Empowering knowledge dynamics: a process ontology perspective on collaborative leadership in international assignments

Purpose - This paper conceptualizes a framework for the role of collaborative leadership in the generation and distribution of knowledge by globally mobile personnel. This framework addresses limitations in existing models that often ignore the iterative and relational processes in knowledge dynamics by emphasizing collaborative leadership’s crucial role in continuously shaping these dynamic processes. Design/methodology/approach - Adopting a theoretical approach, this study applies a process ontology to demonstrate how these knowledge dynamics interact at different levels of analysis through a continuous process of becoming. It critically reviews existing literature on knowledge transfer in international assignments (IAs), highlighting the limitations of traditional paradigms. The paper also draws on the concept of leadership-as-practice to emphasize the importance of collaborative leadership to explore these complex interactions and their implications for knowledge movement. Findings - By applying this lens, we identify novel phenomena, including the occurrence of knowledge dynamics not only during IAs but also in anticipation of them. We uncover asymmetries of knowledge that emerge at various stages of IAs and reveal that knowledge movement in IAs is multidirectional and processual, challenging the traditional view of linear knowledge dynamics. Originality/value - This paper introduces a novel framework combining process ontology and collaborative leadership to examine knowledge dynamics in IAs. It offers a novel perspective by moving beyond the traditional, linear understanding of knowledge transfer, emphasizing the multidirectional and dynamic nature of knowledge creation and movement. By introducing process ontology and collaborative leadership, the study challenges existing paradigms and develops theoretical propositions opening new avenues for research and theory-building in the knowledge management and global mobility literature.