Aligning strategy with knowledge management system for improving innovation and business performance

Assessing the mediating role of knowledge management in the relationship between technological innovation and sustainable competitive advantage

This study employed the resource-based view theory to investigate the relationships between technological innovation, knowledge management, and sustainable competitive advantage in the hospitality sector, focusing explicitly on hotels in the Yaounde and Douala regions of Cameroon. Cluster sampling was employed to identify 370 respondents from of 35 hotels. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilized to analyze the data. The study found that technological innovation had a positive and significant influence on sustainable competitive advantage and knowledge management. It was observed that knowledge management had a positive and significant influence on sustainable competitive advantage. The investigation discovered that knowledge management partially mediates the relationship between technological innovation and sustainable competitive advantage. Cameroonian hotels can improve their competitive advantage by innovating technology and promoting efficient knowledge management techniques. Adopting cutting-edge technologies and fostering a culture of knowledge exchange can result in increased operational efficiency, enhanced service delivery, and differentiation from rivals, ultimately bolstering long-term competitiveness in the hospitality sector.

Knowing what you don’t know: a tertiary study on knowledge management

Purpose

This paper aims to conduct a tertiary review to analyse the state of the art of literature reviews on knowledge management (KM) published in academic journals and provide an overview of their evolution. From 2000 to 2022, about 500 reviews have been published in the KM field, with most systematic studies compared to bibliometric or meta-analytic studies, and an absence of previous tertiary studies. Therefore, given the lack of previous tertiary research, this paper provides a complete picture of the evolution of review topics in the past and presents implications for both researchers and practitioners.

Design/methodology/approach

A classification scheme was defined to cluster and evaluate the literature reviews, both in terms of methodological approach and content. Regarding the content, the various secondary papers were classified according to the purpose of the research (state of the art, taxonomy, research agenda and research framework), the unit of analysis (small and medium enterprise, large company, start-up and university), the KM models adopted and the thematic areas addressed. Furthermore, a tertiary review methodology was identified integrating two main approaches: a bibliometric approach for cluster identification and a systematic approach for the discussion.

Findings

Two categories of contributions emerge from the results: those concerning research topics that have found a continuous interest over time and those that have not yet found a constant research interest. This latter aspect is relevant to help researchers conduct future literature analysis in KM research to bridge existing research gaps.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides a unique compendium of search directions to offer a comprehensive overview of the scientific debate about KM. This overview can also be used as a managerial panacea to identify best KM practice guidelines from existing reviews.

Originality/value

This is a unique attempt to conduct a tertiary study on KM for more than two decades by providing insights into the structural body of knowledge through academic progress in the subject of KM. Thus, this study expands the field of KM and provides original approaches for research in the field.

Operational performance entitling the knowledge of inventory management practices on business performance: a mediational study

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of knowledge of inventory management practices (KIMP) on operational performance (OP) and business performance (BP). This study emphasized understanding the mediational effect of OPs among KIMP and BP in manufacturing firms of Indian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study analysed the above relationship from the data collected from 351 key officials of 170 Indian SMEs. The detailed analysis, including reliability, validity and testing hypothesis, was done in advanced SmartPLS-SEM 3.3.3 software.

Findings

The findings show that KIMP directly influences OP; thus, a company's OP significantly impacts the overall BP. The KIMP has no significant effect on BP. In line with this, the study findings demonstrate a significant, high mediation effect of OPs between KIMP and BP.

Originality/value

The KIMP on OP has been sparsely studied earlier, and neither have they conceptualized in understanding its impact on BP. In such tumultuous times, key manufacturing executives should stress the importance of KIMP as a comprehensive perspective.

Security quality of KMS and KMS adoption: The context of SMEs

BACKGROUND: Knowledge is a source of competitive and strategic resource for many small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Securing knowledge assets through secured knowledge management systems (KMS) is a critical concern among SMEs. Due to the socio-technical nature of KMS, the security quality of KMS is an influential factor in KMS adoption by SMEs. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the effects of the security quality of KMS and the task-technology fit on KMS adoption among SMEs in Ghana. It further investigates whether or not the security quality of KMS affects the ease of use of KMS among SMEs. METHODS: Using a structured questionnaire, data were gathered from 281 IT professionals from 67 SMEs in Ghana. We used the technology acceptance model (TAM) to find out how security quality and task-technology fit (TTF) affect users’ acceptance of KMS. To facilitate the data collection process and to strictly focus on small and medium-sized enterprises, we excluded enterprises having 100 or more employees. The analyses used for this study focused on the key constructs and they included correlation, factor analysis, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The study found that both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness influence users’ behavioral intention to accept KMS. Perceived ease of use has a positive relationship with perceived usefulness. Also, the security quality of KMS was found to affect both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. However, the effect of the relationship between the security quality of KMS and perceived ease of use is higher when moderated by TTF. CONCLUSIONS: The security quality of KMS is fundamental to strengthening knowledge as a source of competitive advantage for most enterprises. It is important for managers to recognize security quality as an opportunity rather than a threat to advance and sustain their competitiveness as well as ensuring knowledge-sharing success.