HR Practices and Knowledge Brokering by Hybrid Middle Managers in Hospital Settings: The Influence of Professional Hierarchy

Abstract

Drawing upon the ability‐motivation‐opportunity ( AMO ) framework, our study extends understanding of the interaction between human resource ( HR ) practices and the brokering of knowledge by hybrid middle managers. Examining health care delivered to older people in a hospital setting, our study highlights that hybrid nurse middle managers broker knowledge downward through professional hierarchy to their peer group, but find it difficult to broker knowledge upward. Meanwhile, because they lack legitimacy with doctors, they lack the opportunity to broker knowledge interprofessionally. Hybrid medical middle managers are potentially more able to broker knowledge within their peer group. However, some of lower status intraprofessionally, like nurses, may lack legitimacy and opportunity to do so. Meanwhile, higher‐status medical middle managers may lack motivation to engage in knowledge brokering with peers outside their specialism. We suggest that inter‐ and intraprofessional power and status has important implications for HR practices to support knowledge brokering by hybrid middle managers. Should HR practices fail to support ability, motivation, and opportunity for knowledge brokering across and within professions, then a “broken” rather than “broker” chain may result. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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