Completing the incomplete: bridging human resource management and knowledge transfer in a disruptive context

The efficiency and service quality of healthcare organisations is driven by effective knowledge transfer among healthcare professionals. Specialised medical units are complex organisations where professionals with different profiles need to work together and coordinate closely in their daily tasks. A deeper understanding of the antecedents of knowledge transfer is likely to shed light on how medical units deliver effective service quality in a disruptive context. In this study, we draw on the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) framework and self-determination (SDT) theory. Data was gathered in 2021 through an electronic questionnaire. Structural equation models and bootstrapping method were employed, in a sample of 506 medical specialists (61% men, 39% women), to examine whether AMO HR practices positively impact on knowledge transfer during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that strategic leadership only mediates the effect of AMO HR practices on knowledge transfer when it fosters resilience among medical specialists.