Investigating the Relationship between Customer Knowledge Management and Knowledge Sharing among Insurance Companies in Malaysia

Ahmad Suffian Mohd Zahari,Baharom Ab Rahman,Abdul Kadir Othman,Samsudin Wahab

doi:10.5539/ass.v9n10p60

Abstract

Recently, customer knowledge management has been widely recognized as a determinant of business performance. However, knowledge of customers that the organization gathers is useless unless it is shared internally. Sharing of this knowledge among organizational members will greatly strengthen the competitiveness of the organization, which makes it possible to take advantage of the competitive dynamics in the business environment. Although the importance of knowledge sharing especially the one that is related to customers has long been recognized by the community of researchers, investigation in this area is very limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between Customer Knowledge Management dimensions, which consist of knowledge for customers, knowledge about customers, knowledge from the customer and knowledge sharing among insurance companies in Malaysia. A total of 180 managers of insurance companies in Malaysia participated in the survey. The results show that the three knowledge dimensions are positively and significantly related to knowledge sharing. Moreover, the results indicate that the insurance companies have implemented knowledge sharing practices especially in securing and managing their customer data to ensure the currency, accuracy, uniqueness and completeness of the customer data. Finally, research and practical implications are discussed.

Highlights

Knowledge has been widely recognized as a determinant of organizational performance
It is important for managers to conceive and implement a culture of knowledge sharing so that employees can understand the importance of knowledge sharing in the organization and take necessary actions to ensure its effective implementation
Since the culture of the organization serves as a critical factor to the organization's ability to create value through leveraging knowledge assets, it is strictly recommended that organizations should put special emphasis on the sharing of knowledge for the successful implementation of Customer Knowledge Management (CKM)

Summary

Introduction

Knowledge has been widely recognized as a determinant of organizational performance. Business capability and effectiveness require an effective sharing of resources and knowledge. Knowledge sharing among different companies and departments can improve organizational processes since intangible knowledge plays an important role in achieving competitive advantage. According to Abdul Kadir (2010), business main objective for existence is to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace. The elements of competitiveness in the organization have gradually shifted from labor and capital emphases to its unique and sustainable resource, which is knowledge. The 21st century will be the century of knowledge, where the ability to control and manage knowledge effectively plays an important role in maintaining the company's competitive advantage and survival. Customer Knowledge Management (CKM) is regarded as a competitive asset in creating value for the organization

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion