TITLE:
Impact of Knowledge Management on Firms’ Innovation Performance
AUTHORS:
Suleman Bawa, Patrick Kwesi Attah, Abdelilah Agougil, Mouad El Harch
KEYWORDS:
Knowledge Management, Firm Innovation Performance, Manufacturing Firms, Ghana Stock Exchange
JOURNAL NAME:
Technology and Investment,
Vol.14 No.4,
November
30,
2023
ABSTRACT: Purpose: To provide empirical evidence to explore the impact
of knowledge management (KM) on the innovation performance of listed
manufacturing firms in Ghana. Manufacturing firms are threatened by the absence
of internal competitive expertise and external challenges related to varied
institutional settings. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data were collected
using 110 questionnaire surveys sent out to senior managers from a
cross-section of manufacturing industries. A total of 1140 usable
questionnaires survey were returned representing a 100 percent response rate.
The hypotheses and assumptions in the form of mail survey, secondary data, and
direct surveillance were established using structural equation modelling. Findings: How a firm acquires knowledge, disseminates it and finally its responsiveness
toward knowledge management influence on
firm innovation performance was tested using developed hypotheses based
on theoretical and research framework. The quantitative survey approach was
chosen to evaluate the significance of each hypothesis. Empirical evidence
asserts that a knowledge management capability firm uses resources efficiently
to be innovative and significantly positive in performance. All three KM
elements: knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, and responsiveness to
knowledge have a significant positive relationship to firm innovation
performance. Research Limitations/ Implications: The sample used slightly under-represented smaller firms and was not
entirely characteristic of manufacturing industry segments. Data were also
collected in Ghana so the study needs a broader replication in different
contexts and or countries with longitudinal studies. Practical Implications: This paper presents manufacturing firms in a developing economy, Ghana
intending to substantiate knowledge management and innovation performance
implementation in an emerging economy and latecomer development to unravel its
impact on listed manufacturing firms in Ghana. Knowledge management is
incorporated in numerous firms and necessitates a business instance to defend
program outlay to contrivance knowledge management behaviours and practices.
This paper provides sustenance for the importance of knowledge management to
augment both technological (ICT-based)
and human resource (organizational) innovation execution that will bring
benefit to manufacturing firms in Ghana’s innovation performance. Originality/Value: This paper is amongst the first to find empirical results to back the role of
knowledge management within manufacturing firms. Additionally, the aligning of
knowledge management as a coordinative instrument is also of significant input
to our discernment in this area.