The nexus of acolytes’ competencies and the knowledge-receiving firms’ performance

Is organizational performance likely to improve when an organization employs acolytes (i.e., individuals with considerable experience of working with high-reputation industry leaders)? Firms with able, motivated, and opportunity-seeking acolytes are likely to benefit more in terms of unobtrusive access to quality knowledge and improved performance. Through a detailed qualitative treatment, this work identifies high-reputation leaders, acolytes and 312 beauty salons that employed acolytes. An analysis of lagged survey responses of 286 senior managers at these beauty salons showed that the performance of salons improves, when acolytes high in knowledge-sharing competencies–i.e., ability, motivation, and opportunity-seeking–are employed. In line with social learning theory, acolytes acquire and display knowledge-sharing competencies due to their association and work experience with industry greats. This study found that these knowledge-sharing competencies help acolytes overcome the barriers to knowledge-sharing and make knowledge more deployable and redeemable for better performance. We also found that with high homophily between acolytes and fellow employees, knowledge-sharing competencies of acolytes work better and more knowledge is received by the firms.