Can e-business adoption be influenced by knowledge management? An empirical analysis of Malaysian SMEs

Investigating the nexus between information technology capabilities, knowledge management, and green product innovation: evidence from SME industry

The aim of this study to investigate the relationship between information technology capabilities (ITCs) and green product innovation (GPI). The information technology (IT) capabilities with multiple dimensions, such as IT competence, IT integration, and IT infrastructure, were used in this paper. Moreover, to verify the deep relationship between ITCs and GPI, we used knowledge management (KM) as a mediator. The data were collected through a questionnaire from the senior managers, middle-level managers, and operational staff associated with the small- and medium-sized production industry of Pakistan. We collect data in two waves between January 2022 and July 2022. The data were analyzed through the partial least square structural equation modeling through SmartPLS 3.2.2. The findings of this study conclude. First, in the direct relationship, two IT capabilities, such as IT competence and IT infrastructure, have a positive and significant direct relationship with green product innovation, but IT integration has an insignificant relationship with green product innovation. Second, the results show that three IT capabilities have positively influenced knowledge management. Third, the results confirm that KM has a significant positive effect on GPI. Finally, the outcomes confirmed that knowledge management positively and significantly mediates between all IT capabilities and GPI in the indirect relationship.

How does IT capability affect knowledge acquisition in the presence of a dominant supplier?

Purpose

This study aims to examine how three types of information technology (IT) capability (supplier technological capability, customer technology-sensing capability and relatedness of IT infrastructure) facilitate knowledge acquisition by the customer when the supplier is dominant in the supplier-customer relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The unit of analysis was project. The authors designed two different questionnaires that were responded by the project manager of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software supplier and the contact person of the customer organization in the same project, respectively. The two questionnaires were matched by means of project name. The final sample included a total of 136 projects. The authors used ordinary least squares to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The authors found that supplier power advantage negatively influenced knowledge acquisition by the customer. The three types of IT capability did not have direct impacts on knowledge acquisition. The moderating effect of customer technology-sensing capability was not significant either. However, supplier technological capability and relatedness of IT infrastructure attenuated the negative effect of supplier power advantage on knowledge acquisition, indicating that both factors promoted knowledge acquisition.

Originality/value

Knowledge acquisition is important for the success of software implementation in the supplier-customer relationship. There is limited evidence in the literature on how to apply externally oriented IT capability to enhance knowledge management, improve knowledge acquisition and manage the business relationship that is typically dominated by the software supplier. The authors provide evidence to examine related issues.

Knowledge management in SMEs: a follow-up literature review

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to structure existing research on knowledge management (KM) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer a comprehensive overview of research strands and topics in KM in SMEs to determine their evolution over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper, which is considered a follow-up literature review, is based on a systematic literature review that covers 180 scientific papers that were published since the review paper by Durst and Edvardsson in 2012 that covered 36 papers.

Findings

The findings of this review and those of the aforementioned review are brought together in the form of an overview that structures research on KM in SMEs based on themes that, in turn, allow the derivation of promising research directions and research questions aimed at structuring future research on KM in SMEs.

Originality/value

By combining the findings of this review with the findings from the review published in this journal in 2012, this paper offers, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the most comprehensive literature review on KM in SMEs produced to date.

Be my friend! Cultivating parasocial relationships with social media influencers: findings from PLS-SEM and fsQCA

Purpose

The emergence of social media has brought the influencer marketing landscape to an unprecedented level, where many ordinary people are turning into social media influencers. The study aims to construct and validate a model to yield strategic insights on the relevance of content curation, influencer–fans interaction and parasocial relationships development in fostering favorable endorsement outcomes (i.e. purchase intention).

Design/methodology/approach

The present study analyzes data from a survey of 411 consumers using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to understand the net and combined effects of content attributes, interaction strategies and parasocial relationships on purchase intention.

Findings

PLS-SEM results reveal that content attributes (i.e. prestige and expertise) and interaction strategies (i.e. interactivity and self-disclosure) positively influence parasocial relationships, and in turn, lead to high purchase intention. Findings from fsQCA indicate six solutions with different combinations of content attributes, interaction strategies and parasocial relationships that sufficiently explain high purchase intention.

Originality/value

The present study demonstrates the roles of content attributes and interaction strategies in engendering parasocial relationship and the endorsement outcome (i.e. purchase intention) from both linear and non-linear (complexity) perspectives.

Entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge management, dynamic capabilities towards e-commerce adoption of SMEs in Indonesia

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO), knowledge management process (KMP) and dynamic capability (DC) toward the adoption of electronic commerce (e-commerce) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in North Sumatera.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a quantitative methodology using Smart PLS of structural equation model. A survey is done by distributing the questionnaires to the respondents (owner-managers) of SMEs across sectors. Using a convenient sampling technique, 131 respondents were selected. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 11 hypotheses were tested.

Findings

It is found that both innovativeness and proactiveness of EO have a significant relationship with e-commerce adoption (EA), while the risk-taking of EO is found as insignificant. Both risk-taking and proactiveness of EO are significantly related to KMP, but innovation of EO is found to be insignificant. Moreover, KMP significantly mediates the relationship between risk-taking and proactiveness of EO and EA, while KMP insignificantly mediates the relationship between innovativeness of EO and EA. Finally, it is found that DC has a significant relationship in EA.

Originality/value

By using the resource based-theory, the study on the decision of EA by SMEs is conducted which focuses on a number of internal and external factors influencing the adoption decision. This differs from other studies using theories of the technological, organizational and environmental, theory of acceptance and use of technology, theory of planned behavior, theory of reasoned action and others which emphasized on the implementation and usage of EA.

How exploitative leadership influences on knowledge management processes: the moderating role of organisational citizenship behaviour

Purpose

Drawing on knowledge-based view, social exchange theory and leader-member exchange, this study examines how exploitative leadership (EL) influences knowledge management (KM), its processes, and further investigates the moderating role of organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB) on the relationship between EL and KM.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative approach, survey data were collected from 356 faculty members in Iraqi public universities, and the direct and moderating relationships were assessed through Hierarchical regression by PROCESS v.3.3 macros in SPSS.

Findings

The study found a significant negative impact of EL on KM, including its processes, especially on knowledge utilisation. The assessment also revealed that OCB has a significant moderating impact on EL, particularly its effect on knowledge creation.

Practical implications

The empirical insights of the study are valuable and precious for policymakers, managers and academics in education sectors of developing countries, to enrich their managerial and scientific performance through addressing EL behaviours while considering the moderating effect of OCB.

Originality/value

The relevance of the study stems from the scarcity of research on EL, while studies on the negative behaviours of leaders as a predictor of KM process failures are significantly limited. Additionally, studies on the moderating impact of OCB on the linkage between EL and KM processes remain limited. This study is one of the earliest studies that investigate these inter-relationships amongst EL, OCB and KM processes.

E-business capabilities and innovation performance: The mediating effect of knowledge management strategies

The aim of this paper is to analyze the mediating effect of the knowledge management strategies on the relationship between e-business capabilities and innovation performance. The research model was tested with a sample of 102 firms belonging to IT intensive sectors, located in an emerging country that is a regional leader in terms of e-business adoption. Structural equations by the consistent partial least squares method were used. The main result indicates that only the personalization strategy has a partial mediating effect. In conclusion, e-business capability alone is insufficient for achieving a superior innovation performance. This finding also helps consolidate the incipient study perspective that understands knowledge management not as an antecedent variable which becomes indispensable for e-business adoption, but as an organizational factor that intervenes a posteriori and which is focused on achieving an effective use of all the knowledge resulting from the digital operation of the business.

Building supply chain risk resilience

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms can develop business risk resilience from supply chain disruption events, by developing big data analytics (BDA) capabilities within their organization. The authors test whether BDA mediates the impact of institutional response to supply chain disruption events, and information technology infrastructure capabilities (ITICs), on firm’s ability to develop risk resilience from supply chain disruption events.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on survey data collected from 225 firms, spread across several sectors in the USA and Europe. The respondents are primarily senior and middle management professionals who have experience within the information technology (IT) and supply chain domain. Validity and reliability analyses were performed using SPSS and AMOS; and covariance-based structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The analysis reveals two significant findings. First, the authors observe that institutional experience with managing supply chain disruption events has a negative impact on firm’s ability to develop business risk resilience. However, if the organizations adopt BDA capabilities, it enables them to effectively utilize resident firm knowledge and develop supply chain risk resilience capacity. The results further suggest that BDA positively adds to an organization’s existing IT capabilities. The analysis shows that BDA mediates the impact of ITIC on the organization’s ability to develop risk resilience to supply chain disruption events.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few works that empirically validate the important role that BDA capabilities play in enabling firms develop business risk resilience from supply chain disruption events. The study further provides a counterpoint to the existing perspective within the supply chain risk management literature that institutional experience of managing past supply chain disruption events prepares the organization to deal with future disruption events. This paper adds to our understanding of how, by adopting BDA capabilities, firms can develop supply chain risk resilience from disruption events.

Organizational learning, knowledge management capability and supply chain management practices in the Saudi food industry

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of knowledge management capabilities (KMCs) on organizational learning (OL) and supply chain management practices (SCMPs). In addition, to study the effect of OL, KMC and supply chain management on organizational performance (OP).

Design/methodology/approach

To study the relationships between KMC, OL, SCMP and OP, different techniques such as factor analysis, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to verify the validity of the proposed conceptual model, and to test the suggested hypotheses, data collected from 165 companies in the Saudi food industry (representing a response rate of 64.9 per cent) were used.

Findings

According to the study’s findings, SCMP and OL are positively affected by KMC. Moreover, OP is directly affected by KMC, OL and SCMP.

Research limitations/implications

Owing to the specific nature of the sample, the findings of the current research are applicable only to the food industry.

Originality/value

The current research introduced a conceptual model, which has been tested and verified in the Saudi food industry. The findings recommend that both KMC and OL as well as SCMP will contribute to improving the OP. In addition, KMC will improve the SCMP and OL.

Operational or strategic benefits

Purpose

The purpose of this study is twofold: identifying important determinants for effective adoption of internet technologies in an organizational supply chain context and examining and classifying benefits yielded from internet adoption in supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured Web-based questionnaire was designed and administered to respondents to collect the primary data. With two reminders, this study managed to obtain 236 respondents from different industries in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was applied to test the seven hypotheses.

Findings

Four of five factors were significant for successful implementation of internet technologies in organizations. In addition, results suggested that internet technologies contribute more to operational activities rather than strategic initiatives, which would be one of the main contributions of this study.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited by its being based on organizational perception rather than absolute value for measuring the benefits of internet adoption. Moreover, this study applied the cross-sectional technique which may limit generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

This study provides in-depth knowledge about internet adoption and benefits for the organization by combining both theoretical and empirical knowledge. It helps managers to understand the importance and process of internet adoption.

Originality/value

Organizations who are interested in adopting the internet in their supply chain may feel that these results will guide them in making their final decision.

Measuring supply chain knowledge management (SCKM) performance based on double/triple loop learning principle

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose performance measures for supply chain knowledge management (SCKM) performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a conceptual study. State of performance measurement has been analyzed on the basis of a comprehensive review of literature in field of SCKM. Based on principles of double and triple loop learning, performance measures have been identified for measuring the success of KM practices in SCs.

Findings

– Principles of double and triple loop learning have been utilized to suggest KPI’s for SCKM performance, i.e. supply chain identity and knowledge supply chain stratum. The relevance and justification of these KPI’s is also discussed.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is limited to conceptualized measures for SCKM only. Further research is required to test the benefits of these performance measures based on industry applications.

Practical implications

– These proposed KPI’s will facilitate the development of the new processes through re-engineering, i.e. problem identification and then rectification. Further, these KPI’s will provide some essential insights as to how supply chains can develop their performance evaluation systems to become more effective and learning oriented.

Originality/value

– This study aims to not only identify the gaps present in the SCKM performance measurement literature but also aims to fill the knowledge gap by suggesting suitable performance metrics.

Factors affecting e-business adoption in SMEs: an empirical research

Purpose

– Nowadays, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are incrementally using e-business tools in order to compete in an extremely hostile market and gain global access. The importance of e-business adoption for the economic success and survival of SMEs creates a very interesting field of research. The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a conceptual framework that investigates the factors affecting the e-business adoption decision in SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

– The examination of the proposed conceptual framework was made with the use of a newly developed structured questionnaire that was distributed to a group of Greek SMEs. The questionnaire was distributed to 600 companies, while 161 usable questionnaires were finally returned. exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, linear regression methods and the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique were used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

– The proposed model explains 71 per cent of the variance of e-business adoption, with firm size, firm scope, IT infrastructure and internet skills being the most important e-business adoption drivers (with firm size being the most significant). On the other hand, CEOs knowledge, adoption cost, and competitive pressure do not seem to play an important role in the e-business adoption decision.

Research limitations/implications

– A limitation stemming from the implemented methodology is the use of self report scales to measure the constructs of the proposed model. Moreover, the present paper lacks a longitudinal approach, since it is cross-sectional and provides a static picture of e-business adoption.

Practical implications

– The paper makes an effort in order to point out areas that companies should emphasise in order to successfully adopt e-business and, therefore, harvest its potential benefits. Certain practical implications are offered in the final part of the paper.

Originality/value

– First, the present study places SMEs in the centre of its attention, while the contemporary research mostly examines the implementation of e-business practices in large organisations. Second, the present study proposes a three-dimensional conceptual framework, including technological, organisational and environmental context. Such a multidimensional approach has randomly been explored in the existing literature. Third, the results of the study may be generalised in other developed countries with similar economic realities and yield interesting outcomes for practitioners in these countries.

Knowledge management in small and medium enterprises: a structured literature review

Purpose

This paper aims to review and critique the knowledge management (KM) literature within small and medium enterprises (SMEs), offers an overview of the state of research and outline a future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

Papers published in KM journals are analysed using a structured literature review methodology. The paper analyses 89 papers published in ten journals specialising in the field of KM.

Findings

KM within SMEs is a research area of growing importance. Findings show that literature on KM in SMEs is fragmented and dominated by unrelated research, with few comparative studies between countries and several countries receiving little attention. Additionally, different definitions of SMEs are used and different kinds of SMEs (e.g. micro, small and medium) are often treated as equivalent, making comparison almost impossible. The results show a failure to address the implications of findings for practitioners and policymakers, which risks relegating the KM research on SMEs to irrelevance.

Originality/value

The paper presents a comprehensive structured literature review of the articles published in KM journals. The paper’s findings can offer insights into future research avenues.

Development and validation of knowledge management performance measurement constructs for small and medium enterprises

Purpose

– This paper aims to address the lack of previous studies and to propose a reliable and valid knowledge management performance measurement (KMPM) model for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey instrument containing 13 constructs and 49 items was initially developed and posted to small and medium-sized consultancy firms in Malaysia. Reliability and validity analysis was performed to ensure the quality of the instrument.

Findings

– The developed survey instrument was shown to be reliable, valid and suitable to be applied in SMEs to evaluate their knowledge management (KM) performance.

Research limitations/implications

– The present study is limited to SMEs in the service sector. The results are not suitable to be generalized to the manufacturing sector or larger organizations without further research.

Practical implications

– This study would provide SMEs with a better understanding on KMPM and also a guideline to refer to when measuring their KM performance. Academics can use this study as a basic model to explore KMPM in SMEs and develop new measurement models.

Originality/value

– This study is believed to be the first that has scientifically developed and empirically tested the constructs that represent a comprehensive KMPM model tailored for SMEs.