A knowledge management approach to capture organizational learning networks

In the present dynamic and knowledge-driven business environment, Knowledge Management (KM) has emerged as a critical factor for enhancing organizational performance, fostering innovation, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Organizations increasingly rely on effective KM practices to systematically create, store, share, and apply knowledge, thereby improving decision-making processes, strengthening collaboration, and achieving strategic objectives. KM serves as a catalyst for managing intellectual assets and transforming them into valuable organizational outcomes, contributing significantly to competitiveness and growth . Despite its growing importance, the implementation of effective KM practices remains a significant challenge across organizations. Various barriers such as cultural resistance, technological limitations, lack of resources, and inadequate organizational support hinder the successful adoption of KM systems. Cultural dimensions, including organizational hierarchy, power distance, and communication patterns, play a crucial role in influencing knowledge-sharing behavior and the overall effectiveness of KM practices. In many cases, rigid organizational structures and resistance to change restrict open communication and limit the free flow of knowledge within organizations . Furthermore, the increasing emphasis on sustainability and digital transformation has highlighted the need for robust and adaptive KM frameworks. Emerging concepts such as Green Knowledge Management (GKM) emphasize the role of KM in achieving environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Organizations are increasingly integrating KM practices with sustainability goals to promote resource efficiency, environmental responsibility, and long-term development. At the same time, advancements in digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and information systems, are transforming traditional KM processes by enhancing knowledge creation, storage, and dissemination capabilities . Although significant progress has been made in KM research, several gaps still exist in understanding its application across diverse organizational and industrial contexts. Existing KM frameworks often fail to adequately address cultural and contextual differences, which are critical for successful implementation. Moreover, while KM has been extensively studied in large organizations, its application in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains relatively underexplored. SMEs face unique challenges such as limited resources, lack of structured KM systems, and informal management practices, which affect the effectiveness of KM initiatives . In addition, there is a need for more empirical and longitudinal studies to evaluate the long-term impact of KM practices on organizational performance, innovation, and sustainability. Many existing studies are conceptual in nature and lack practical validation across different industries and cultural settings. The integration of KM with emerging technologies and its role in supporting innovation and decision-making processes also require further exploration . This study adopts a literature review-based approach to examine the current landscape of Knowledge Management research, with a focus on its interrelationship with culture, innovation, and sustainability. By synthesizing findings from various studies, the research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of KM practices, identify key challenges and research gaps, and suggest directions for future research. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the importance of context-specific KM frameworks and the need for integrating technological, cultural, and sustainability dimensions in KM practices.

Extant literature shows that knowledge management needs the support of creative climate towards organizational innovation. However, existing studies have paid less attention regarding the interaction effect of knowledge management and creative climate on organizational innovation. This paper aims to clarify this relationship by examining the interaction effect of knowledge management and creative climate on organizational innovation in parastatal organizations in Uganda. This paper seeks to broaden the knowledge based innovation system domain by including the creative climate. This paper used an explanatory cross-sectional design where quantitative data were collected from 235 managers of 51 parastatals using a survey instrument. Data were aggregated to a parastatal level. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the interaction effect. This paper clarifies the interaction effect of knowledge management and creative climate towards organizational innovation. Knowledge management and creative climate independently rather than interactively enhance organizational innovation. The findings suggest that effective knowledge management practices and favorable creative climate are essential for organizational innovation. This paper suggests the adoption of an effective knowledge management system and a favorable creative climate as antecedents for organizational innovation. This paper makes a contribution on the question whether knowledge management interacts with creative climate to build organizational innovation, which seems to have been less studied.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to advance the understanding of innovation offshoring by integrating knowledge management (KM) practices. It aims to identify how KM contributes to strategic offshoring, sourcing decisions for innovation and the utilization of knowledge-intensive business services. By doing so, it seeks to provide a framework that enhances both theoretical insights and practical applications in the field of innovation offshoring. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a tri-method approach – bibliometric analysis, co-citation analysis and text mining – to examine the intersection of innovation offshoring and KM. Data from Web of Science (WoS), analyzed using Leximancer and Bibexcel, reveal key KM practices, such as absorptive capacity and knowledge-sharing, that enhance offshoring-driven innovation. Integrating KM with global sourcing strategies is shown to manage complexities, lower transaction costs and boost innovation performance. Addressing the limitations of prior single-method studies, this research presents a structured KM-offshoring integration framework, mapping the thematic interconnections between KM practices and global sourcing strategies to enhance innovation performance and cross-border knowledge transfer. Findings This study finds that effective KM practices are crucial for optimizing innovation offshoring strategies. Key KM elements such as internal knowledge creation, absorptive capacity and knowledge-sharing routines significantly enhance innovation outcomes. The integration of KM practices with global sourcing strategies helps firms manage complexities, reduce transaction costs and improve innovation performance by leveraging global talent and resources. Research limitations/implications The study’s reliance on data from the WoS and the Association of Business Schools journal ranking may introduce selection bias, limiting the generalizability of findings. Future research should incorporate additional databases such as Scopus to validate the results. Moreover, the study predominantly uses bibliometric methods, which could benefit from being complemented by qualitative analyses to provide deeper insights into KM practices in innovation offshoring. Practical implications For practitioners, this study underscores the critical role of KM in optimizing innovation offshoring strategies. Effective KM practices enable firms to capture, share and use knowledge efficiently across global operations, mitigating the risks associated with geographical and cognitive distances in offshoring arrangements. Social implications The integration of KM in innovation offshoring has significant social implications. By effectively managing knowledge, firms can contribute to the development of global knowledge economies, promote cross-border collaborations and support the growth of local talent pools. This can lead to increased innovation, economic development and the creation of high-value jobs in emerging markets. Originality/value This study is original in its comprehensive approach to examining the intersection of innovation offshoring and KM. It provides valuable insights into how KM practices can enhance innovation performance in global sourcing contexts. The findings contribute to both academic literature and practical applications, offering a nuanced understanding of the strategic role of KM in innovation offshoring.

The focus of knowledge management theories on codification and quantification and aspirations to manage knowledge in a similar manner to managing physical resources did not create a stable ground for knowledge management practices in organisations as was expected. Consequently, the theories of social knowledge work take the place of the theories of knowledge management and instead of simplifying they promise to address the issues of complexity. This paper presents a conceptual model of social knowledge – its observable characteristics and associated organisational processes – and aims to help in adopting and contextualising the new theories of knowledge work in organisational research and practice.

This research focuses on the moderating effect of culture on the relationships between KMS and other variables affecting KMS in the service industry. The effects of a number of variables on KMS were examined via analysis and hypothesis testing. These variables included culture; people; process; strategy; and technology. The results show that culture and people have a substantial impact on KMS's performance, emphasizing the need of cultivating a supportive company culture and empowering employees. Furthermore, strategy and technology were shown to be critical in allowing effective knowledge management practices in the service industry. The research also investigates the moderating impacts of culture on these linkages, demonstrating that culture modulates the impact of process, technology, and strategy on KMS. However, it was shown that the interplay between culture and people did not substantially alter the link between people and KMS. These results provide useful insights for firms looking to improve their knowledge management methods, underlining the need to take culture into account and aligning it with strategic goals and technology solutions. While the study adds to our understanding of knowledge management in the service industry, further research is needed to investigate other elements and situations. Overall, this research has practical significance for firms looking to enhance their knowledge management activities and overall organizational performance.

This research explores perceptions of knowledge management processes held by managers and employees in a service industry. To date, empirical research on knowledge management in the service industry is sparse. This research seeks to examine absorptive capacity and its four capabilities of acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation and their impact on effective knowledge management. All of these capabilities are strategies that enable external knowledge to be recognized, imported and integrated into, and further developed within the organization effectively. The research tests the relationships between absorptive capacity and effective knowledge management through analysis of quantitative data (n = 549) drawn from managers and employees in 35 residential aged care organizations in Western Australia. Responses were analysed using Partial Least Square-based Structural Equation Modelling. Additional analysis was conducted to assess if the job role (of manager or employee) and three industry context variables of profit motive, size of business and length of time the organization has been in business, impacted on the hypothesized relationships. Structural model analysis examines the relationships between variables as hypothesized in the research framework. Analysis found that absorptive capacity and the four capabilities correlated significantly with effective knowledge management, with absorptive capacity explaining 56% of the total variability for effective knowledge management. Findings from this research also show that absorptive capacity and the four capabilities provide a useful framework for examining knowledge management in the service industry. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the perceptions held between managers and employees, nor between respondents in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Furthermore, the size of the organization and length of time the organization has been in business did not impact on absorptive capacity, the four capabilities and effective knowledge management. The research considers implications for business in light of these findings. The role of managers in providing leadership across the knowledge management process was confirmed, as well as the importance of guiding routines and knowledge sharing throughout the organization. Further, the results indicate that within the participating organizations there are discernible differences in the way that some organizations manage their knowledge, compared to others. To achieve effective knowledge management, managers need to provide a supportive workplace culture, facilitate strong employee relationships, encourage employees to seek out new knowledge, continually engage in two-way communication with employees and provide up-to-date policies and procedures that guide employees in doing their work. The implementation of knowledge management strategies has also been shown in this research to enhance the delivery and quality of residential aged care.

he paper purposes to explore the association between AI and KM by analyzing how AI can contribution companies in handling and using information to improve knowledge processes efficiently. An electronic bibliographic database search and the reference lists of pertinent review articles were used to conduct a systematic review. To guarantee a thorough and organized approach to examining the literature, the study utilized the PRISMA criteria and the PICO model. The results found that the strong relationship between AI and KM. Knowledge management (KM) offers a structure for organizing and managing knowledge, while artificial intelligence (AI) enables machines to learn and process enormous amounts of data. This similarity between AI capabilities and KM framework is crucial for improving organizational information management procedures. Factors including organizational structure, rewards/incentives, and communication, trust, and information systems all play a role in how firms share their knowledge. Organizational performance is enhanced through optimized knowledge management and flow when AI is integrated into KM systems. This leads to more efficient knowledge resource distribution, providing organizations with a competitive edge. Future research should explore the potential of smart assistant systems, which offer social welfares and strengthen competitive advantage. The study also emphasizes the importance of understanding leadership traits and organizational structures that are essential for consistent performance through effective KM practices

While effective knowledge management practices are commonly sought by organizations, facilitating the use and ongoing engagement in these practices can be challenging. To this end, one agency developed a strategy for institutionalizing their knowledge management functions by appointing a team responsible for monitoring and implementing knowledge management functions, and creating a report for use as a tool by departments agency-wide. Aimed at increasing transparency both within the agency and with the surrounding community, the report provides an overview of individual departments' programs, goals, recent caseload trends, and latest achievements. The report is made available online and accessible by the general public. This case study describes the development of this team and report, as well as lessons learned and future knowledge management goals for the agency.

This paper examines the effectiveness of advocacy and outreach in promoting collaboration and knowledge management among libraries in Nigeria. To this effect, an extensive literature search was carried out to evaluate existing strategies, methods, and resources used for knowledge management in libraries. Results of the review show that advocacy and outreach initiatives are necessary for effective collaboration and knowledge management among libraries in Nigeria. In this regard, strategies such as library awareness campaigns, advocacy programs, and training courses for librarians are needed to promote collaboration and knowledge management among library staff. Furthermore, library associations could be adequately equipped and empowered to effectively promote collaboration and knowledge management among library staff. In conclusion, advocacy and outreach initiatives are essential for effective collaboration and knowledge management among libraries in Nigeria. This paper concludes that advocacy and outreach are essential strategies in proactively connecting the Law School Library to its users, and this can potentially foster and enhance effective collaboration and knowledge management in Nigerian Law School Libraries. It is recommended that library associations are empowered to effectively promote collaboration and knowledge management among library staff. Library awareness campaigns, advocacy programmes, and training courses should also be implemented to improve collaboration and knowledge management among library staff. Related literature was extensively reviewed through an exploratory approach which led to a thorough explanation of the concepts associated with the theme.

Knowledge management is 'hot', still, and for good reason. Knowledge has been recognized as a key resource of organizations, and as such it should be managed. But the elusive nature of knowledge puzzles both managers and management scientists. In this paper, we address two questions that lie at the heart of this puzzle: (1) what constitutes good knowledge management, and (2) how can managers put good knowledge management into practice? By conceptualizing organizational knowledge from two different perspectives-the analytical perspective and the actor perspective-we show that there is no single set of values by which knowledge management can be judged. We contend that, to be effective, knowledge management should be a continuous process of tradeoffs between values, and we propose a set of rules to structure this process while doing justice to both perspectives.

Knowledge management fit and its implications for business performance: A profile deviation analysis

This chapter introduces the impacts of knowledge management (KM) and organizational memory (OM) on strategic decision making. Close consideration and treatment of OM as part of a KM strategy are suggested as a central issue to the effectiveness of strategic decision making. This chapter uses the modified version of McLean’s Information System (IS) Success Model by Jennex and Olfman (2002) as a lens to examine the impact of knowledge strategy and technological resources, along with the impact of individuals and members from wider organizational context on decision-making processes. These components are then analyzed within Galliers’ (2002) IS Strategy Framework of emergent and deliberate strategizing. Furthermore, this chapter highlights the intermingled approaches to organizational KM practices that are due to the contextual nature of knowledge and the human need for social interaction. Results from our exploratory and continuing longitudinal study have clearly shown the significance of culture and human-driven knowledge requirements along side the use of an ERP system as part of an OMS. The authors account for the intersubjectivity of the concept and claim that organizations relying on acquired knowledge from past experiences on average make higher-quality decisions on business strategies for better future performance.

This study examines the comparative effectiveness of transformational, transactional, and servant leadership styles in fostering knowledge-sharing behaviors and optimizing knowledge management (KM) in knowledge- intensive organizations (KIOs). Given the critical role of knowledge as an organizational asset, leadership is a key determinant in shaping KM effectiveness. Through a qualitative comparative approach, this research synthesizes existing literature to assess how different leadership styles influence KM practices, knowledge-sharing culture, and organizational competitiveness. Findings indicate that transformational leadership is the most effective in fostering an innovation-driven and collaborative knowledge-sharing environment. By emphasizing vision-setting, motivation, and trust-building, transformational leaders encourage knowledge exchange and drive organizational adaptability. Transactional leadership, while ensuring structured and compliance-driven KM practices, is less adaptable to dynamic knowledge environments. Servant leadership, which prioritizes psychological safety and trust-based knowledge-sharing, is effective in enhancing voluntary knowledge-sharing behaviors but may lack strategic direction in formalized KM settings. The study concludes that no single leadership style is universally superior for KM. Instead, a hybrid leadership approach, integrating transformational, transactional, and servant leadership elements, offers the most balanced strategy for fostering knowledge-sharing cultures. Practical recommendations include context-specific leadership training, overcoming KM barriers, and aligning leadership strategies with organizational knowledge goals. Future research should explore empirical case studies, hybrid leadership models, and the impact of digital KM transformations This research contributes to the growing discourse on leadership and KM, offering actionable insights for organizations seeking to enhance their knowledge assets, drive innovation, and sustain competitive advantage in knowledge-intensive industries.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to more strongly demonstrate a relationship between effective management of knowledge and positive organizational performance outcomes. While assumed in the field, proof has been inconsistent and often unconvincing. This study fills several gaps in the literature. The knowledge management (KM)/performance link remains unsettled because of largely subjective and statistical approaches. This research is objective and experimental, allowing causal inferences. This study also establishes a useful KM metric useful in assessing not only knowledge assets but also real-world applications such merger and acquisition (M&A) evaluations. This study uses a longitudinal experimental design to better understand details of KM’s impact on performance outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Using a unique experimental design, a natural experiment, this study measures firm performance before and after a key event, a M&A action. Further, knowledge metrics are used to divide a sample of M&A firms, allowing prediction of post-stock price movements (financial performance outcomes) based on KM outcomes. A full census of over 2,000 M&A events were analyzed over the years 2003–2013, identifying knowledge metrics and stock prices from published financial statements. Findings A relationship was found between relative knowledge levels and a positive move in stock price, strongly suggesting a correlation between KM and financial performance. As a natural experiment, this study also provides evidence a causal relationship exists. Strong empirical data demonstrate that when a firm better manages knowledge, it can have a demonstrated positive impact on performance (stock price). Originality/value This study is unique in several ways. This study uses a natural experiment methodology not commonly applied to KM scholarship. This paper more convincingly establishes a relationship, causal, between KM and financial performance. It does so by using objective metrics rather than subjective self-reports from surveys. Interestingly, it suggests the direction of KM’s impact, as M&A events with a higher acquirer KM metric are more successful than those with a higher target KM metric. Finally, it demonstrates an investment strategy of interest to financial planners, predicting future stock prices based on current knowledge assets levels.

Innovation is a key driver of competitiveness and sustainability in the Research and Development (R&D) industry. As knowledge-intensive organizations, R&D institutions rely heavily on the effective management of knowledge to accelerate discovery, streamline processes, and create value. This study aims to examine the role of Knowledge Management (KM) in enhancing innovation within the R&D sector by reviewing relevant literature and analyzing empirical findings from selected case studies. The review highlights that KM practices such as knowledge sharing, codification, retention, and collaboration are closely linked to higher innovation performance. Empirical evidence shows that organizations that invest in structured KM frameworks tend to exhibit greater adaptability, faster product development cycles, and improved cross-functional synergy. However, challenges such as cultural resistance, lack of incentives, and inadequate technological support still hinder optimal KM implementation. The findings suggest that integrating KM into the core innovation strategy, supported by leadership commitment and digital infrastructure, can significantly boost innovation capacity in R&D environments. This study contributes to the growing discourse on KM by offering insights into its practical and strategic relevance for innovation management in knowledge-driven industries.