How instrumental and value-rational knowledge power shape construction project performance: mediating roles of knowledge sharing under varying project complexity

Purpose The project participants that own more critical knowledge resources have higher knowledge power, and the imbalance of knowledge power may affect construction project performance. This study examines the effect of knowledge power on construction project performance by considering the mediating role of interorganizational knowledge sharing and the moderating role of project complexity. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a questionnaire survey. All measurement items were adapted from established scales in prior research and measured using a Likert scale. The questionnaire was distributed to the managers of participating organizations in construction projects. A total of 531 valid responses were collected, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping. Findings Value-rational knowledge power has a stronger positive effect on project performance than instrumental-rational knowledge power. Value-rational knowledge power improves project performance through both in-role and extra-role knowledge sharing, whereas instrumental-rational knowledge power achieves this only through in-role knowledge sharing. Furthermore, both types of knowledge power have stronger effects on extra-role knowledge sharing under high project complexity. Originality/value The findings offer insights into how project participants balance instrumental-rational and value-rational knowledge power to enhance interorganizational knowledge sharing and construction project performance, thereby contributing to the theory of knowledge management in construction projects.