Knowledge Management Processes and Performance: Key Role of IS Strategies in Knowledge Capture and Utilisation

This research examines the interrelation of knowledge generation (KG) and knowledge sharing (KC) and how they influence IT infrastructure (ITI) and strategic decision support systems (SDSS) to enhance business process performance (BPP) and firm performance (FP). Furthermore, the objective of this study is to emphasise the importance of applying information systems strategies (ISS) such as knowledge capture and utilisation to make better firm processes to boost firm performance in knowledge management process-intensive organisations. The study surveyed 261 Brazilian companies and used partial least squares path modelling to test the hypotheses proposed herein. The research findings showed that KG and KC influence ITI. Additionally, it also showed that ITI has full mediation in its relationship with KG and SDSS and partial mediation in its relationship with KC on the SDSS. Finally, BPP demonstrated full mediation in its relationship with SDSS and FP. The research findings contribute to firms understand how BPP and FP are affected through ISS embedded into knowledge and utilisation coupled with knowledge generation and sharing.

Knowledge strategy planning and information system strategies enable dynamic capabilities innovation capabilities impacting firm performance

Purpose

Many studies have not fully explored the relationship between knowledge and information system strategies (ISS) and their overall impact on firm performance (FP). In an attempt to address this knowledge gap, this study draws on the dynamic capabilities view, and on recent literature on knowledge strategy planning (KSP), and examines the alignment between KSP and ISS to enable dynamic capabilities innovation capabilities (DCIC) to gain FP.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey examined empirical data from 234 Brazilian companies using the partial least squares path modeling to test the hypotheses proposed herein.

Findings

The empirical results confirmed that both KSP and ISS have a positive impact on DCIC. Furthermore, the results indicated that FP was positively impacted through DCIC. The results indicated that the alignment between KSP and ISS positively impacts DCIC and ultimately FP.

Research limitations/implications

The data was collected from 234 Brazilian companies in a country classified as a developing economy. Future studies could investigate the impact of KSP and ISS on FP in developed economies. The practical implication of the study required managers to be knowledgeable about the value of alignment between KSP and IT capabilities involving more practitioners in the strategy-as-practice to create innovation capabilities and enhance FP.

Originality/value

This is one of the earliest studies that has investigated the relationships between KSP and ISS and their impact on FP within a developed economy context. The relationship between all constructs that have not been addressed previously contributes to extend the literature on KSP, ISS and dynamic capabilities view.

The Co-Evolution of IT, Knowledge, and Agility in Micro and Small Enterprises

Small firms facing today’s turbulent business environment often fail early in their life if they do not develop the necessary capabilities to survive. The main goal of this study is to investigate how IT and knowledge co-evolve, influencing a firm’s agility, within the context of micro and small enterprises (MSEs). Applying the resource-based view of the firm and dynamic capabilities, a multiple case study of eight firms was used to explore links among business, IT and knowledge strategies, resources, and capabilities. Links among IT and knowledge capabilities and firm agility were also explored. The results demonstrate that an MSE’s business strategy shapes, and is also shaped by, the firm’s IT and knowledge strategies; and that both IT and knowledge capabilities shape, and are shaped by, the firm’s agility, coevolving with it. By highlighting the important antecedents of small firm agility and presenting crucial links among agility, IT capabilities, and knowledge capabilities in MSEs, we encourage practitioners to think carefully about their IT and knowledge strategies and to rethink their use of firm resources and capabilities to develop agility in the face of environmental uncertainty and change.