Key knowledge management processes for innovation: a systematic literature review
| Pages | 386-410 |
| Date | 08 August 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-02-2015-0017 |
| Published date | 08 August 2016 |
| Author | Vítor Costa,Samuel Monteiro |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Knowledge management,Knowledge management systems |
Key knowledge management
processes for innovation:
a systematic literature review
Vítor Costa
Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal, and
Samuel Monteiro
Research Center in Business Sciences (NECE-UBI),
Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review current literature on knowledge management
processes considering the relationship between the key knowledge processes of acquisition, sharing,
storage, codication, creation, application and different types of innovation, through a systematic
literature review.
Design/methodology/approach – This study follows systematic review protocols for management
and organisational sciences and analyses 45 full papers on knowledge management processes and
innovation.
Findings – Results not only show that all knowledge processes can directly support innovation
but also that other organisational variables (e.g. organisational learning, absorptive capacity)
mediate this relationship. Moreover, knowledge creation and knowledge application appear as two
central processes through which knowledge acquisition, sharing, codication and storage
inuence innovation. Knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing are the most frequently
studied knowledge processes. The majority of the sample papers present traditional innovation
denitions (product vs process, radical vs incremental and technical vs administrative). However,
organisational innovation, innovation capability and innovation performance approaches emerge
from the papers’ analysis.
Research limitations/implications – The present review includes major scientic papers;
however, the search is limited to the Web of Science
TM
platform.
Originality/value – This literature review analyses high-quality, peer-reviewed papers, following a
systematic methodology that can be tested and updated. Papers were divided based upon the
knowledge process(es) being analysed and the innovation type/approach, providing a twofold
contribution to knowledge management and innovation literature.
Keywords Systematic literature review, Innovation, Absorptive capacity, Knowledge management,
Knowledge processes
Paper type Literature review
1. Introduction
The knowledge-based view of the rm recognises the importance of knowledge as
the main source of competitive advantage, and emphasise the rm’s role as an
“institution for the production of goods and services” (Grant, 1996, p. 120). In fact,
organisations need to recongure products and practices to stay viable (Alavi and
Leidner, 2001;Davenport and Prusak, 1998). Thus, this constantly need for
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2059-5891.htm
VJIKMS
46,3
386
Received 28 February 2015
Revised 1 August 2015
2 November 2015
Accepted 9 May 2016
VINEJournal of Information and
KnowledgeManagement Systems
Vol.46 No. 3, 2016
pp.386-410
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2059-5891
DOI 10.1108/VJIKMS-02-2015-0017
differentiated products and services calls for (continuous) innovation and a
“well-planned system of knowledge management” (Popadiuk and Choo, 2006,
p. 302).
Therefore, knowledge provides rms with a sustained competitive advantage
through its application in new or signicantly improved products/services, production
processes, managerial practices and marketing strategies, that is, innovation (Ceylan,
2013;Weerawardena, 2003a). Considering the need to understand the links between
knowledge and innovation, several researchers explored the relationship between
knowledge processes and innovation outcomes. Such interest raises the need for a
systematic review of relevant literature that can provide an up-to-date understanding of
the research eld.
By aggregating theoretical and empirical current papers, the present systematic
literature review (SLR) aims to answer to the following general research question:
RQ1: What are the current research main ndings regarding the knowledge
management processes (KMPs)–innovation relationship?
Four sub questions are also addressed by this paper:
RQ1a. Which KMPs are studied by current research considering its relationship
with innovation?
RQ1b. Which methods were used by the sample papers?
RQ1c. Which variables play a mediation role in KMP–innovation research?
RQ1d. Which innovation types are considered?
Following SLR protocols for management and organisational sciences (Denyer and
Traneld, 2009;Traneld et al., 2003), this work focus on specic KMPs and innovation,
shedding light on these relationships by examining six key KMPs:
(1) knowledge acquisition;
(2) knowledge storage;
(3) knowledge codication;
(4) knowledge sharing;
(5) knowledge application; and
(6) knowledge creation.
Based on a group of 45 papers (41 empirical papers and 4 theoretical contributions), the
authors analyse and discuss the inuence of these KMP on different innovation types.
This paper focuses on innovation framed within the knowledge management literature
and considers innovation to be a knowledge-based outcome. The remainder of the paper
is organised as follows. Section 2 explores the relationship between the innovation and
knowledge management literature; Section 3 highlights the methodological steps of the
systematic review; the results from the analysis of the sample papers are presented in
Section 4; nally, Sections 5 and 6 discuss the research results and provide further
research suggestions, respectively.
387
Key
knowledge
management
To continue reading
Request your trial