ifkad articles

T-shaped skills in knowledge-intensive work environments in the era of Digitalisation - An analysis of Scrum Master Profiles

Stephanie Tietz, Katja Werner, Evi Kneisel, Julia Breßler

Digitalisation is leading to massive change processes in organisations, which increasingly intensify the relevance of knowledge management for companies. Especially, knowledge creation and transfer are central processes for gaining and sustaining competitive advantage in a knowledge-intensive environment. Researchers identified that enablers (culture, structure, people and IT) are increasing the efficiency of these processes. Here, the people element is one of the most important factors. However, current empirical studies have focused on knowledge enablers on the organisational level. But there are no concepts for the operationalisation of knowledge enablers on individual level. The present study is addressed to fill this gap. The concept of T-shaped skills seems to be suitable for the operationalisation of the knowledge enablers. Therefore, we analysed 489 job advertisements of Scrum Masters by using a mixed-method approach (qualitative and quantitative content analysis as well as variance analysis) to shed light on the explicit T-Shaped skills. With regard to his role we assume that the Scrum Master covers and portrays the needed skills in knowledge-intensive environments. It can be stated that he fills up the key role on knowledge transfer and knowledge creation in companies. Thus, he can be seen as a knowledge enabler on individual level. The results of the analysis were tested for group differences by using an ANOVA. There are no significant major effect for industry sectors and the company size. Thus, suggests that the T-shaped concept is static. As an implication for practitioners the present study could give an important indication for the search and selection for personalized T-shaped knowledge enablers. Further, the results can be used by companies for orientation, in particular in the development of personnel development concepts.

IN: Proceedings IFKAD 2019 – Knowledge Ecosystems and Growth
PP: 28-42