The interactive relationship of corporate culture and knowledge management: a review

Mediation effect of knowledge management on the impact of IT capability on firm performance: exploring the moderating role of organization culture management

Introduction

With the development of the digital economy, a multitude of firms have embarked on the path of digital transformation through information technology (IT). Scholars have called for attention to the mediating or moderating mechanisms of IT capability on firm performance. This study argues that further exploration is needed regarding the relationship between IT capability and firm performance.

Methods

This study obtained questionnaire data from 152 IT senior managers of randomly selected manufacturing firms. The data was used to empirically test the proposed hypotheses using hierarchical regression analysis.

Results

The results showed that IT capability has a positive effect on firm performance directly and indirectly via knowledge stock and knowledge process. Moreover, organizational culture management moderates the relationship between knowledge stock/knowledge process, and firm performance.

Discussion

This study proposes the "resources-knowledge-performance" mechanism, which sheds light on the "black box" of how IT capability affects firm performance. This enriches the research on knowledge from different perspectives and the the research on organizational culture by discussing the moderating role of organizational culture management in the relationship between knowledge stock/process and firm performance. Our research also has important managerial implications to firm.

Learning organizations in emerging economies: the effect of knowledge management on innovative culture in Chilean companies

Purpose

This study aims to explore the impact of knowledge management (KM) on the development of an innovative culture in learning organizations from emerging economies.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative study using a survey was carried out, achieving a pooled cross-sectional sample of 10,567 workers, made up of 69 larger Chilean companies.

Findings

Results were analyzed using the exploratory factor analysis and multilevel regression analysis techniques. The findings provide insights into the positive and significant effect of KM – as acquisition, dissemination and responsiveness to knowledge – on innovative culture.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that managers become more successful in their overall innovative efforts when implementing routines of knowledge or know-how practices that generate a learning culture characterized through discovery skills, creativity, empowerment and cooperation.

Originality/value

This is an original study that introduces valuable information on learning organizations in emerging markets, contrasting to traditional literature and frequently focusing on developed countries. This study explains the cultural change in learning organizations through KM’s role, which offers routinization of learning practices to facilitate an innovative culture.

Organizational culture now and going forward

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the fundamental premises (i.e. perspectives on organizations and intrinsic research contributions) embodied in the literature on organizational culture and offer insights into where organizational culture research should be headed now and going forward.

Design/methodology/approach

This research provides an integrative review of organizational culture research and investigates commonalities and differences in terms of the fundamental premises between North America and Europe.

Findings

The findings include that the modern perspective was most pervasive (87 percent) in both regions, with Europe slightly more open to varied perspectives such as symbolic and postmodern ones; approximately 70 percent of the studies were geared toward organization-level contributions, less than 10 percent toward individual-level contributions, and less than 20 percent toward mega-level contributions as the underlying research intent; and (c) in terms of the perspective-contribution combination, the pair of modern perspective and organization-level contribution was most dominant in both regions, while the individual-level contribution was paired with no other perspectives than the modern one.

Research limitations/implications

This research suggests that the research community shape a whole new discourse on organizational culture and recommends several promising research avenues.

Originality/value

By engaging in fundamental discussions on how an organization has been perceived and what purpose it has meant to deliver, this research offers an overarching view of where we stand currently and possibly where we should be heading in terms of organizational change management.

Formal and Informal Practices of Knowledge Sharing between Project Teams and Enacted Cultural Characteristics

This article investigates the process of knowledge sharing between project teams and uses a case study approach. This is especially relevant, as organizations face both the needs for separating work into projects and integrating knowledge created in projects into the organization. The results provided by the analysis technique of GABEK® indicate that, although projects create boundaries, employees and project team leaders use formal mechanisms and develop informal practices for knowledge sharing between project teams. Furthermore, the article identifies organizational cultural characteristics enacted in these practices that can stimulate the discussion in “knowledge culture research” regarding the relationship of organizational cultural characteristics and (specific) knowledge processes.

Organizational culture in knowledge creation, creativity and innovation: Towards the Freiraum model

This paper draws on findings from an in-depth case study of practices related to the meeting of organizational goals pertinent to knowledge creation, creativity and innovation performance. Overall a mixed methods approach that used both quantitative and qualitative data was adopted in empirical research conducted within a large German manufacturing firm. A quantitative analysis of survey data highlighted factors necessary to nurture an environment conducive to knowledge creation, creativity and innovation. The organization should: be open to change; encourage and value free communication and new and/or unusual ideas; tolerate mistakes; and nurture intrinsically motivated staff. It should be supported by leaders who promote these characteristics as shared values, while challenging and empowering their staff to generate new ideas in a drive to further innovation. Further analysis of focus group and interview data in the same case study identified three main determinants that underpin knowledge creation and creativity: (1) structured ‘space’ that creates expertise and experience of individuals while working in routine; (2) willingness to innovate – individuals’ propensity to experiment with ideas, even at risk of failure; and (3) authorized and dedicated ‘space’ designated specifically for individuals to explore new ideas (‘Freiraum’). These findings have contributed to the development of a new articulation of the organization of creativity and innovation. It draws on established concepts from the domain of knowledge and creativity management, and extends these to deepen our understanding of how aspects of organizational culture, including leadership and social conditions, influence organizational performance in terms of (1) improving knowledge creation processes related to creativity, and (2) fostering innovation.