Knowledge creation and flexibility of distribution of information
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02635571211204245 |
| Date | 09 March 2012 |
| Pages | 166-185 |
| Published date | 09 March 2012 |
| Author | Antonio Mihi Ramírez,Víctor Jesús García Morales,Daniel Arias Aranda |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
Knowledge creation and
flexibility of distribution
of information
Antonio Mihi Ramı
´rez, Vı
´ctor Jesu
´s Garcı
´a Morales and
Daniel Arias Aranda
University of Granada, Granada, Spain
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase knowledge about the four modes of knowledge
conversion (SECI model: Socialization, Externalization, Combination, Internalization) and their impact
on flexibility of distribution of information and performance.
Design/methodology/approach – Based on a survey of 284 Spanish firms, the paper performs an
empirical analysis using structural equation modelling.
Findings – The results of the research confirm that the four modes of knowledge conversion have
positive direct and indirect influences on the flexibility of distribution of information in the
organization and therefore improve the company’s performance.
Practical implications – The structural equation model provides useful information for managers
and researchers concerning how knowledge creation enhances flexibility and performance of the
organization. Through better processes and tools for updating the organization’s concepts or methods,
flexibility programs, cross functional and self-directed teams, autonomy, participation, cooperation
and coordination in the firm improve the flow of information and performance and reduce uncertainty
in changing environments.
Originality/value – The paper illustrates the effects of the four modes of knowledge creation on
flexibility of distribution of information and demonstrates that these four modes of knowledge creation
affect flexibility of distribution of information positively, thereby improving organizational
performance.
Keywords Spain, Knowledgecreation, Knowledge management,Organizational performance,
Information dissemination, Flexibility of distributionof information
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Managing knowledge allows firms to improve core competencies and competitive
advantage in the long term (Nevis et al., 1995; Hicks et al., 2007). Knowledge creation
within the organization is of particular importance to this process (Nonaka, 1994;
Nonaka and Konno, 1998). Generation of knowledge is a fundamental capability for
improving flexibility (Nonaka and Konno, 1998), which is crucial to the firm (Hitt et al.,
1998; Duclos et al., 2003; Kuo et al., 2003), because it helps the firm to face turbulent
business environments (Kuo et al., 2003). One very important element of flexibility is
the flexibility of distribution of information. It is vital to the processes of knowledge
creation and improvement of organizational performance, because it enables the firm to
enhance the options available to reduce uncertainty and to improve decision-making
(Nonaka and Konno, 1998; Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995; Kuo et al., 2003; Wadhwa and
Saxena, 2007).
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0263-5577.htm
IMDS
112,2
166
Received 20 April 2011
Revised 3 September 2011
Accepted 3 September 2011
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 112 No. 2, 2012
pp. 166-185
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/02635571211204245
Flexibility of distribution of information is the ability to handle the flow of
information in the manufacturing process (Chatterjee et al., 1984; Sethi and Sethi, 1990;
Zahran et al., 1990; Sinha and Wei, 1992; Ramaswamy, 1996; Hope, 1997; Fitzsimmons
and Fitzsimmons, 1998), thereby facilitating changes in volume while simultaneously
keeping cost low and production high (Stigler, 1939).
Given the importance of such issues for the organization (Nevis et al., 1995; Nonaka
and Konno, 1998; Arias and Molina, 2002; Arias, 2003; Abad and Arias, 2006; Kenney
and Gudergan, 2006; Hicks et al., 2007) and the lack of scientific literature concerning this
relationship, it is valuable to analyse the connection between the four modes
of knowledge conversion, flexibility of distribution of information and performance
to develop further knowledge of this connection. The objective of this study is thus to
contrast a model of factors explaining the relationship between knowledge creation and
flexibility of distribution of information in order to understand the determinants of this
relationship within organizations. The study also explores whether the relationship
between these variables affects organizational performance. To achieve these goals, we
propose an empirical model to analyse how the modes of knowledge creation (Nonaka
and Takeuchi, 1995) affect flexibility of distribution of information and examine the
influence of these interactions on company performance, testing the main relations
between these variables in an integrated model. The paper is structured as follows:
Section 2 reviews the previous literature and establishes the study hypotheses. Section 3
explains the methodology for the study. Based on these hypotheses, we test a model that
focuses on four modes of knowledge creation and flexibility of distribution of
information. We then describe the research design, justify the sample chosen, and
describe the development of the measurement scales and the quantitative methods used
to analyse data. After this, the paper presents the results of the empirical study as they
contribute to achieving the goals described above. Discussion and conclusions are
provided in the last section.
2. Literature review
2.1 SECI model
The model of knowledge creation most widely cited in knowledge management is
probably that developed by Nonaka and Takeuchi, or the – socialization,
externalization, combination, internalization model (Nonaka, 1994; Nonaka et al.,
1994, 2000; Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995; Nonaka and Toyama, 2003). According to this
model, knowledge is created when individual tacit knowledge is transformed into
explicit knowledge at the group and organizational levels (Nonaka, 1991, 1994; Nonaka
and Takeuchi, 1995) and internalized by each member of these groups, who convert it
into new tacit knowledge. In Figure 1, we analyse the process that transforms
Figure 1.
Four alternatives for
creation of knowledge
Socialization CombinationExternalization Internalization
Socialization Combination
Tacit knowledge
Tacit knowledge
Explicit knowledge
Explicit knowledge
TO CONVERT
IN
Source: Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995)
Knowledge
creation
167
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