resource development (HRD) literatures by testing SCM’s predictive relationship with holistic well-being, among the under-researched population of school APs, highlighting the role of positive psychological resources and supportive work environments. SCM, which is amenable to brief training interventions, can positively influence overall thriving, a cross-domain construct associated with overall positive life outcomes. The study highlights the value of strengthening supportive work environments for complex, high-demand roles where employees must continuously learn and adapt. As such, this study contributes to the understanding of the mid-manager role by focusing on the school AP.
Purpose This study explores the role of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in skill development across education, training and creative sectors. This study aims to understand how GenAI supports the acquisition of key competencies such as critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and career readiness and to assess research trends and thematic patterns in this emerging field. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a combination of bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review using 79 peer-reviewed articles retrieved from the Scopus database. The bibliometric analysis identifies publication trends, leading contributors and collaboration networks, while thematic content analysis uncovers key domains where GenAI is applied in skill development. Findings This study identifies 11 major thematic areas in which GenAI is influencing skill acquisition, including STEM education, communication, creative arts and personalized learning. This paper reveals growing interdisciplinary interest and highlights the potential of GenAI to transform learning. However, this study also uncovers critical gaps such as ethical concerns, limited application in underrepresented contexts and the need for longitudinal evidence on skill retention. Research limitations/implications The review is limited to articles indexed in the Scopus database and published in English, which may exclude relevant contributions from other databases or languages. Additionally, the fast-evolving nature of GenAI may mean recent developments are not fully captured within the current data set. Practical implications This study provides evidence-based insights for educators, policymakers and training professionals seeking to integrate GenAI into skill development initiatives. This study emphasizes the importance of ethical deployment, equitable access and culturally sensitive applications to ensure effective and inclusive learning outcomes. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to use a systematic literature review combined with bibliometric analysis to examine how GenAI promotes skill acquisition across educational and professional contexts. Most previous research has focused narrowly on domain-specific applications or outcomes. By synthesizing findings from diverse contexts, this study highlights cross-disciplinary trends and identifies emerging areas for research. This comprehensive perspective can better inform educators, researchers and policymakers in developing equitable, forward-looking and effective AI-supported learning practices.
Purpose Grounded in the conservation of resources (COR) theory and organizational support theory, this study aims to investigate the impact of perceived organizational support (POS) on the interplay between work-family conflict (WFC), family-work conflict (FWC), and employee well-being (WB). While previous studies have identified the negative effects of WFC on employee outcomes, limited attention has been paid to the mechanisms through which organizational resources mitigate these effects. Addressing this gap, the study investigates whether POS functions as a supportive organizational resource that reduces conflict and enhances employee WB.Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, cross-sectional research has been carried out, wherein the survey questionnaire was administered, consisting of scales on WB, POS, WFC, and FWC. Data collected from 240 respondents from various industries in India were analyzed through mediation analysis using PROCESS Macro in SPSS (Model 4).Findings The positive association of POS with WB suggests that employees who perceive higher POS tend to experience greater WB. In contrast, POS is negatively associated with WFC and FWC, suggesting that supportive organizational environments may help in reducing conflict between work and family domains. POS also emerged as a mediator in the relationships between WFC and WB and between FWC and WB. This indicates that high POS tends to reduce the consequences of the negative relationships between WFC and WB and FWC and WB.Research limitations/implications This study has identified a significant mediating role of POS in the relationship between WFC, FWC and WB in Indian context which strengthens the COR theory and POS theory.Practical implications The outcomes of this study may provide valuable insights to HR managers on improving employee WB by strengthening organizational support and reducing WFC.Originality/value The study aims to explore the missing links in interrelationships among WFC, FWC, POS, and WB in the Indian context.
Purpose Upward feedback (UF) is a key and evidence-based mechanism for leadership development. When supervisors are confronted with gaps between self-views and team-ratings, developmental needs are specified and concrete adjustments follow. However, organisational constraints (e.g. low maturity) or individual factors (e.g. limited feedback orientation) can hinder its feasibility, creating implementation gaps. Despite its importance, the literature has largely overlooked this issue, and viable alternatives to UF are lacking. The purpose of this study, building on the established role of meta-cognition in leadership development, is to propose one of its core sub-dimensions (i.e. perspective-taking ability) as a potential substitute when UF is not available. The authors hypothesised that supervisors, engaged in a structured prediction exercise, would accurately estimate how their teams perceive their management style. Design/methodology/approach In a field training context, 44 supervisors first self-assessed their management competencies and then predicted how their teams would rate such behaviours; self-perception and predictions were compared with team-aggregate ratings from 233 employees. Agreement was assessed using Bland–Altman analyses controlling for systematic disagreement and practical limits of agreement of ≈±1 Likert point Findings Conversely to self-assessed competencies, supervisor predictions showed no systematic disagreement compared to team ratings, and the limits of agreement overall fell within the ≈±1 threshold. Originality/value This study offers a practice-ready, low-cost proxy for upward feedback in feedback-constrained settings. Supervisors’ perspective-taking, operationalised through a structured prediction exercise, emerges as a sustainable alternative for identifying developmental needs and as a catalyst for supervisors’ reflective thinking.
Purpose This paper aims to investigate the determinants of employee training provision in construction across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Design/methodology/approach Using Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS) 2019 data, the study analyses 1,372 construction firms (1,098 after listwise deletion) across 28 countries. A probit model with average marginal effects examines how managerial experience, perceived workforce education adequacy, innovation activity, firm size and locality size influence training provision. Institutional grouping controls and extensive robustness checks are reported. Findings Training provision is predominantly reactive, driven by perceived skill deficiencies rather than strategic planning. Perceived workforce education inadequacy is jointly significant as a determinant of training (Wald test p = 0.011), though the graduated intensity pattern observed in point estimates is not statistically distinguishable from a simple binary effect. Manager experience, perceived education inadequacy, firm size, innovation activity and smaller locality size significantly increase training likelihood. Practical implications Policy should address skill deficiencies through vocational partnerships and place-based strategies rather than relying solely on financial subsidies. If the association between managerial experience and training reflects a causal pathway, management development programmes can indirectly benefit workforce training. Training initiatives should target smaller localities, where firms demonstrate greater receptivity. Originality/value The findings challenge the assumption that training decisions in construction follow the strategic optimisation logic of human capital theory, revealing a reactive pattern shaped by bounded rationality. The study provides sector-specific evidence from 28 transition economies. The finding that firms in smaller localities are more likely to provide employee training contributes new evidence on place-based workforce development.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to review current empirical research on inclusive climate, examine related variables and delineate the role of inclusive climate in organizations. Design/methodology/approach This study is a systematic literature review to identify and analyze 33 empirical studies, investigating an inclusive climate variable as a predictor, mediator, moderator and outcome. Findings The findings revealed that 10 studies examined inclusive climate as an independent variable, while four studies investigated it as an outcome variable. The mediating and moderating roles were supported in nine and ten studies, respectively. Leadership and diversity were the most frequently examined variables in relation to inclusive climate. Originality/value This study contributes to scholarly literature by assessing the current state of inclusive climate research and outlining implications for future research agendas and direction. For practitioners, it offers a deeper understanding of how inclusive climate can strategically foster positive outcomes and address organizational challenges.
Purpose This study aims to synthesize how cultural and national determinants influence the adoption, effectiveness and equity of hybrid and remote work arrangements. Guided by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and institutional theory, it examines macro-level (national culture and policies), meso-level (organizational culture) and contextual factors (regional, industry and demographic) to provide a comprehensive understanding of flexible work dynamics in the post-COVID era. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted on 64 peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2024, sourced from Web of Science and EBSCOhost EJS databases. Thematic analysis was used to synthesize the antecedents and outcomes of hybrid and remote work, with particular attention to cultural fit, institutional moderators and multi-level interactions. Data extraction used a structured review matrix, and study quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Findings The authors’ analysis suggests that individualistic and low power-distance cultures are generally more compatible with remote work autonomy and are associated with higher satisfaction, engagement and innovation. In contrast, collectivist, high power-distance and high uncertainty-avoidance cultures experience greater challenges related to social isolation, ambiguity and technostress, particularly in fully remote settings. Hybrid arrangements may help mitigate these tensions by reintroducing structured interaction and relational coordination. Institutional supports, including labor protections and digital infrastructure, significantly shape adoption and equity, while trust-based organizational cultures enhance flexible work outcomes more effectively than presenteeism-oriented environments. Originality/value This study advances the remote and hybrid work literature by integrating Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, institutional theory and human resource development (HRD) perspectives within a multi-level framework. It introduces an integrated cultural–institutional HRD model that explains how macro-cultural, contextual and meso-level organizational factors jointly shape flexible work outcomes across diverse global contexts.
Purpose The study aims to examine the influence of compassionate leadership and role clarity on employee engagement based on data obtained from a large, multi-site banking organization in the Midwest United States. This research is an extension building upon a theoretical model based on Shuck et al. (2019), re-examining key constructs used in the initial study as a form of replication. Using the data set from the original study, this research shifted analytical approaches to assess the predictive power of role clarity and compassionate leadership with overall employee engagement. Design/methodology/approach Using a multiple regression approach, both compassionate leadership and role clarity significantly contributed to higher employee engagement levels. Findings Compassionate leadership was shown to positively impact employee engagement, along with role clarity, which helped employees understand the boundaries of their overall work-related responsibilities. Practical implications Specific implications for research, theory and practice are discussed in relation to connection to current trends in HRD. Originality/value The novelty of this research highlights the importance of leadership and clear role definitions in Human Resource Development (HRD) strategies to foster employee engagement and reduce turnover.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is therefore to provide leaders’ perspectives on their own and their peers’ perceptions of how coaching influences their leadership practice. Executive coaching has become a widely used mechanism for developing leadership capability in organizations. Prior research shows that coaching can improve leadership effectiveness, self-awareness and workplace performance. However, much of the existing literature focuses on broad outcome measures, with limited attention to how leaders themselves describe the specific ways coaching influences their leadership practice. Even fewer studies have examined whether leaders’ perceptions of their development align with the feedback they report receiving from colleagues. Design/methodology/approachThis study addresses this gap by analysing open-ended survey responses (n = 1130) from 686 executives across more than 300 global organizations, predominantly Fortune 500 companies who received coaching. Two questions were examined: how leaders perceived coaching to have influenced their overall leadership impact and what feedback they reported receiving from colleagues regarding changes in their leadership approach. A structured content analysis combining deductive category development with inductive refinement was used to identify recurring leadership development themes. FindingsThe findings show that leaders most frequently reported perceiving improvements in their team leadership (24.2%), communication (16.4%), people development (16.0%) and executive presence (15.7%). Perceptions of colleague feedback revealed similar patterns, with team engagement (27.4%), executive presence (17.5%) and communication (13.8%) most commonly observed. The convergence between leaders’ perceived self-reported development and their accounts of colleague feedback suggests coherent developmental patterns. Originality/valueThe study highlights the link between leaders’ self-perceived development and reported colleague feedback, suggesting that team leadership behaviours may function as a central behavioural mechanism through which leadership change becomes visible within organizations as a result of coaching.
Purpose This study aimed to develop and validate the adult learning interest scale (ALIS) to assess how different forms of interest contribute to learner engagement in adult contexts. Engagement is a key determinant of success in adult learning, yet the motivational factors that sustain it (particularly individual and situational interest) remain insufficiently understood. Existing tools for measuring interest were primarily designed for school populations, highlighting the need for a scale suited to adult education contexts. Design/methodology/approach The ALIS comprises 14 items across three subscales: individual interest, activated situational interest (ASI) and maintained situational interest. In the first study (n = 306), exploratory factor analysis examined the factorial structure of the ALIS. A second study (n = 289) used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the three-dimensional structure and assess concurrent validity. Findings Results demonstrate ASI has a direct effect on engagement behaviors in adult learning, highlighting its role as a proximal driver of learner’s engagement in the learning situation. Moreover, the findings support a link between interest and self-determined motivation. These findings highlight the importance of measuring interest as an indicator of learner motivation and engagement. Originality/value ALIS offers a practical, and cost-effective tool for assessing interest in adult learning, enabling the development of targeted strategies to enhance engagement and improve learning quality. While its applicability should be further examined across more diverse professional contexts and populations, this study provides initial evidence of its potential relevance and utility in adult education research and practice.
Purpose This study aims to examine how university-based talent development programs influence graduates’ career readiness among public and private university alumni in South Sulawesi. Specifically, this study investigates whether internship experience mediates this relationship and whether field of study moderates the relationship between internship experience and career readiness. By doing so, this study addresses important empirical and contextual gaps in graduate employability research within emerging economy settings. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative explanatory research design was used using survey data collected from 613 university graduates. The proposed model positions talent development programs as an institutional predictor, internship experience as an experiential mediator, career readiness as the outcome variable and field of study as a moderating factor. Hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 3. The measurement model was reevaluated by reassessing reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity and common method bias to ensure construct distinctiveness and analytical robustness. Findings The results indicate that talent development programs significantly enhance both internship experience and career readiness. Internship experience positively influences career readiness and partially mediates the relationship between talent development programs and career readiness. Field of study also significantly moderates the relationship between internship experience and career readiness, highlighting the importance of disciplinary context in shaping employability outcomes. Research limitations/implications The use of a cross-sectional research design limits the ability to capture changes in career readiness over time, while the focus on graduates from a single regional context may constrain generalizability. Future research is encouraged to adopt longitudinal designs and cross-national comparisons to extend the external validity of the findings. Practical implications This study offers actionable insights for universities, policymakers and higher education leaders. The findings suggest that employability strategies should integrate structured development initiatives with high-quality internships while considering disciplinary differences in graduate preparation. Originality/value Rather than proposing an entirely new theory of employability, this study empirically tests an integrated framework that combines Human Capital Theory, Experiential Learning Theory, resource-based view and Career Construction Theory to explain career readiness in an emerging economy context.
Purpose This study aims to introduce and empirically validate the construct of organizational regulatory vigilance (ORV) as a critical organizational development capability and a direct antecedent to job embeddedness (JE). JE represents the combined forces that keep employees attached to their organizations, encompassing both on-the-job and off-the-job factors. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative study was conducted using data from an online survey of 345 employees in Saudi universities. The study tested a model linking the core dimensions of ORV (commitment to flexibility, respect for experiences and sensitivity to operations) to JE using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Findings The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between ORV dimensions and JE. Specifically, commitment to flexibility (beta = 0.47, p < 0.001), respect for experiences (beta = 0.17, p < 0.001) and sensitivity to operations (beta = 0.18, p < 0.001) were found to be key predictors of employee embeddedness. Significant interaction effects between flexibility and both sensitivity (beta = 0.12, p < 0.01) and respect (beta = 0.08, p < 0.05) demonstrate that ORV dimensions operate synergistically. The model explained 61% of variance in JE, representing a large effect size. Practical implications The study provides a practical framework for human resource development (HRD) practitioners and university leaders. It suggests that fostering ORV through targeted organizational development interventions - such as leadership development programs emphasizing situational sensing, adaptive decision-making and perspective-taking - can enhance employee embeddedness. Leaders are encouraged to actively cultivate flexibility and respect for employee experiences to build more developmental organizational cultures that enhance talent retention. Originality/value This study introduces ORV as a novel organizational-level capability predicting job embeddedness - the first to do so. Beyond regional context, it reveals culture-dependent boundary conditions challenging universal mindfulness frameworks and demonstrates synergistic interactions among ORV dimensions, offering theoretically significant contributions applicable across diverse organizational settings.
Purpose This study aims to explore remote frontline contact center employees' perceptions of leadership practices and behaviors and how these positive and negative perceptions influence employee engagement, based on their individual experiences.Design/methodology/approach A phenomenological approach was used, using interviews and a focus group, to uncover the lived experiences of remote frontline contact center employees and to gain insights into how leadership impacts their engagement in a remote work setting.Findings Employee engagement is a critical responsibility of leadership and can be achieved through effective, transparent communication; balanced rewards and recognition; fostering a culture of feedback and development; and demonstrating empathetic, supportive leadership behaviors.Originality/value This study serves as an initial qualitative exploration of leadership practices and behaviors that influence employee engagement in remote contact center settings. It provides researchers and managers with insights into how remote frontline contact center employees perceive the impact of leadership practices and behaviors on their engagement. These insights could aid researchers and leaders in formulating strategies to boost employee engagement through training and development, and organizational development in remote contact centers.
Purpose This study aims to examine how remote and hybrid work arrangements, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, reshape organizational and employee learning in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It addresses gaps in research that have focused mainly on large organizations, under-theorized sociomaterial learning dynamics and rarely examined informal digital micro-practices and resilience in SME hybrid contexts.Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a multi-case qualitative study using in-depth interviews and digital work diaries with employees and managers from eight SMEs across creative, IT, consulting and retail sectors. The analysis focuses on how sociomaterial interactions between people, technologies and spaces reconfigure workplace learning practices, drawing on sociomateriality, workplace learning and resilience perspectives.Findings This study identifies several interrelated themes: technology functions simultaneously as an enabler and disruptor of learning; boundaries between personal and professional learning become blurred; informal digital micro-practices emerge as important sites of learning; and social isolation and knowledge fragmentation create challenges for sustaining collective learning. SMEs navigate trade-offs between flexibility and connectedness by developing learning ecosystems that combine digital tools with interpersonal collaboration. Overall, SME learning in hybrid contexts is reconceptualized as a distributed, sociomaterial and micro-practice-driven process.Originality/value This research addresses theoretical gaps concerning SME-specific hybrid learning, the sociomaterial nature of digital micro-learning practices and the relationship between blurred personal-professional boundaries and resilience in dispersed work settings. It advances sociomateriality and workplace learning theories by conceptualizing SME learning in hybrid work as a distributed, boundary-blurring learning ecology and by proposing a framework that explains how digital micro-practices, boundary dynamics and resilience capacities interact. In practical terms, it offers guidance for SMEs seeking to design lightweight but effective digital learning infrastructures that support resilience, innovation and employee engagement in hybrid workplaces.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine user experiences of hybrid workplace coaching and examine how such a configuration shapes the adoption of an artificial intelligence (AI) organisational tool, Microsoft Copilot. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology is used as a sense-making lens to review participants' accounts. Design/methodology/approach This study used thematic analysis to explore the attitudes of 11 participants. The findings of this study suggest hybrid coaching, which blends AI coaching agents (AI coachbots) with human coaching, can play a valuable role in supporting individual learning and the application of new insights to workplace behaviours. Findings This study identified five themes: enhanced productivity through task optimisation, the transformative power of coaching, evolving mindsets and Copilot adoption, barriers to effective implementation and coaching as a catalyst for cultural shift. Research limitations/implications This was a small-scale qualitative study with participants from a single global organisation. This study relied on self-reported, short-term user experiences from volunteers engaged in a pilot. Practical implications This study offers practical insights in to user adoption of AI technologies at work. Originality/value Building on prior work that has examined hybrid configurations of human and AI coaches as generic developmental interventions (Terblanche et al., 2024; Arakawa and Yakura, 2024), this study contributes the first qualitative account, to the authors' knowledge, of hybrid coaching deployed as a targeted vehicle for the adoption of a specific workplace AI technology. This study offers practical insights for organisations seeking to use AI to support behavioural change.
Purpose This paper aims to investigate the influence of transformational leadership and knowledge management capability (KMC) on specific forms of innovation capability namely product and process innovation under the moderating effects of organizational learning culture (OLC). Design/methodology/approach This paper applied structural equation modeling (SEM) and cross-sectional design to test hypotheses in the proposed research model using survey data collected from 327 manufacturing and service firms. Findings The research findings support the significant effects of transformational leadership on product and process innovation directly or indirectly through the intermediary role of KMC. Especially, the impacts of KMC on product and process innovation are fostered by the moderating influence of OLC. Research limitations/implications Future studies should explore the correlation between transformational leadership, potential role of human resource development activities and specific aspects of innovation capability to suggest new and useful solutions to enhance firms’ product and process innovation. Practical implications The paper implies the importance of transformational leadership practices for directors/managers to enhance KMC and innovation capabilities of enterprises. Originality/value This paper is prospective and opens up new and feasible solutions for firms to pursue and promote product and process innovation through fostering the available and valuable resources such as leadership, knowledge resources and learning culture.
Purpose This study aims to examine how employees informally create and share knowledge about artificial intelligence (AI) tools outside formal organisational systems. The authors term this phenomenon “shadow knowledge creation”, the informal, unsanctioned experimentation through which organisational AI capabilities emerge outside formal training and development programmes. Design/methodology/approach Through conceptual analysis grounded in knowledge management and organisational learning theory, this paper advances the beyond-training framework. The analysis integrates sociomaterial perspectives on knowledge creation with illustrative cases demonstrating how tacit AI knowledge flows through informal networks. Findings Shadow knowledge creation poses a distinct challenge to formal training and knowledge management systems, calling for an organisational response that engages with informal AI experimentation instead of displacing it. The beyond-training framework offers four principles for that response: recognition, integration, ethics and empowerment. The beyond-training framework provides mechanisms for capturing this distributed knowledge without destroying the informal dynamics that generate it. Research limitations/implications The conceptual model requires empirical validation across diverse organisational contexts. Future research should examine how shadow knowledge creation varies by industry, organisational culture and AI maturity. Practical implications Training and development professionals and managers receive actionable guidance for applying the four principles in practice: recognising informal AI knowledge creation, integrating it with formal systems, supporting ethical experimentation and empowering employees with the time, tools and trust the work requires. Originality/value This paper introduces “shadow knowledge creation” as a novel theoretical lens for understanding informal AI knowledge development. It contributes a schema that bridges individual tacit knowledge acquisition with organisational knowledge management systems, addressing a critical gap in training and development scholarship regarding how AI capabilities emerge in organisations.
Purpose This study aims to investigate how employees in small- and medium-enterprises (SMEs) actively initiate and sustain learning processes within disruptive and resource-constrained environments. Specifically, it explores how employee agency shapes knowledge sharing, adaptability and organizational resilience in volatile contexts, moving beyond dominant owner-manager-centric accounts of SME learning. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative interpretive design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews and focus groups with employees across 13 SMEs in high-disruption sectors. The research questions focus on identifying distinct employee-led informal learning practices in the context of volatility and on understanding how these contribute to SME resilience over time, analyzed through an integrated theoretical lens combining Communities of Practice and distributed agency. Findings Three dominant employee-led learning patterns are identified: peer learning networks that foster collective knowledge exchange; improvization as a situated form of adaptation to volatility; and resilience as a dynamic outcome of shared learning and social support. These patterns reveal employees as “learning entrepreneurs” who initiate, sustain and orchestrate learning ecosystems when formal training and structured learning are limited or absent, with emotional and relational dynamics playing a central role in how resilience is constructed. Originality/value This research challenges dominant narratives that depict SME learning as either top-down or merely scaled-down versions of large firms by foregrounding distributed employee agency under conditions of volatility. It offers a novel, empirically grounded perspective that conceptualizes employee agency as “learning entrepreneurship,” focusing on how employees initiate and sustain informal learning over time across heterogeneous SME contexts, and integrates CoPswith distributed agency to explain these processes. Practically, it highlights concrete pathways for SME leaders to recognize, cultivate and leverage employee-led learning mechanisms, such as peer networks, improvizational spaces and resilience-building practices, to enhance organizational agility, innovation and long-term resilience.
