Purpose – This paper aims to develop an understanding of the factors that influence knowledge-sharing behaviour within an organisational framework, using widely accepted social psychology theories. Design/methodology/approach – Knowledge-sharing behaviour of bank employees in Greece is examined using an aggregate model, which is based on the theory of planned behaviour. The suggested research model was tested using structural equation modelling. Findings – The results indicate that intention to share knowledge is mainly influenced by employees' attitude toward knowledge sharing, followed by subjective norms. Research limitations/implications – Knowledge-sharing behaviour was examined solely focusing on salient beliefs. Findings should be confirmed using a larger sample, as well as through cross-sectional studies. Practical implications – The results highlight the necessity of creating a climate that would help individuals develop a more favourable attitude toward knowledge sharing as well as the important role of the perceived social pressure by organisational members (peers, supervisors, senior management) on the intention of individuals to share knowledge. Originality/value – The main contributions of this study are the following: examination of the knowledge sharing in the banking sector; testing of a specific well-known research model in the South-Eastern European environment; examination of the actual knowledge-sharing behaviour and not only of the behavioural intention to share knowledge and, finally, examination of the direct effect of the perceived behavioural control on knowledge-sharing behaviour, which, although suggested by theory, has been neglected by previous studies.

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to examine and analyze the alignment between (information technology) IT, strategic orientation (SO) and organizational structure (OS) and their impact on firm performance (FP). Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework is proposed regarding the constructs of IT, SO and OS. A model incorporating these three constructs is examined and their impact on FP is assessed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The sample data from 295 firms were obtained through structured questionnaires. Findings – The results of the SEM support the hypothesis that the alignment between IT, SO and OS significantly affects FP. Research limitations/implications – Non-financial and intangible performance measurements are not included and the sample is not homogeneous. Practical implications – This study suggests that managers should choose the appropriate level and type of IT, depending on a firm's structure and SO, in order to benefit from the advantages of IT usage and achieve higher performance levels. Originality/value – This study presents an overview of the impact of SO, OS and IT on FP, and that shows that there is scope for further research into the inter-organizational relationships that exist between them.

Purpose: – Knowledge Management (KM) is a contemporary research field of high interest for both academics and practitioners. For more than 15 years, successful companies have used KM as their most valuable source of competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is attempt to extend the existing empirical approaches (research models), by focusing on the process of KM and its diffusion throughout the organisation.Design/methodology/approach: – The present study proposes a newly developed conceptual framework that adopts a four-step approach, highlighting four areas of interest that have never been simultaneously examined before: knowledge antecedents, KM process, KM outcomes (satisfaction from the KM process) and individual (employee) outcomes. The proposed conceptual framework is tested, using a structured questionnaire, in a sample of 211 bank employees. The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were thoroughly examined, while research hypotheses were tested using the “Structural Equation Modelling” technique.Findings: – The results revealed that companies with enhanced innovative culture and an organisational climate that facilitates cooperation between employees tend to promote and ultimately maximise knowledge diffusion. Moreover, a contribution of the present study is the empirical confirmation of the relationship between the proposed factor “satisfaction from the knowledge management process” and both organisational commitment and job satisfaction.Research limitations/implications: – A limitation stemming from the adopted methodology is the use of self-report scales to measure the factors (constructs) of the proposed model. Moreover, the present paper lacks a longitudinal approach, since it provides a static picture (snapshot) of the application of KM within enterprises.Practical implications: – The paper highlights-specific areas (factors) that companies should enhance in order to harvest the potential benefits of KM. According to the empirical findings, organisations should focus on their human capital when managing their knowledge processes. After all, employee satisfaction from the KM process is found to be crucial for enhancing their job satisfaction and job performance.Originality/value: – The paper proposes an enhanced conceptual framework that incorporates critical issues concerning the successful implementation of KM, thus, providing valuable tools for decision makers and academics. Its originality lies in the nature of its approach. More specifically, the present study examines the impact of KM on individual-level (employee), something that rarely appears in the relevant literature. Additionally, it incorporates “satisfaction from the knowledge management process” as a significant outcome of the KM process, thus, enriching the literature of the field. Finally, it investigates the impact of three contextual factors (innovative culture, organisational climate, inter-functional coordination) on KM process (externalisation, internalisation, socialisation, combination), adopting an approach that acknowledges KM as a function (factor) that transmits contextual influence onto individual effectiveness. The results of the study may be generalised in other sectors with similar characteristics (knowledge-intensive and learning organisations, service sector companies, etc) and in other developed countries whose financial institutions face similar challenges as the ones in Greece.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to measure the level of public service quality in a unique body of service provision, namely the Citizen's Service Centers (CSCs) of Greece. CSC is a public service organization created in 2002, aiming at providing assistance to all citizens and reducing the bureaucracy of the Greek public administration. Moreover, the present study aims to underline the importance of citizen participation in service planning and provision processes, thus providing an additional dimension to the “New Public Management” (NPM) discipline that has recently found itself under serious critique.Design/methodology/approach: The present study utilized a slightly modified SERVQUAL instrument that was distributed to citizens visiting a representative sample of CSC branches. More specifically, 221 CSCs were visited by the members of the research team (20.35 per cent of the total population) and 843 usable questionnaires were collected from citizens. Random sampling techniques were used in order to acquire a representative and reliable sample.Findings: In brief, it is found that, although citizen expectations are not met in three of the five SERVQUAL dimensions, the overall service quality performance is well above average, allowing one to claim that CSCs have achieved their initial target. The gap scores for the dimensions of empathy and responsiveness were positive, while the same scores for the dimensions of tangibles, reliability and assurance were negative.Research limitations/implications: The use of the SERVQUAL instrument has been a subject of critique by various authors. Its ability to measure service quality has been supported by many and disputed by few. The present study analytically examined the validity and reliability of the instrument, so as to ensure that its use successfully fits the public service environment.Practical implications: The paper makes an analytical effort in order to point out areas that managers and policy makers should emphasize in order to increase the level of public services. Certain practical implications are offered in the final part of the paper.Originality/value: CSCs are, according to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, a worldwide innovation only implemented in Greece. Hence, their examination may serve as a guiding light for other countries suffering from public sector inefficiencies. The methodological contribution of the paper lies in the implementation of the SERVQUAL instrument in the context of public services and its subsequent validation with the use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. On a theoretical level, the present paper enhances the current literature with a paper that argues that citizens should actively participate in the processes of service planning and service provision.

Purpose – Owing to the unique computing needs and different IT adoption patterns of SMEs, research findings concerning larger organisations may not be fully generalisable to offer practical assistance for the successful utilisation of computers. This paper aims to focus on factors affecting personal computer acceptance, using data from 278 employees from Greek SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – An aggregate structural model is developed, based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and incorporating social influence, management support, perceived service quality and computer satisfaction factors, that was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings – The results indicate that perceived ease of use is more powerful in explaining computer usage and satisfaction, whereas usefulness has a strong impact on intention. Moreover, the findings underline the importance of internal (management) and external support in achieving wider computer acceptance. Research limitations/implications – Factors such as end-user training, facilitating conditions, self-efficacy and computer anxiety should be incorporated into the model for a more complete understanding of the factors that influence computer acceptance in SMEs. Practical implications – The results indicate the importance of ease of use and usefulness perceptions, as well as computer satisfaction. Therefore management should pay special attention to the enhancement of such positive perceptions through adequate support and encouragement. Originality/value – This is one of the few studies in the literature to incorporate intention, actual usage and satisfaction in a single model, which is tested using data from SMEs. Overall, the final model can explain 60 per cent and 54 per cent of the variance in actual computer usage and computer satisfaction, respectively.