The mediator role of KM process for creative organizational learning case study. Knowledge based companies
| Pages | 420-445 |
| Published date | 10 August 2015 |
| Date | 10 August 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/VINE-06-2014-0039 |
| Author | Rouhollah Bagheri,Mohhamad Reza Hamidizadeh,Parisa Sabbagh |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Knowledge management,Knowledge management systems |
The mediator role of KM process
for creative organizational
learning case study
Knowledge based companies
Rouhollah Bagheri and Mohhamad Reza Hamidizadeh
Faculty of Management and Accounting, Shahid Beheshti University,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, and
Parisa Sabbagh
Mashad Azad University, Mashad, Islamic Republic of Iran
Abstract
Purpose – The current study aims to investigate the existing relationship between knowledge
management (KM) infrastructures, KM process capabilities, creative organizational learning (OL) and
organizational performance.
Design/methodology/approach – Statistical population includes executives of knowledge-based
companies in Tehran Science and Technology Park of Iran. The 68 questionnaires were distributed
among the census, of which 60 questionnaires were completed correctly. The research data were
analyzed by SPSS and PLS software. The unit of analysis is a company that has adopted a knowledge
management system (KMS). Target population of the research consisted of 85 top managers of
knowledge-based companies in Tehran Science and Technology Park of Iran (N⫽85). Random
sampling method was applied in this study, and 71 top managers were considered as the statistical
sample based on the “Morgan Table”. One standard ve-point Likert questionnaire was adopted and
distributed between top managers in the park; 62 questionnaires were returned, among which 60 were
statistically investigated. The structural relations among variables were tested using the partial least
squares method.
Findings – This study shows that the KM processes can mediate between creative OL and factors in
the KM infrastructure. The results of the study demonstrate that KM process capabilities have the most
crucial role in creative OL. The results indicate a signicant inuence of the infrastructure capabilities
on the process capabilities, also the impacts of KM process capabilities on creative OL and the impacts
of creative OL on organizational performance was conrmed.
Research limitations/implications – Using a holistic view of the KM performance framework,
this study has provided insights to KM for researchers because it explains the integrated aspects
of KM performance by examining the relationships between the KM infrastructure, knowledge
process capabilities, and organizational outcomes. Previous studies on KM have been fragmented
because they only consider some aspects of KM performance rather than using a holistic view of the
KM performance framework: they have examined the relationship between one or two facets of KM
enablers and process capability, or between KM process capabilities and organizational
performance.
Practical implications – In order to manage rapid change and global competition in business
environments, knowledge workers should create new business opportunities and continuously
question what and how they can contribute to these chances. Organizational KMS should support the
learning processes of their knowledge workers.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0305-5728.htm
VINE
45,3
420
Received 5 June 2014
Revised 30 September 2014
1 January 2015
15 April 2015
Accepted 2 May 2015
VINE
Vol.45 No. 3, 2015
pp.420-445
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0305-5728
DOI 10.1108/VINE-06-2014-0039
Social implications – The continuous learning and experiments are necessary in order to produce
new ideas and products: it is critical to emphasize the importance of a KM infrastructure that supports
and encourages learning in organizations. The creative learning in turn affects organizational
performance indicating that without learning, organizations cannot overcome the boundary of old
business practices and adjust to change in environments.
Originality/value – Previous researches did not appraise the effect of KM and its capabilities on
organizational performance, and the specic inuence of creative OL was disregarded. The present
study demonstrates the mechanism of KM effect on organizational performance and describes the
comprehensive dimensions of KM performance.
Keywords Knowledge management, Creative organizational learning, Organizational performance,
Knowledge management infrastructure capabilities, Knowledge management process capabilities
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Knowledge is regarded as a very important and invaluable asset in the new
ultra-competitive environments of developed countries, as knowledge is the only factor
which can evoke change and innovation in organizations. Today, applying knowledge is
one of the fundamental challenges of developing countries. A knowledge-oriented
business is one of the essential goals of the Fourth Development Plan of Iran[1]. This
goal cannot be attained without considering knowledge application in enhancing the
capacity of different industries. The most important proceeding in the Fourth
Development Plan is undeniably knowledge management (KM). Satisfying the three
criteria of International Bank of Reconstruction and Development, which are economic
liberalization, government modernization and knowledge-oriented economics, is not
possible without conducting many research and projects. Therefore, to achieve this goal,
management researchers try to present applicable and efcacious resolutions to make
the organizations capable of applying KM. Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development focuses on the knowledge-based economy and the role of knowledge in
economic developments in the third millennium. Recently, many research have been
conducted in accordance with KM in the business world (Metaxiotis et al., 2005), and this
conclusion can be drawn that the industrial economy has been changed into
knowledge-based economy, and knowledge is considered as the most essential and
invaluable competitive asset in the organizations (Rivera-Vazquez et al., 2009).
Therefore, the enhancement of KM implementation can be seen in different
organizations (Mills and Smith, 2011). Previous studies have been mostly
one-dimensional and have investigated only some limited dimensions of KM
performance; for instance, they have assessed the relationship between one or two
variables of KM infrastructure capabilities and KM process capabilities or the existing
relationship between KM process capabilities and organizational performance, so they
were not multi-dimensional. The present study intends to examine the relationship
between KM infrastructure capabilities, KM process capabilities, creative
organizational learning (OL) and organizational performance.
2. Theoretical background of the research
2.1 Knowledge management
According to Stonier, data are a series of disconnected facts and observations. These
facts may be converted to information by analyzing, cross-referring, selecting,
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Mediator role
of KM process
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