From Boundary Spanning to Intergroup Knowledge Integration: The Role of Boundary Spanners’ Metaknowledge and Proactivity

Intergroup knowledge integration, that is the acquisition, processing, and utilization of across group boundaries, a critical source competitive advantage in modern organizations. Prior research has highlighted important role boundary spanning exchange for intergroup neglecting, however, question what makes individual spanners more effective fostering integration. Integrating literature with theories information we hypothesize effect ties on integration depends spanners’ levels metaknowledge, i.e., who knows their respective groups, proactivity. We find general support our predictions study 457 engineering consultants nested 22 interdependent business units within an organization. Additional criterion analyses confirm material importance performance. Our findings have implications literatures effectiveness, team cognition,