Strategic Knowledge Management, Innovation and Performance: A Qualitative Study of the Footwear Industry

Abstract

This paper focuses on the first phase of research that sought to encourage discussion and to promote a better understanding of the effects of strategic knowledge management (SKM) on innovation and performance in the Portuguese footwear industry. The rationale for the research is based on the understanding that innovation has played a major role in the recent good performance of this industry, building up its global market share and increasing employment and value in the context of Portugal's economic recession. This empirical study, to our knowledge, is the first to examine the interface between SKM, innovation and performance in the footwear industry. The research used a qualitative methodology, gathering data through semi-structured interviews with three chief executive officers of footwear firms and three academic specialists in SKM and innovation. After doing content analysis, we found support for our initial expectation that SKM effects can be inferred whenever shifts in a firm's performance occur as a result of technological and/or organisational innovations. We further propose a model of relationships between SKM, innovation and performance, which will be assessed in a second phase using a quantitative approach.

Impact of knowledge management processes on business performance: Evidence from Kuwait

“…Another study on the relationship between KM and business performance was carried out in the context of the telecommunication and information technology industry, and the findings confirm a positive and strong effect of KM processes on business performance (Alrubaiee et al, ). Several other studies found a positive relationship between KM and business performance in general or even when performance is measured using criteria such as operational efficiency, financial efficiency, shareholders' satisfaction, profitability, sales, and innovation (Al‐Faris, ; Al‐Hakim & Hassan, ; Kharabsheh, Magableh, & Sawadha, ; Marques, Leal, Marques, & Cardoso, ; Noruzy, Dalfard, Azhdari, Nazari‐Shirkouhi, & Rezazadeh, ; Tseng & Lee, ; Tubigi & Alshawi, ).…”

“…sales, and innovation(Al-Faris, 2010;Al-Hakim & Hassan, 2012;Kharabsheh, Magableh, & Sawadha, 2012;Marques, Leal, Marques, & Cardoso, 2014;Noruzy, Dalfard, Azhdari, Nazari-Shirkouhi, & Rezazadeh, 2013;Tseng & Lee, 2014;Tubigi & Alshawi, 2015).4 | RESEARCH METHODOLOGY4.1 | Sample description and scopeThe study was carried out by collecting data from the employees of139 companies in Kuwait. The research aimed to seek the responses of 500 employees from this set of organizations.…”

Internationalisation Strategy of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services

“…At the same time, innovation has played an important role in internationalisation (Rodriguez and Nieto 2012;Rodriguez and Nieto 2010) and it is, often, the channel for firms to increase productivity (Altomonte et al 2013). While a growing amount of research emphasises internationalisation, little academic research focuses on its consequences on innovation strategies and activities (Doloreux and Laperriere 2014;Marques et al 2016;Marques et al forthcoming). The value of the present study lies in a better understanding of the association between distinct strategies of internationalisation, management knowledge, cooperation and innovation in KIBS firms.…”

The effects of knowledge management and ict in innovation and performance of SMEs: an empirical study

“…En la actualidad los directivos de las organizaciones tienen un mayor interés en tener sistemas eficaces de la gestión de su conocimiento (GC) (Delen, Zaim, Kuzey, & Zaim, 2013;Makri, Hitt, & Lane, 2010;Marques, Leal, Marques, & Cardoso, 2015). La GC es una herramienta que administra la creación, el almacenamiento y la transferencia de la información en una empresa (OECD, 2003;Scarbrough & Swan, 2001).…”

“…Aun cuando se ha incrementado el estudio de la GC, y su efecto en los procesos de negocio (Chang & Chuang, 2011;Wong, Tan, Lee, & Wong, 2013;Wong & Aspinwall, 2005), sigue siendo poco explorada en el terreno de la Pyme (Darroch, 2005;Dragoi et al, 2011). Los estudios empíricos analizados comúnmente han relacionado a la GC, con la innovación (Jyoti, Rani, & Kotwal, 2013;Marques et al, 2015), y en menor cantidad han abordado el efecto sobre el rendimiento financiero y económico (López-Nicolás & Meroño-Cerdán, 2011;Mageswari et al, 2015). Debido a la importancia que representan las Pymes para la economía de los países y por los Introducción 30 múltiples beneficios que pueden obtener estas organizaciones (Dodgson, Gann, & Phillips, 2013;, la GC es el eje central de esta investigación, analizando los efectos que tienen los procesos de la GC sobre la innovación y en el rendimiento de la Pyme, generando con ello una importante contribución teórica y empírica para el área de administración de empresas.…”