Content area
Full Text
Keywords
Knowledge management capability, Organizational learning, Supply chain management practices, Organizational performance
Abstract
The focus of this research is developing and examining a conceptual framework relating resource-based organizational capabilities and inter-organizational practices with organizational performance. Specifically, it investigates the relationship between knowledge management capability, organizational learning, supply chain management practices and organizational performance. Such a study is important as it contributes to the growing body of literature that links organizational capabilities and practices with organizational performance. In addition, it also contributes to empirical knowledge by applying the proposed conceptual framework in the Egyptian context, which is currently under-researched. The research approach adopted in this research includes empirical examination of the hypothesized relationships among research variables applied on 63 factories with more than 100 employees located at the New Borg Al-Arab industrial city using selfadministrated questionnaires. The findings of this research provide evidence that knowledge management capability has an impact on organizational learning as well as on supply chain management practices. However, none of the research variables; i.e. knowledge management capability, organizational learning and supply chain management practices have an impact on organizational performance. The main conclusion drawn from this study is that knowledge management capability may be useful to managers for predicting organizational learning and coordinating supply chain management practices between supply chain members. In addition, it could be concluded that organizational performance, in the factories under study, is affected by variables other than knowledge management capability, organizational learning and supply chain management practices.
1. Introduction
Organizations are operating in a global business environment characterized by changes, technological advancement, changing customer needs and higher competition (Bolívar-Ramos et al., 2012). In order for organizations to survive in such a turbulent environment, they must promote their capacity to learn new practices and technologies in order to improve their performance and long-term organizational success. The resource-based view (RBV) theory, which originated from the strategic management literature, suggests that firms compete on the basis of their resources and capabilities. Organizations can obtain common resources, however the differentiation and heterogeneity can be achieved through their capabilities to configure and deploy these resources (Bitar and Hafsi, 2007). Organizational capabilities are considered essential organizational resources, both internal and external, that would assist a firm in achieving competitive advantage as well as...