Health-oriented responsibility as a mechanism for knowledge valorisation in professional service firms

This study examines health-oriented responsibility (HOR) as a distinct dimension of health-promoting leadership (HPL), identifying the mechanisms through which HOR contributes to knowledge valorisation in professional service firms (PSFs) operating within knowledge-intensive contexts. The qualitative study draws on 51 in-depth interviews conducted across 16 large private-sector organisations. Participants were purposefully selected to maximise information relevant to the study. Designed within a grounded theory framework, the study utilises open and selective coding as its primary analytical procedures. The findings reveal that health-oriented responsibility is a strategic organisational mechanism that mitigates the risk of operational discontinuity in human capital and reduces productivity losses associated with the depletion of cognitive resources. Furthermore, it enables the development of individual and team competences, thereby supporting the accumulation of organisational knowledge. This meta-dimension of health-promoting leadership is enacted across three interrelated domains of health: mental, physical, and social. The study provides novel insights into the role of health in business processes and its contribution to knowledge valorisation in professional service firms. It integrates knowledge management with change management through a health-centred lens, advancing a processual understanding of how health functions as a strategic mechanism in knowledge-intensive contexts. Consequently, the study establishes a foundation for leveraging long-term knowledge development as a source of competitive advantage in professional service firms. As a qualitative study, the research seeks analytical generalisation by identifying underlying conceptual mechanisms rather than statistical generalisation. The findings are based solely on the perspectives of employees perceived as leaders, which may limit insight into how other organisational members experience health-oriented responsibility.