Web knowledge sharing and its effect on innovation: an empirical investigation in SMEs

This paper extends previous studies on knowledge management by analysing factors affecting Web Knowledge Sharing (WKS) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition, the impact of WKS on organizational innovation and the moderating effect of IT skills on this relation are analysed. Grounded in the technology-organization-environment (TOE) theory and the resource-based view (RBV), this paper develops an integrative research model, which analyses these relations using structural equation modelling on a data set of 535 Spanish SMEs. Results suggest that technological and organizational factors – IT expertise and commitment-based human resources practices – positively influence WKS, while the contrary is found for environmental factors (customer power). In addition, results show that WKS contributes positively to organizational innovation, though support for the moderating effect of IT skills in this relation is not found. The main conclusions of this research can be valuable to SMEs that use or intend to use Internet technologies for knowledge management.     

Knowledge management systems: the hallmark of SMEs

This paper provides an overview of the knowledge management systems (KMSs) adopted by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). KMSs are divided into two categories: knowledge management tools (KM-Tools) and knowledge management practices (KM-Practices). On the basis of the analysis of the literature, two research questions (RQs) were identified and addressed through semi-structured interviews carried out in a sample of 35 SMEs operating in high-tech industries. The first RQ concerns the degree of adoption of KMSs by SMEs. The second RQ regards the relationship between KM-Tools and KM-Practices. As far as the degree of adoption of KMSs, the paper highlights that SMEs are not a homogeneous world but there are a variety of approaches and behaviours. As far as the relationship between the degree of adoption of KM-Tools and KM-Practices, the paper identifies three groups of SMEs that seem to point out the stages of the process of adoption of KMSs: Introduction, SMEs that deal with the process of knowledge management exploiting practices and tools that are already known; Growth, SMEs that adopt specialist practices of knowledge management acquiring new organisational and managerial competence in the field of knowledge management; Maturity, SMEs that invest in new technology and that acquire new technological competence in the field of knowledge management. This categorisation paves the way for further theoretical and practical implications for both managers and policy makers.     

From knowledge theory to management practice: towards an integrated approach

This paper critically contrasts the three main schools of thought on knowledge – namely, those that respectively conceptualize knowledge as situated in mind, process, and object – and assesses the resulting implications for knowledge management (KM). Against the background of the existing diversity of definitions of KM an integrated and holistic view of the KM value chain is put forward. Within this theoretical framework five main research streams (culture, knowledge location, awareness, evaluation, and absorption) are identified with a view to devising a practical concept of KM applicable in a business context. With a focus on knowledge flow and detailed approaches to potential solutions, conflicts and compatibilities between existing business strategies and KM are examined. A conceptual model is devised to offer a holistic integration of the theoretical and practical themes in order to serve as a framework for developing a future research agenda for the development of theoretically grounded, yet practical, KM business tools and applications.     

Determinants of master data management adoption by local government organizations: An empirical study

Master Data Management (MDM) is an approach for effective management of shared master data across organizations. In the public sector, MDM initiatives have been developed; however, the adoption among local government remains slow and there has been little interest in MDM adoption in extant research. Building on a Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, a conceptual model which highlights a set of potential determinants affecting the adoption of MDM by local government was developed. To validate the model, data were collected via survey from 224 responses from Malaysian local government department units. Using SEM-PLS, the study confirmed that data quality and data governance are two determinants of MDM adoption specific to the context of Malaysian local government, and four other determinants – complexity, top management support, technological competence, and citizen demand – are found to have significant effects on MDM adoption by local government. Surprisingly, three determinants – relative advantage, data security, and government policy – are found to have non-significant relationships to the adoption of MDM by local government. In addition, top management support is revealed to be a cornerstone of MDM technological competence in local government. The study contributes to the theoretical, contextual, and practical knowledge of MDM and IT adoption in the context of local government.     

长期关系中渠道冲突对企业创新能力的影响研究

本文研究长期关系中渠道冲突对于关系主体的组织创新能力影响,深入地探讨了渠道冲突影响知识共享及知识利用的机理过程。本文对152家中小企业的渠道管理者进行了问卷调研,并用Smartpls 3.0对数据进行实证分析。研究表明:(1)功能性冲突能激励组织间知识共享;冲突频率在功能性冲突对组织间知识共享影响过程中起到负向调节作用;(2)知识共享在功能性冲突与创新能力间起到中介作用;(3)关系质量在功能性冲突对知识共享的影响过程中起到正向调节作用;关系质量却在对知识共享与创新能力的影响过程中起到负向调节作用。本研究结论有益于拓展冲突理论的研究视野,有助于补充完善渠道冲突的理论框架,对组织积极有效地引导与解决冲突有一定的指导意义。     

数字化变革驱动中小企业高质量发展研究——基于布迪厄实践理论和批判实在论

中小企业高质量发展是经济高质量发展的重要组成,数字化变革是中小企业高质量发展的必由之路。然而,中小企业高质量发展路径与实践方式在理论和实践中仍待明晰。基于调研多家中小企业数字化实践,通过运用布迪厄实践理论和批判实在论,从真实域挖掘数字化激发的四大资本驱动力,从实际域提出四大资本驱动下中小企业数字化习性变迁的实践路径,从经验域表征高质量发展中多维价值,为中小企业高质量发展提供理论框架和实现思路。     

Strategic issues in knowledge management in small and medium enterprises

A well-developed and aligned knowledge management (KM) strategy and active top management participation are two of the key strategic issues in KM. The studies on KM strategy and the role of top management have mainly focused on big firms. The basic requirements and resources of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are different from big firms. Consequently, KM practices are different in SMEs as compared to big firms, and a thorough study of various aspects of KM for SMEs is needed. This research work is an attempt to study strategic issues in KM in SMEs in India, with particular reference to the automotive component sector. Customer-focused knowledge is the most common KM strategy among Indian automotive component manufacturers. Top management is more active and supportive in KM initiatives in international auto component manufacturers. Indian SMEs need to focus more on the strategic issues in KM for reaping the benefits of KM for sustainable competitiveness.     

Social commerce adoption using TOE framework: An empirical investigation of Saudi Arabian SMEs

Social commerce is becoming an important hub for product sourcing, which helps companies to connect with customers and to gain competitive advantages. However, very little empirical research that focuses on small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been conducted to date. This study examines factors that affect social commerce adoption by SMEs. Using the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) as the theoretical framework, the researchers tested the model and related hypotheses, employing structural equation modelling. The results from a survey of 181 SMEs in Saudi Arabia indicate that trading partner pressure in the environmental context, followed by top management support in the organisational context, and perceived usefulness in the technological context, have the most significant influence on behavioural intention to use social commerce. The research contributions and conclusion as well as limitations and future research directions are presented.     

企业信息化项目实施过程管理研究

企业信息化项目实施成功的比例远远低于其他高技术研究项目，提高成功率已成为各类信息化项目投资企业的迫切要求。用输出、输入和关联三个向量标识一个过程，用向量之间的参数关系表示过程网络，提出了企业信息化项目实施过程的双进程模型和集成管理模型框架，并对集成模型框架中的更改过程、冲突过程和知识创新过程三个主要的过程管理进行了研究。     

基于Bertrand模型的关系型借贷和中小企业融资研究

信息不透明、缺乏与融资有关的有效信息、融资成本高是中小企业融资难的主要原因,关系型借贷实质上是银行和企业为克服金融交易中的市场失效而共同构建的一种制度安排.本文基于Bertrand成本控制的竞争框架,通过一个理论模型分析关系型借贷和银行的定价行为.研究表明即使借主与银行存在长期的关系.缺乏有效的融资信息迫使中小企业承担高贷款利率.同时从理论上解释中小企业经常面临借贷限制的原因.     

Learning how to implement and manage SME marketing networks: a qualitative analysis

The theme of SME marketing networks acquires high relevance because of their positive influence over internationalization and market competitiveness. Within this stream of research, how partners learn to implement and manage collaborations has received little attention. This article aims to bridge this gap, first, by analysing the mechanisms partners use throughout their learning process, and, second, by investigating whether this learning process may have an association with the network ability to explore new market opportunities, which is the ultimate objective of SMEs willing to overcome the liability of smallness. The results of this article unveils the different structures, processes and tools, which are used to create new knowledge on how to implement and manage SME marketing networks; furthermore, it suggests that an effective learning process may have a positive association with the exploration of new market opportunities through networks.     

Knowledge management in client–supplier relationship: emergent <Emphasis Type="Italic">vs</Emphasis> deliberate approach in small KIBS

It is often argued that small–medium enterprises (SMEs) do not manage knowledge the same way as large firms, but may need appropriate approaches to capture and exploit external knowledge effectively. This paper compares two opposite approaches to knowledge management (KM): one is called ‘deliberate’ or ‘planned’, and the other ‘emergent’. These approaches are analysed with reference to the management of knowledge pertaining to client–supplier relationships, which are particularly important in the case of small companies providing knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS). A case study of a small KIBS company is illustrated, which has developed two different projects, based on different approaches to KM, for managing knowledge referring to clients. The case shows that, for a small company, an emergent approach to KM can be more suitable than a deliberate one for managing such knowledge. The implications of this result for KM research and practice are then examined.     

Information,knowledge and collaboration management in the internationalisation of SMEs: A systematic literature review

Information and knowledge can be seen as key resources for improving the internationalisation processes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Collaboration has also been considered as an important facilitator of these processes, particularly by nurturing information and knowledge sharing. However, the current literature is unclear about the way SMEs can access information and assimilate knowledge in a collaborative network context, to support decision-making. This paper systematically reviews the literature, examining the role of information, knowledge and collaboration in internationalisation decisions of SMEs. To this end, 38 relevant journal articles were analysed, with the identification of some important issues, as well as gaps in the existing empirical knowledge. This analysis provided valuable input for the development of research suggestions and directions for future work in this area.     

Innovative events: product launches,innovation and firm performance

In this paper, we shed new light on the links between firm-level innovation and growth. We introduce data that capture a difficult-to-observe aspect of firms' innovative activity – new product/service launches – at scale. We show that our novel measures complement existing innovation metrics. We build a simple framework covering firm-level innovation, launches and revenue productivity. Then, we show positive linkages between past patenting and launches and between launches and performance for a large panel of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. We go on to explore the roles of age, size, industry and product/service quality in these relationships. A subset of SMEs with high-quality launches explains our results.     

科技型小微企业协同创新能力增进机制研究

网络与知识已成为提升科技型小微企业协同创新能力的关键,探索不同属性网络与知识促进协同创新能力提升是否存在差异?通过系统文献梳理,构建了协同创新网络、知识整合与协同创新能力之间关系的理论模型。以198家浙江科技型小微企业为样本,采用多元回归、结构方程、中介效应检验等方法对相关假设进行实证检验。研究结果表明：（1）协同创新网络中的异质性网络与同质化网络均能提升科技型小微企业协同创新能力,但前者的作用明显大于后者;（2）异质性知识整合在异质性网络与协同创新能力之间存在完全中介的作用,而同质化知识整合在同质化网络与协同创新能力之间存在部分中介效应。     

Classification of different knowledge management development approaches of SMEs

There is established evidence to suggest that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face different knowledge management (KM) challenges to larger firms. There is emerging theory and practice concerning KM in SMEs as a whole. SMEs may not, however, be an homogeneous group when addressing KM. The study's objective was to investigate whether there are different approaches towards KM development within SMEs. The responses of 33 SMEs to a 60-item structured analysis of KM practices were analysed using hierarchical cluster analysis, ANOVA and post hoc multiple comparisons of means. Four distinct configurations of practices were identified. These were the KM practices of ‘unengaged’ businesses, ‘comprehensive KM practice’ businesses, ‘knowledge-ownership oriented’ businesses and ‘learning and co-production oriented’ businesses. These different groups of SMEs appear to approach KM in fundamentally different ways. The categorisation provides a useful framework for addressing the take-up of KM initiatives in SMEs.     

Exploring barriers of m-commerce adoption in SMEs in the UK: Developing a framework using ISM

In the modern business era, mobile commerce (m-commerce) is changing the way the business is conducted using the Internet. However, the prominence of m-commerce among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK is minimal. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the existing literature and to extend the research surrounding the barriers that prevent the adoption of m-commerce amongst SMEs. The study uses an Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and MICMAC approach for guiding and helping managers of SMEs. Data was collected from an expert participant group each of whom had extensive knowledge of m-commerce. The findings represent the unstable nature of variables in the context of their impact on each other, their relationships, and themselves. The listed factors in the proposed framework and the interrelationships between them highlight the multi-dimensional element of m-commerce adoption prevention. This observation proves criticality of analysing data as a collective entity rather than viewing the barriers in isolation. The findings also indicated ‘perceived risk’ being a key barrier that demonstrates how personal opinions of the concept of adoption can have a great significance on the outcome and whether other variables will come into effect.     

Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled CRM capability in healthcare: The impact on service innovation

Although AI-enabled customer relationship management (CRM) systems have gained momentum in healthcare to enhance performance, there is a striking dearth of knowledge on how such capabilities are formed and affect service innovation. The study adopted a mixed-method approach to investigate the underlying phenomena. This research infused resource-based theory, dynamic capability theory, and theory of productivity paradox to investigate how healthcare in India acquires AI-enabled CRM capabilities and enhances service innovation. We identified the facets of AI-enabled CRM capabilities using a case study and developed a framework for AI-enabled CRM capability and service innovation. This study noticed that customer service flexibility (CSF) is a missing link in this relationship. The findings of the quantitative study employing PLS-SEM reveal the linear relationships between AI-enabled CRM capability, CSF, and service innovation. This study explains the formation of AI-enabled CRM capabilities to fill the research gap and direct innovative performance in healthcare, which is an immediate need to sustain in a volatile environment. This study provides theoretical implications to enhance the research stream and practical implications for decision-makers.     

Knowledge management view of environmental sustainability in manufacturing SMEs in the Philippines

This study highlights the role of knowledge management (KM) in enabling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a manufacturing industry in a developing country to engage in environmentally sustainable business. Drawing on the knowledge-based view of the firm, it argues that resource-constrained SMEs rely on their relational capital to augment their capability to innovate in order to find better and environmentally sound ways of doing business. However, SMEs need to harness their KM orientation in order to leverage the knowledge-based resources emanating from their relational capital towards building their innovation capability. This capability is essential in integrating effective environmental management practices in business. The findings from our analysis of data from a survey of 241 manufacturing SMEs in the Philippines support these hypotheses and underscore the importance of developing an organisational capability to engage in KM in order to adopt sustainable business practices. The implications of the findings are also discussed.