Impact of Knowledge Sharing on Sustainable Performance: Mediating Role of Employee’s Ambidexterity

The prime objective of the current study is to examine the impact of knowledge sharing and employee ambidexterity on the sustainable performance of manufacturing firms operating in the KPK province of Pakistan. In addition to this, the study has examined the mediating role of employees’ ambidexterity in the relationship between knowledge sharing and sustainable performance. The final sample included 240 respondents, which represented a response rate of 68%. The study employed SEM-PLS for data analysis. The results indicate that the employee’s ambidexterity fully mediates between knowledge sharing and sustainable performance. Knowledge sharing appears as a significant determinant of employees’ ambidexterity and sustainable performance. Meanwhile, the employee’s ambidexterity also has a positive and significant relationship with sustainable performance. In the field of Management Sciences and other disciplines, knowledge sharing is considered a significant field of study. Globally, very little research has targeted these variables. This research offers conceptual highlights for developing the influence of knowledge sharing on the sustainable performance of employees particularly in the manufacturing sector.


Introduction
Profit maximization acts as a core factor in explaining the reasoning of an organization for long-term survival, and has encountered numerous challenges and arguments at the international, national, and organizational levels [1,2]. Consequently, at the academic level, the areas of Environmental and Management Science are a significant aim for firms hoping to attain an outcome that is helpful for a firm's survival in the long term. However, available research regarding performance and ambidexterity which is attainable has attained vigorous developments in the past few years [3] and the data transferred and shared has evolved into a combination targets. Therefore, scholars are rapidly discovering different methods that tend to move towards knowledge integration and knowledge development to attain sustainable performance [4]. In particular, a worker's ambidexterity that stems from knowledge sharing has gained importance in the manufacturing sector. Recent studies, along with focusing on service sectors, have attracted significant interest and highlighted the benefits that stem from knowledge sharing among manufacturing workers that enhance these organizational performances [5].
Therefore, the researcher presented sustainable performance as the harmonizing factor linking financial, social, and organizational environmental performance that leads towards the growth of sustainability [6,7]. Knowledge sharing originates from a vision of knowledge management; one definition explains that it is the usage and reorganization of collective the manufacturing sector [5,18,19]. However, the current research develops a number of significant influences which evolved via earlier empirical analysis and detained knowledge.
Firstly, it offers a new theoretical model that associates sustainable performance and knowledge sharing with employees' ambidexterity. This research has addressed the limitations of the previous work and supported responses to the queries by presenting data facts regarding sustainable performance (the outcome of employee's ambidexterity) and knowledge sharing (the predictor). Secondly, this research develops a research guide for knowledge sharing and discovers the influence of performance sustainability and employees' ambidexterity in the manufacturing industry [20]. Recent research originates empirical research to investigate the associated variables of employees' ambidexterity, especially according to the perception of the manufacturing sector. Thirdly, the researchers analyzed that earlier research work has targeted generally innovative ability or sustainable benefit, along with minor efforts on performance sustainability. The scholars noted the lack of research that associates sustainable performance with employee ambidexterity [21]. However, recent research discussed factors with potential indirect influences and direct influences which would develop the earlier perception of sustainability performance and employee ambidexterity. Finally, extended research regarding sustainable performance, employee ambidexterity, and knowledge sharing has enlightened the study of research regarding developed countries. However, usually the earlier research work gave the impression of Western bias.
As a result, the current research claims that future scholars must functionalize their research regarding perceptions of various countries, and especially the perception of non-Western countries [3]. This research work is done in developing countries i.e., Bangladesh, which will support earlier conclusions. Consequently, the researchers analyzed the research of sustainable performance in the framework of emerging countries, especially countries such as China, which has no research work evidence relating to employee's ambidexterity, knowledge sharing [22], and knowledge hiding from the context of multi-theoretical lenses. and sustainable performance. This will seal the gap of analysis regarding specific objectives from numerous perspectives.

Literature Review and Hypotheses Development
"Knowledge sharing" is a very complex field. Knowledge may develop additional resources for a firm and play its role as a significant asset in the firm's progress [23]. Additionally, knowledge sharing is associated with knowledge integration and absorption. The author claimed that the distribution of resource intensity enhances with a large amount of knowledge sharing. Numerous firms acknowledged that knowledge is an important asset and plays a significant role in attaining the sustainable performance of any business sector [24]. For numerous companies, the achievement of sustainable benefits is based on the organizational capability and execution of intellectual knowledge. [25] Claimed that the execution and growth of significant knowledge management values will provide the attainment of reliability levels of high-level performance. Therefore, [26] claimed that the unique knowledge sharing model consequently consists of an integrated context that would develop the potential base of competitive benefits and consequently, enhancement of sustainable performance. In the same way, the human capital model assumed the impact of an employee's ability, skill, knowledge, and other attributes leading to sustainability of the firm. According to human capital theory, scholars demonstrated that knowledge sharing attitudes and behavior between workers would facilitate and support the abilities of the firm's dynamic to lead to sustainable activities [27][28][29]. Hence, this research work reported that the mechanisms regarding knowledge sharing act as "enablers" that could take the data spread which tends towards further sustainable performance. Hence, this declaration highlighted the suggestions of the hypothesis: Hypothesis 1 (H1). Sustainable performance is significantly influenced by knowledge sharing. Ref. [17] reported on employees' ambidexterity and knowledge sharing; the research work at the firm level indicates that knowledge sharing culture and employee empowerment play a significant role in the sustainability of an organization [30]. Usually, the hypothetical highlights of these links are reported in social exchange theory. This theory describes the link between the worker and the firm, which includes two sides: interdependent and reciprocal [2,30,31]. According to this theory, once a firm facilitates, encourages, and authorizes workers, consequently a culture develops that targets enhancement and stimulation of current structure, procedure, strategies, and systems that support advancement. However, a culture based on knowledge sharing tends to move towards employee ambidexterity. At this time, how a knowledge-sharing culture facilitates employee ambidexterity is not properly acknowledged [17].
Knowledge sharing among workers permits a rapid and informal approach towards appropriate data. However, a knowledge-sharing culture encourages the workers to support one another in vision consideration. Ref. [32] claimed in their theoretical research work that a huge association of workers supported accomplishment with the company's regulations and laws. However, it is anticipated that workers are consciously passionate regarding the firm's agreement about knowledge sharing; the workers will be capable of innovating and increasing corruption in their deeds. Depending upon the earlier empirical observations and hypothetical assumptions, this research work presented the hypothesis as follows:

Hypothesis 2 (H2). Employee ambidexterity is significantly influenced by knowledge sharing.
Employee ambidexterity offers an encouraging condition for firm workers who modify dynamically by the method of exploitation and exploration, endorse the significant structure, and are capable of innovating and learning new procedures [33,34]. On the contrary, sustainability performance is recognized as compelling short-term engagements to ensure the long-term actions that may be assembled into "triple bottom line" approaches such as environmental, financial, and social approaches [35]. Employee ambidexterity plays a significant role in attaining and executing the firm's sustainability targets. The firm's structure might be improved with time to establish the explorative desire and employee's exploitation to encourage sustainable behavior. The employee's ambidexterity effect can be improved by the development of the highlighted method of social exchange theory [30,36]. Via the mutual exchange process, ambidexterity compensates and offers revenue in the upcoming period consisting of undefined upcoming compulsions with efficient involvement [2]. The social exchange theory indicates that knowledge sharing between people supports the significance of their ambidexterity performance; as a result, it supports the firm's sustainable performance. However, according to the conceptual evidence and earlier research literature analyses, this research work presented the hypothesis as follows:

Hypothesis 3 (H3). Sustainable performance is significantly affected by the employee's ambidexterity.
According to the domain of social exchange theory, reciprocal association is reported among employees' ambidexterity and knowledge sharing. This theory supports the association among the workers and the firm's processes such as reciprocal, two-sided, interdependent, and mutually rewarding [2]. Thus, the behavior of knowledge sharing increases the capabilities of employees' ambidexterity which develops acknowledgment of changeable employee behavior for attaining the firm's sustainable performance. Ref. [17] claimed that in the culture of knowledge sharing, the workers argued about their common concerns identified ways to acknowledge them, and finally, and recognized innovative solutions which supported them to achieve ambidexterity. Employee ambidexterity which consists of exploitive and exploratory activities of workers could be encouraged by the organization in a multi-faceted way, which generates further sustainable performance [10,[37][38][39]. According to the literature which claims that knowledge sharing and employee ambidexterity and the sustainable performance has an impact on employee's ambidexterity, it is acknowledged by the research that employee's ambidexterity facilitates an association between sustainable performance and knowledge sharing. In the same way, the researchers presented the hypotheses as follows: Hypothesis 4 (H4). Employee ambidexterity facilitates the impact of knowledge sharing on sustainable performance.

Method
To achieve the objective of the study, we used a quantitative method, and data were collected with the aid of a questionnaire (see Appendices A and B). In total, 350 questionnaires were sent to the respondents. The final sample received was 295. After the deletion of outliers and correcting for respondent bias, the final sample comprised 240. The response rate was 81%, which is significantly higher than the threshold level of 30% [40,41]. No particular range is mentioned in the literature regarding missing values. However, in [42], researchers proposed that if the missing rate was less or equal to 5%, it would not make any significant difference on the outcome or affect the validity or reliability of the statistical inference. The study has employed SEM-PLS for data analysis purposes.

Model Assessment
The SEM-PLS is employed for data analysis purposes. The SEM-PLS follows a twostep procedure: (1) assessment of measurement model, (2) assessment of the structural model. For this purpose, the current study performed model fitness tests such as CMIN/DF, RMSEA, RMR, GFI, TLI, and CFI (Table 1). Moreover, the reliability and validity of the model are also determined in the measurement model, whereas relationships between and among the variables are determined by the structural model. The measurement model of the study is shown in Figure 1 below: of changeable employee behavior for attaining the firm's sustainable performance. Ref. [17] claimed that in the culture of knowledge sharing, the workers argued about their common concerns identified ways to acknowledge them, and finally, and recognized innovative solutions which supported them to achieve ambidexterity. Employee ambidexterity which consists of exploitive and exploratory activities of workers could be encouraged by the organization in a multi-faceted way, which generates further sustainable performance [10,[37][38][39]. According to the literature which claims that knowledge sharing and employee ambidexterity and the sustainable performance has an impact on employee's ambidexterity, it is acknowledged by the research that employee's ambidexterity facilitates an association between sustainable performance and knowledge sharing. In the same way, the researchers presented the hypotheses as follows: Hypothesis 4 (H4). Employee ambidexterity facilitates the impact of knowledge sharing on sustainable performance.

Method
To achieve the objective of the study, we used a quantitative method, and data were collected with the aid of a questionnaire (see Appendixes A and B). In total, 350 questionnaires were sent to the respondents. The final sample received was 295. After the deletion of outliers and correcting for respondent bias, the final sample comprised 240. The response rate was 81%, which is significantly higher than the threshold level of 30 % [40,41]. No particular range is mentioned in the literature regarding missing values. However, in [42], researchers proposed that if the missing rate was less or equal to 5%, it would not make any significant difference on the outcome or affect the validity or reliability of the statistical inference. The study has employed SEM-PLS for data analysis purposes.

Model Assessment
The SEM-PLS is employed for data analysis purposes. The SEM-PLS follows a two-step procedure: (1) assessment of measurement model, (2) assessment of the structural model. For this purpose, the current study performed model fitness tests such as CMIN/DF, RMSEA, RMR, GFI, TLI, and CFI (Table 1). Moreover, the reliability and validity of the model are also determined in the measurement model, whereas relationships between and among the variables are determined by the structural model. The measurement model of the study is shown in Figure 1 Table 1 shows a 3-factor model (where CMIN/DF = 1.135, RMSEA = 0.31, RMR = 0.023, GFI = 0.921, TLI = 0.981, and CFI = 0.991), which happens to be the minimum "cut-off" values reported by many studies in literature [43].
The internal reliability of our proposed model is accessed through outer loadings (refer to Table 2 below) and cross-loadings [44,45]. According to [46], the threshold value of the outer loading is 0.70. In our case, we have deleted all the items with outer loadings less than 0.70. The findings of the reliability analysis are shown in Table 3. The results indicate that there is no issue of reliability in our case as all the values are of composite reliability; Cronbach's Alpha and average variance extracted are above the threshold value. The next step of the measurement model is the determination of the validity. The Fornell-Larcker Criterion has been employed for the assessment of the validity of our model. The results from Table 4 indicate that all the diagonal values are greater than the lower values.
The coefficient of determination i.e. R 2 (as indicated in Table 5 below) in our case is above 0.15, which is above the threshold level. Once the measurement model is accessed, the next step is to access the structural model. The structural model of the current study is shown in Figure 2  The bootstrapping procedure is employed to examine the structural relationship between and among the variables [43,[45][46][47][48][49]. The results of the bootstrapping are mapped in Figure 2. The results of the structural model are shown in Tables 6 and 7 below. The results of the direct relations are explained in Table 6 below. The results indicate that all the direct paths are positive and significant at p-values less than 0.05. Knowledge sharing appears as a significant determinant of employees' ambidexterity and sustainable performance. Meanwhile, the employee's ambidexterity is also in a positive and significant relationship with sustainable performance. The outcome of mediation analysis is shown in Table 7 below [50,51]. The results indicate that the employee's ambidexterity fully mediates between knowledge sharing and sustainable performance.  The bootstrapping procedure is employed to examine the structural relationship between and among the variables [43,[45][46][47][48][49]. The results of the bootstrapping are mapped in Figure 2. The results of the structural model are shown in Tables 6 and 7 below. The results of the direct relations are explained in Table 6 below. The results indicate that all the direct paths are positive and significant at p-values less than 0.05. Knowledge sharing appears as a significant determinant of employees' ambidexterity and sustainable performance. Meanwhile, the employee's ambidexterity is also in a positive and significant relationship with sustainable performance. The outcome of mediation analysis is shown in Table 7 below [50,51]. The results indicate that the employee's ambidexterity fully mediates between knowledge sharing and sustainable performance.

Discussion
Recent research claimed to examine the impact on sustainable performance along with the impact of knowledge, which is hidden as a moderator, and employee ambidexterity as a mediator. In the same way, the scholars investigate the significant association between four factors from the conceptualized highlighted theories, for example, social exchange theory and human capital theory.
In addition to this, to investigate this model, four hypotheses were established from the concept of theoretical and empirical findings which are demonstrated in Tables 5 and 6. The first hypothesis is H1: sustainable performance is significantly influenced by knowledge sharing; therefore, the findings of the test were in favor of this research. The findings vary from the earlier research work which states that sustainable performance is not significantly impacted [3]. Therefore, it is not surprising that due to the mediating impact of employee's ambidexterity, knowledge sharing had a significant impact. The main direct impact through the mediating factor develops a significant influence on the variable, which has been re-instated by previous studies that showed a significant direct impact [2,52].
Accordingly, the employee's ambidexterity would be further targeted by knowledge sharing to further increase the firm's sustainable performance. Concern regarding H2 is that this hypothesis is also dependable on the findings of earlier research studies [4]. Ref. [32] claimed that the further refined were the forms of networking and employee alignment estimation, the more developed was the form of exploitation. When workers know about their company agreement to knowledge sharing, employees start to enhance their corruption activities through exploitive capabilities and exploitative activities. Thus, researchers [17] reported that employees' ambidexterity was impacted by knowledge sharing. According to the social exchange theory, the researchers deal with the workers who share knowledge among people as to how they act during task generation, their outputs, their collaboration and, as a result, it motivates more explorative and exploitative activities between workers.
The third hypothesis, H3, investigated the impact of sustainable performance as a result of the employee's ambidexterity, which had already been encouraged in a prior research study by [39]. This hypothesis depends on the research results of [40]. The findings highlighted that the behavior of ambidexterity would accomplish sustainability as a result of exploitation and exploration employing three differing styles: contextual, sequential, and structural. Additionally, the impact of employee's ambidexterity resulted in associated various forms of performance, for example, environmental performance, innovation performance, and general performance [10,53]. According to this perception, the purpose of H3 acceptance might be fixed in an implication such as the employee's ambidexterity being further relatable to sustainable performance [39,54,55]. Hypothesis H 4 tested the mediating impact among factors and the findings presented that employees' ambidexterity facilitated the link between sustainable performance and knowledge sharing.
The findings highlighted that employees' ambidexterity completely facilitates the association between sustainable performance and knowledge sharing. Each firm would attempt to mediate the individual ambidexterity by the stimulation of development in knowledge sharing, enduring one another, and would be feasible [56,57]. This is considered evidence of sustainable performance being enhanced by knowledge sharing [58,59]. The research work of [27] claimed that knowledge sharing motivated the firm's sustainable performance by encouraging the engagement of investors. The researchers portray their perception as having evolved from social exchange theory and human capital theory, and reported that the target of sharing knowledge can enhance the employee's ambidexterity. As a result, this led to an increase in sustainable performance (social exchange theory and human capital theory) [30,31,59].

Conclusions
The research plots the association between knowledge sharing, employee ambidexterity, and sustainable performance according to the Asian perception. Generally, the research encourages supporting the perception that knowledge sharing rewards consideration indirectly or directly in relation to sustainable performance. From now, the research approves significant knowledge sharing to encourage managers to support workers' abilities, and thus this research considerably describes sustainable performance attained through it. Especially, it confirms further the opinion regarding the firm's acknowledgment about knowledge sharing requirements and employee's ambidexterity, which the more sustainable firms can attain. Particularly, the firms collaborate to develop improvements in the literature and empirical results in three various processes. Firstly, the researchers condemn the usage of empirical structural equation modeling by the conceptualization of employees' ambidexterity and knowledge sharing based on methodology. Secondly, the researchers competed in relation to earlier research which was applied according to personal settings. Thus, the researchers enhanced the earlier results by current research on a multi-level source with a multi-theoretical lens. Thirdly, the researcher recommends linking with knowledge sharing and individual ambidexterity to offer a general perception of hypothesizing a firm's sustainable performance.

Practical Implications
The findings of this research indicate that "knowledge sharing" facilitates employees involvement in "ambidextrous" activities. Moreover, the current study is conducted in the context of manufacturing firms, which desire to be "ambidextrous" via their employees instead of investing heavily in their training. The findings would further facilitate these employees to anticipate technological changes with creative insights that will in turn enhance the sustainability of their performance. However, to boost employees' ambidexterity, the firms also need to provide a supportive environment and must empower these employees.

Limitations and Future Research Directions
Besides all the contributions that are made by the current study, at few limitations are important to be considered while making inferences from the findings. Firstly, this is a cross-sectional study to analyze the effects of knowledge sharing in relation to employee ambidexterity and performance sustainability. However, future studies could address this phenomenon with "longitudinal data" or an "experimental research design". Secondly, the construct of the current study is based on a developed context and future studies could develop a construct that might be more localized in context. Finally, future studies may also compare this relationship in two different industries, such as services and merchandising, etc.  Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.

Conflicts of Interest:
The authors declare no conflict of interest.