Purpose This study aims to investigate how Work Engagement (WE) and Trust in Management (TM) contribute to Human Resource Transformation (HRT) readiness, with a particular emphasis on their role in fostering a learning-oriented organizational culture. Design/methodology/approach Using a structured quantitative design, data were collected from 424 HR professionals across diverse industries. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationship between the variables. Measures for WE, TM and HRT readiness were adapted from established scales and validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Findings Results indicate that both WE and TM significantly enhance HRT readiness, with TM showing a slightly stronger direct effect. WE was also found to be a strong driver of TM, which in turn partially transmits engagement’s influence onto HRT readiness, highlighting trust as an important mediating mechanism. These findings suggest that organizations with engaged employees and high levels of managerial trust are better positioned to undertake transformational HR initiatives, which are essential for continuous learning and adaptability. Practical implications The findings highlight the importance of embedding employee engagement and trust-building strategies within HR frameworks to cultivate a supportive climate for change and learning. Organizations aspiring to become learning organizations must pay attention to these relational and psychological enablers. Originality/value While previous studies have explored WE and TM in isolation, this research provides an integrated view of their combined influence on transformation readiness. By aligning the study with the principles of organizational learning, the paper contributes fresh insights into how trust and engagement can serve as foundational levers for long-term adaptability and human resource innovation.
Purpose This study systematically examines the intersection of emotional intelligence (EI), leadership and learning-oriented development to understand how the field has evolved and its implications for human resource development (HRD) theory and practice. Design/methodology/approach A bibliometric analysis of 72 Scopus-indexed, ABDC-ranked journal articles published between 2015 and 2025 was conducted using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. The analysis examined publication trends, collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence patterns and thematic evolution within the field. Findings Seven thematic clusters emerged, with EI functioning as a central construct linking leadership, workplace learning and organizational outcomes. The findings indicate a shift from viewing EI as a fixed trait to conceptualizing it as a developable capability shaped through learning, reflection and relational experiences. The field has evolved from early conceptual exploration (2015–2018) to more empirical and context-driven research, particularly in the postpandemic period (2022–2025). While transformational leadership and EI remain dominant themes, adaptive, digital and crisis leadership have emerged as important areas of inquiry. The analysis also reveals a geographically diverse research landscape, although international collaboration remains uneven across regions. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric overview of the intersection between EI, leadership and learning and advances a learning-oriented perspective by positioning EI as a key capability within leadership development frameworks. By integrating leadership, workplace learning and organizational context, the study contributes to HRD and leadership scholarship and offers a structured foundation for future research and practice.
Purpose This study aims to explore how digital leadership (DL) and information technology (IT) influence knowledge management (KM) to the achievement of organizational learning (OL). In addition, it investigates the mediating effect of KM in the relationships between DL and OL, as well as between IT and OL. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted in the Seoul Industrial Area of South Korea, specifically targeting the telecommunications sector. Data were collected from 312 participants who shared their perspectives on their experiences with IT, DL and knowledge-sharing within their respective organizations. The analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The findings offer valuable insights for managers aiming to align KM strategies with their organizations’ broader strategic goals. Both DL and IT demonstrate a positive relationship with KM, which, in turn, has a favorable effect on OL. The finding further reveals that KM mediates the relationship between DL and OL; and between IT and OL. These results underscore the significant role of KM in enhancing OL. Originality/value The study’s originality lies in combining DL, IT, KM and OL within the context of South Korea’s telecommunications industry. Anchored in the resource-based view framework, the research demonstrates that both DL and IT have a significant and positive impact on KM, which, in turn, strongly influences OL. This study builds upon existing empirical work and offers practical guidance for enhancing OL in digitally progressive organizational environments.
Purpose This study aims to inspect the associations among authentic leadership (AL), organizational climate (OC), organizational learning capability (OLC) and innovative work behavior (IWB) mediated by social innovation behavior (SIB) in the UAE’s public sector. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was administered to UAE public sector employees 460 responses were recorded. The reliability of the research model was evaluated, and the research hypotheses were tested, using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings OLC, AL and OC indirectly affected SIB through IWB. Furthermore, the empirical evidence indicates a positive relationship among OLC, OC, AL, IWB and SIB. Practical implications Regulators can use these results to formulate policies that encourage the conditions that foster SIB in public sector entities. Originality/value This study contributes to the UAE public sector’s social innovation (SI) field. Emphasizing the significance of promoting SIB and mediating the role of IWB, this study offers holistic perspectives for practitioners to understand factors fostering SI.
Purpose The purpose of this research is to assess the influence of enterprise social networks (ESNs) on the prevalence of knowledge hiding practices within organizations. In addition, this study investigates how distrust between employees contributes to knowledge hiding. Finally, the research seeks to determine how knowledge hiding, as a function of ESN use and distrust, impacts task performance in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach The distributed questionnaires given accounted for control variables, including gender, age range, education attainment, work experience, employment status, industry and multichoice ESNs of use in the workplace. Thirty-nine indicators were applied to measure and explore knowledge hiding based on a five-point Likert scale. This study used PLS-SEM in SmartPLS 3.0. Findings Six hypotheses were supported in this study, indicating that as levels of distrust are heightened, knowledge hiding increases and this, in turn, exerts detrimental effects on task performance. Originality/value This research identifies tacit and explicit knowledge as key factors in knowledge hiding in business organizations. It also reveals how ESNs facilitate or inhibit the transfer of certain types of knowledge. This study addresses gaps in the literature on the relationship between neglect and knowledge hiding in ESN. Previous studies have predominantly focused on ESN’s and their interpersonal elements separately, this study extends the technological stance by incorporating relational dynamics to demonstrate how ESN systems impact knowledge-hiding actions. Moreover, this integrates other studies by offering evidence for the position of distrust as a mediating factor between ESN use and work performance.
