5. Discussion and implications
5.1. Implications for theory
This study shows the importance of organizational
human capital by providing supporting evidence on its
positive effect on organizational performance. Previously
the importance of organizational human capital was
emphasized, but its effect on organizational performance
has not been thoroughly explored. Instead of using financial
performance as the only measurement of organizational
performance, this study uses a wider range of
indicators to measure performance. The data were provided
by top or senior managers of the surveyed companies.
The study results bring insight into the effects of
organizational human capital. Organizational human capital
does not just affect both top-line and bottom-line figures,
but also affect a range of performance indicators,
such as quality of products and services and growth potential
of companies.
This study also provides a possible mechanism by which
organizational knowledge sharing practices contribute to study. This study bridges such a gap by supporting the
hypotheses that the organizational knowledge sharing
practices develop organizational human capital, which in
turn improves organizational performance.
5.2. Implications for practices
This study has practical implications. First, the relationships
among organizational antecedents, organizational
knowledge sharing practices, organizational human capital
and performance may provide a guide as to how companies
should achieve competitive advantage by using knowledge
sharing practices to develop human capital. Second, companies
are advised of the important antecedents that lead
to the success of knowledge sharing practices in developing
human capital. Third, the scale of organizational knowledge
sharing practices offers a checklist for companies to
evaluate themselves according to the degree to which they
implement the practices necessary to develop organizational
human capital.