IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/ijbmjn/v16y2023i2p46.html

Exploring the Relationship between Knowledge Integration and Process Improvement: A Case of Saudi Manufacturing Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Abdullah Mohammed Aldakhil

Abstract

Many scholars have explored the Knowledge Integration (KI) with the improvement of firm’s performance. However, there is still scarcity of the literature available on integrating the knowledge and exploring process improvement of the firms, specifically the manufacturing firms operating in an emerging economy (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA). The available literature focused on investigating and defining knowledge integration conceptually and ignored the need to investigate the knowledge integration. Therefore, this paper provides the guidelines for researchers, practitioners as well as policy makers about the integration of knowledge and its impact on process improvement. The paper explores a comprehensive understanding of knowledge integration with some motivational factors – Employee Empowerment and Recognition and Rewards. The paper provides significant contributions to Saudi-Manufacturing firms. The paper first, explores the literature that the manufacturing firms should understand before implementing the knowledge integration capabilities in their businesses. Second, it provides a successful framework for the Saudi-Manufacturing firms. Hypotheses are developed on the relationships among the KI (internal integration as well as external integration) and process improvement. The data is collected through a survey questionnaire from senior managers working in in Saudi Manufacturing firms and is analysed by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results have revealed that the firms implementing knowledge integration in their processes from supplier to customers are performing exceptionally well as compared to the other firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdullah Mohammed Aldakhil, 2023. "Exploring the Relationship between Knowledge Integration and Process Improvement: A Case of Saudi Manufacturing Firms," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 16(2), pages 1-46, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:ijbmjn:v:16:y:2023:i:2:p:46
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/download/0/0/44567/47041
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/view/0/44567
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wong, Chee Yew & Boon-itt, Sakun, 2008. "The influence of institutional norms and environmental uncertainty on supply chain integration in the Thai automotive industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 400-410, October.
    2. Elie Ofek & Miklos Sarvary, 2001. "Leveraging the Customer Base: Creating Competitive Advantage Through Knowledge Management," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 47(11), pages 1441-1456, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alexandra Durcikova & Kelly J. Fadel & Brian S. Butler & Dennis F. Galletta, 2011. "Research Note ---Knowledge Exploration and Exploitation: The Impacts of Psychological Climate and Knowledge Management System Access," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 22(4), pages 855-866, December.
    2. Wong, Wai Peng & Sinnandavar, Chandra Mohan & Soh, Keng-Lin, 2021. "The relationship between supply environment, supply chain integration and operational performance: The role of business process in curbing opportunistic behaviour," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    3. He, Yuanqiong & Lai, Kin Keung, 2012. "Supply chain integration and service oriented transformation: Evidence from Chinese equipment manufacturers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 791-799.
    4. López-Gamero, María D. & Molina-Azorín, José F. & Claver-Cortés, Enrique, 2011. "Environmental uncertainty and environmental management perception: A multiple case study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(4), pages 427-435, April.
    5. Gunasekaran, Angappa & Ngai, Eric W.T., 2009. "Modeling and analysis of build-to-order supply chains," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 195(2), pages 319-334, June.
    6. Tsu-Ming Yeh & Fan-Yun Pai & Liang-Chuan Wu, 2020. "Relationship Stability and Supply Chain Performance for SMEs: From Internal, Supplier, and Customer Integration Perspectives," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Gening Yang, 2024. "Knowledge Element Relationship and Value Co-Creation in the Innovation Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-24, May.
    8. Manral, Lalit & Harrigan, Kathryn R., 2018. "The logic of demand-side diversification: Evidence from the US telecommunications sector, 1990–1996," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 127-141.
    9. Baohong Sun & Jinhong Xie & H. Henry Cao, 2004. "Product Strategy for Innovators in Markets with Network Effects," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 243-254, October.
    10. Lukasz Hadas & Piotr Cyplik & Michal Adamczak & Roman Domanski, 2015. "Dimensions For Developing Supply Chain Integration Scenarios," Business Logistics in Modern Management, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics, Croatia, vol. 15, pages 225-239.
    11. Criscuolo, Paola & Salter, Ammon & Sheehan, Tony, 2007. "Making knowledge visible: Using expert yellow pages to map capabilities in professional services firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1603-1619, December.
    12. Azevedo, Susana G. & Carvalho, Helena & Cruz Machado, V., 2011. "The influence of green practices on supply chain performance: A case study approach," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 850-871.
    13. Francis, Bill B. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Sun, Xian & Waisman, Maya, 2014. "Can firms learn by observing? Evidence from cross-border M&As," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 202-215.
    14. Antonio K. W. Lau & Stacy H. N. Lee & Sojin Jung, 2018. "The Role of the Institutional Environment in the Relationship between CSR and Operational Performance: An Empirical Study in Korean Manufacturing Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-17, March.
    15. Himanshu Dutt & Reni Diah Kusumawati, 2019. "Reviewing the Role Criticality of Culture and Technology in Knowledge Management Practice: From Practitioners’ Viewpoint," Metamorphosis: A Journal of Management Research, , vol. 18(1), pages 20-35, June.
    16. Erdinç Koç & Muhammet Burak Delibaş & Yaprak Anadol, 2022. "Environmental Uncertainties and Competitive Advantage: A Sequential Mediation Model of Supply Chain Integration and Supply Chain Agility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    17. Iftikhar, Anas & Ali, Imran & Zhan, Yuanzhu & Stevenson, Mark & Tarba, Shlomo Y., 2025. "Firms’ strategic responses to rising uncertainty amid ongoing geopolitical tensions: The synergistic mediating role of network capability and innovation ambidexterity," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    18. Alma Spaho, 2011. "Determinants of Information Sharing in Supply Chain among Manufacturing and Trading companies in Albania: A Discriminant Analysis," EuroEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 29, pages 75-85, August.
    19. Barbara S. Lawrence, 2006. "Organizational Reference Groups: A Missing Perspective on Social Context," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(1), pages 80-100, February.
    20. Yang, Jie, 2010. "The knowledge management strategy and its effect on firm performance: A contingency analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(2), pages 215-223, June.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:ijbmjn:v:16:y:2023:i:2:p:46. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.