Abstract:
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to theoretically broaden the knowledge-based view (KBV) by examining
the significant intermediary role that inter-functional coordination (IFC) plays in acquiring new knowledge and
exploiting it throughout the entire higher education institution (HEI) community for innovation generation (INNG).
Design/methodology/approach – Data collected from a survey of 282 lecturers purposively selected
from the business schools of 20 HEIs in the Greater Accra region of Ghana was analyzed using partial least
squares structural equation model to test the hypotheses proposed for the study.
Findings – The results revealed that IFC significantly predicts teamwork and strong relationships across
faculties, departments and units, and has a positive effect on the generation of innovations such as improved
curricula, enhanced academic instruction and quality research output. Practically, the findings advise HEI
managers to invest resources and efforts at building strong relationships that facilitate collaboration, trust
and interactions among varying faculties, departments and units. This will enhance inter-functional
knowledge sharing in academia to sustain a competitive advantage and continued relevance.
Research limitations/implications – There are limitations that must be considered when interpreting
and generalizing the quantitative results of this study. Data were collected from faculty staff of 20 public and
private HEIs in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Although the majority of HEIs are clustered in this region,
the results may still not be representative of all HEIs in Ghana.
Practical implications – Managers of HEIs are advised to commit to ensuring the management of IFC to
promote knowledge sharing across faculties and departments. Managers are also advised to ensure that staff
are made to be responsible for their cooperative and integrative teamwork. They are also advised to ensure
that faculty and departmental goals are aligned with the overall goals of the university. Staff may also be
encouraged to act as partners and not just employees through rewards, incentives and recognition packages.
Social implications – Attention should be focused on creating lateral relations among faculty and
department members to achieve internal social capital. They are advised to invest resources and efforts in
building a culture of teamwork and connectedness through strong informal networking that facilitate
collaboration between faculties and departments while cultivating a shared vision throughout the university. Originality/value – The main contribution of this paper is that it theoretically extends the KBV by
empirically broadening the scope of absorptive capacity (ACAP) beyond its dimensions to include the
“collaborative mechanism” (IFC) through which knowledge can be holistically exploited. The paper also
contributes to existing literature by examining the intermediary role played by IFC in the relationship
between ACAP and INNG in the HEIs domain which has been least discussed in the ACAP literature.