Knowledge Management In Small And Medium-sized Enterprises Research Articles

Visualizing the Future of Knowledge Sharing in SMEs in the Construction Industry: A VOSviewer Analysis of Emerging Trends and Best Practices

This review paper systematically synthesizes existing literature on knowledge sharing (KS) and knowledge transfer (KT) in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the construction industry, updating previous research and making predictions about emerging issues. The comprehensive literature review employs three different bibliometric techniques: (1) textual analysis of keywords and abstracts to identify relevant research areas, (2) cocitation analysis of references to analyze the evolution of KS and KT in SMEs, and (3) bibliographic linkage analysis of documents to summarize the background and results. The resulting conceptual map outlines the historical development of KS and KT at individual, group, and organizational levels in the construction industry. The study emphasizes the critical significance of KS and KT for SMEs in this industry. It highlights the role of innovation and open innovation in facilitating the successful implementation of KS and KT. The analysis also reveals the need for enhanced knowledge management in SMEs through better data management, implementation of digital systems for internal management, identification of inefficiencies in KT in collaborative networks, and adjustment of knowledge management approaches to suit different cultural and geographic contexts. Finally, the paper suggests future trends in KS and KT, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, continuous learning, technological capabilities, and developing a suitable organizational culture and structure for open innovation in the construction industry. This article offers an innovative approach to KS and KT in SMEs and practical recommendations for improving knowledge management and innovation capacity in construction-related businesses. Its systematic approach and focus on SMEs in the construction industry make it highly relevant for research and business practice.

Knowledge management in SMEs: a follow-up literature review

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to structure existing research on knowledge management (KM) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer a comprehensive overview of research strands and topics in KM in SMEs to determine their evolution over time.Design/methodology/approachThe paper, which is considered a follow-up literature review, is based on a systematic literature review that covers 180 scientific papers that were published since the review paper by Durst and Edvardsson in 2012 that covered 36 papers.FindingsThe findings of this review and those of the aforementioned review are brought together in the form of an overview that structures research on KM in SMEs based on themes that, in turn, allow the derivation of promising research directions and research questions aimed at structuring future research on KM in SMEs.Originality/valueBy combining the findings of this review with the findings from the review published in this journal in 2012, this paper offers, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the most comprehensive literature review on KM in SMEs produced to date.

A systematic literature review on knowledge management in SMEs: current trends and future directions

It is generally known that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a significant driver of employment and economic growth for the majority of world economies. At the same time, SMEs are more fragile in times of crisis which in turn restricts their possibilities for action. In such an environment, it appears even more relevant for SMEs to consider knowledge and its management. Given that, it seems relevant to have an in-depth understanding of knowledge management (KM) in SMEs so that it can be better promoted. Therefore, this paper conducts a systematic literature review of the extant literature on KM in SMEs to present a state-of-the-art understanding. The review covers 180 papers from leading journals that have been published between 2012 and 2022. The review provides insight into the diversity and evolution of KM in SME research and evaluates the extant body of literature covered. Additionally, a framework is proposed that relates existing research on KM to SMEs. The paper concludes with proposals for future research on KM in SMEs.

Knowledge management in SMEs: preliminary ideas for a dedicated framework

Knowledge is a vital asset for organizations, especially in today's Industry 4.0 context. Knowledge Management (KM), which concerns the activities of knowledge acquisition and exploitation, is relatively well applied in large organizations. However, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are facing diverse obstacles. Traditional KM methods generally provide a framework that is not adaptable to the SME context, because SMEs present specificities that distinguish them from large organizations. For this reason, a dedicated SME KM process concept is proposed in this contribution. Firstly, in the knowledge acquisition phase, agile methodology, which is widely applied in different domains, is analyzed to define a suitable process for SMEs to acquire the most valuable knowledge. Secondly, in the knowledge exploitation phase, the Recommender System (RS), an emerging and widely used Information Technology (IT) tool, is analyzed to help SMEs exploit the most relevant knowledge for any new business need. This contribution is built in collaboration with a SME company, Axsens-bte, specializing in consultancy and training in supply chain, industrial methods, industry 4.0 and quality management. Axsens-bte allowed us to share their KM experiences to build this contribution. This article aims to present the state-of-the-art in the field of SME KM and preliminary ideas for a dedicated SME KM framework.

Three pillars of knowledge management in SMEs: evidence from Serbia

While studies highlighting influencing factors and their relationships with knowledge management in large companies in developed economies are plentiful, research on knowledge management in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and in transition economies is lacking. Drawing on prior research of knowledge management in developed economies and adopting the mechanisms to transition economies, this study examines the relationship between three pillars of knowledge management in SMEs. These three pillars represent strategy, marketing and human resource management. We use a survey tool on a sample of 114 managers in Serbian SMEs and the partial least square-based structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. Our results suggest that knowledge management in Serbian SMEs could be described via a second-order hierarchical model composed of strategy, marketing and human resource management pillars. The model is likely to be generalizable to other developing and transition economies.

Managing knowledge work in Asia Pacific contexts: case studies of Hong Kong SMEs

This study explores how knowledge creation and sharing practices are fostered in a sample of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong. Our analysis indicates that three types of managerial interventions – initiating intervention, reinforcing intervention and aligning intervention – are particularly useful to promote knowledge management activities among employees. Such findings provide insights into researchers and managers on the important role of managerial interventions in knowledge management (KM) as well as the idiosyncrasies of KM in SMEs in Chinese societies.

Knowledge Management in Mexican Manufacturing Small Business

In an unpredictable business environment, such as the one that characterized the economy at the beginning of the 21st century, knowledge management has become one of the most valued intangible assets by organizations that have recognized the importance of knowledge in the creation and development of competitive advantages and performance. However, most investigations have been focused on big enterprises, only a few have been paid attention to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For this reason, the present research analyzes the importance of knowledge management in SMEs through a sample of 125 manufacturing SMEs from Aguascalientes State (Mexico). The results obtained show that manufacturing SMEs have good knowledge management which can be regarded as a competitive advantage.

Improving Young Entrepreneurship Education and Knowledge Management in SMEs by Mentors

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have a great importance in Europe, but the dynamic nature of markethas created a competitive incentive among companies requiring them to improve their critical area of knowledgemanagement (KM) and corresponding skills to create new business. More entrepreneurs, more innovation andgrowth are necessary and this could be realized particularly by supporting young people who would like to beentrepreneurs but the existing education and training programmes are insufficient.Mentoring is in comparison with coaching/counselling a special form of active supporting of entrepreneurshipcompetence, a “natural support” helping also young people with special needs to believe in themselves and boost herconfidence. The mentoring approach helps young people giving them practical entrepreneurial support and SMEs toimprove the transfer and use of strategic knowledge. Knowledge is the key for all organizations and the success ofmany of them depends on the effective deployment and continual enhancement of their knowledge base so as to beinnovative and to remain/become competitive. The paper first describes the areas of research, mentoring,entrepreneurship education and KM and then used methods and results. Examples for projects supporting theimprovement of young entrepreneurship education and KM also by using mentoring are given.

IMPACTS OF OWNER MANAGER ON KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF SMALL MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES – A RESEARCH MODEL

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) cover a high percentage of total operating enterprise number and play an important role in economic development and job creation. They have very limited resources. Knowledge is the only resource that they can exploit to create competitive advantage and organizational performance. The managerial system of SMEs is established and controlled by the owner manager reflexing their cognitition and values. Hence, knowledge management in SMEs is also dependent upon their cognition and values created from their demographic variables such as age, education, profession, managerial experience as well as personality characteristics; namely, need for achievement, locus of control, flexibility to name a few. These owner manager’s characteristics exert influence on the knowledge management and organizational performance. In this study, a model is introduced to explain the relationship between owner manager’s characteristics, knowledge management and organizational performance with market orientation as a mediator for the relationship between knowledge management orientation and organizational performance.

Toward a unified knowledge management model for SMEs

Adoption of knowledge management (KM) has become the emerging agenda in developing business strategies. However, due to the resources and budget constraints, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) fail to realize and recognize the potential benefits of KM, hence they are reluctant to participate in advancement and transformation of knowledge management. Moreover, SMEs are usually encountering ambiguity and uncertainty of adopting and implementing KM. This study examines the infrastructure and process capabilities of Taiwanese SMEs and conducts a comparative analysis of KM in SMEs in Hong Kong. The research results indicate that a successful KM implementation depends on a harmonious amalgamation of infrastructure and process capabilities, including technology, culture and organizational structure. This analysis may also help in understanding the government role in providing necessary assistance to the SMEs for pursing KM.

Balanced system for knowledge process management in SMEs

PurposeThe specific challenges which small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) face lead to a special knowledge management system with harmonised methods and supporting software tools. This paper seeks to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical framework is proposed as a layer concept to describe the special situation of knowledge management in SMEs. Based on this framework empirical studies were conducted in German‐speaking countries to find out the relevant methods and tools supporting knowledge management in SMEs.FindingsThe outcome of the empirical study describes methods of knowledge management supporting the four key knowledge processes in SMEs, i.e. knowledge identification, knowledge acquisition, knowledge distribution and knowledge preservation. The results are explained in the developed “TechnicalSocialSocialTechnical Model” (TSST Model), which is a balanced system for technical and social knowledge applications.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical study presented provides a model for knowledge management support in SMEs in German‐speaking countries. Further research will expand the empirical data on an international focus.Originality/valueThe developed TSST Model is currently used for the implementation of knowledge management systems in Austrian SMEs. The developed TSST Model functions as a decision support framework for SMEs to select technical and social knowledge methods according to the corresponding knowledge processes.

The adoption of e‐business and knowledge management in SMEs

PurposeThis paper seeks to investigate how small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) are using information and communications technology (ICT) to try and gain a competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachA joint methodology of questionnaire survey and semi‐structured interviews was used for both phases of the study. The research method used consisted of mailed questionnaires being sent to over 200 firms with follow‐up telephone interviews. This paper combines a significant literature review with primary data collected from the various SMEs.FindingsThis paper provides sound evidence that SMEs can gain competitive advantage through the use of ICT. More than 70 per cent of the respondents identified ICT as aiding their business in one or more of the accepted competitive areas. However, there is potential for SMEs to gain further advantages by using an integrated and strategic approach in their use of ICT.Research limitations/implicationsThe research has direct implications for UK SMEs. It will be interesting to undertake an international comparison of ICT assimilation in SMEs.Practical implicationsThis research identifies the need for a coherent reference framework for SMEs to assess, manage, and utilise existing and future e‐business tools.Originality/valueSMEs tend to use their ICT independently rather than in an integrated manner. They are not always able to take advantage of methodologies generally developed for large firms. Currently SMEs are not taking advantage of supply chain management and customer relationship management applications. A significant majority of SMEs are not using knowledge management techniques.

Organisational issues for knowledge management in SMEs

Globally knowledge and knowledge workers are being increasingly recognised as a source of sustainable competitive advantage. Knowledge Management (KM) initiatives in the beginning had a big company orientation with a focus on hard issues like information technology. Later, importance of soft issues like organisational culture, knowledge workers, Communities of Practice (CoPs), etc was recognised. Now there is more balanced view, consisting of both soft and hard sides of KM. There are major challenges in KM from soft issues as compared to hard issues. This research work studies some of the organisational issues in KM among Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) among automobile components manufacturers in India.

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.