Leadership as a Cultural Enabler of Knowledge Management in High-Reliability Organisations

Abstract

In the context of high-reliability and high-consequence organisations, knowledge management initiatives are often impeded by cultural barriers that hinder the disclosure, sharing, and utilisation of sensitive knowledge. The present paper examines how leadership shapes organisational culture conditions that determine the effectiveness of knowledge management, drawing on empirical evidence from nuclear security culture (NSC) self-assessment processes conducted in medical organisations using radioactive sources. The study conceptualises NSC self-assessment not as a compliance exercise, but as a structured knowledge management intervention aimed at eliciting tacit knowledge, weak signals, and experiential insights related to organisational vulnerabilities and human performance. The present paper builds on qualitative and mixed-method evidence from the first Polish self-assessment of nuclear security culture in a medical facility, supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The paper analyses how leadership behaviours influence knowledge creation, psychological safety, and the translation of assessment findings into organisational learning and change. The findings of the study indicate that leadership plays a decisive role in reducing cultural barriers to knowledge management, including fear of blame, formalism, and low trust in governance structures. The presence of visible leadership engagement, non-punitive responses to reported weaknesses, and active sense-making of assessment results have been found to significantly enhance knowledge sharing and learning outcomes. Conversely, leadership approaches that prioritise regulatory compliance have been shown to impede the practical application of knowledge derived from assessments and to diminish the efficacy of change processes. The present paper contributes to the knowledge management literature by positioning leadership as a cultural enabler of KM effectiveness in contexts where knowledge is sensitive, risk-laden, and ethically constrained. The present study extends the existing research in the fields of knowledge management (KM) and organisational culture by demonstrating how assessment-based KM initiatives can support sustainable change when embedded within leadership-driven cultural frameworks. Practical implications are offered for leaders and KM practitioners designing and governing knowledge initiatives in high-risk organisational settings.